How drilling works:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DniNIvE69SE&feature=related

An oldie but goodie.  Much has changed, and much has stayed the same.

Click here to watch an old video of how oil is drilled, transported, and refined.

There are jobs in abundance in the Eagle Ford shale area, but a group of employers said Monday that it isn’t easy to find qualified workers.

The employers got re-assurance Monday from officials with the Texas Workforce Commission, which will help with job listings, training grants and pairing employers with community colleges to provide customized training. The commission sponsored a symposium in the San Antonio area Monday for Eagle Ford employers to talk about their needs.

source:  Houston Chronicle Eagle Ford

When Ray Kroll took the economic development job in Karnes County a few years ago, the property value of the entire county was around $500 million.

Now, thanks to the Eagle Ford shale play, the property tax rolls have jumped to $1.3 billion.

“To think that you would use the b-word in conjunction with Karnes County is just crazy,” Kroll said. “We’re talking in billions and not millions.”

source: Houston Chronicle Eagle Ford

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE EAGLE FORD SHALE

In less than three years of development, the Eagle Ford Shale already accounts for over six percent of the Gross Regional Product for the 24-county South Texas area it encompasses, according to a study released today by the Center for Community and Business Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio Institute for Economic Development.

“The Eagle Ford Shale may be one of the largest onshore natural gas and oil discoveries in the past half century,” saidDominique Halaby, the center’s director. “In 2010 alone, this newest of the Texas shale plays generated close to $2.9 billionin revenue, supported approximately 12,600 full-time jobs in the area, and provided nearly $47.6 million in local government revenue.”

Download Report Here:  http://ccbr.iedtexas.org/index.php/Download-document/47-Economic-Impact-of-the-Eagle-Ford-Shale.html

Source: University of Texas at San Antonio Institute for Economic Development-   http://ccbr.iedtexas.org/Newsflash/economic-impact-of-the-eagle-ford-shale.html

The economy got you down?  Texans rejoice in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KmqKic5Y8DI

NEW YORK, Oct 27 (Reuters) – Kirby Corp , the largest U.S. inland barge operator, said on Thursday it continues to see strong demand for inland barges carrying crude oil to refineries, as production from the Eagle Ford shale formation and other regions continues to grow.

Between 140 and 150 barges industrywide are currently carrying crude oil, more than 10 times the number in operation ten years ago, Joe Pyne, Kirby’s chairman and chief executive officer told analysts during the company’s third-quarter conference call on Thursday.

“We used to be able to count on less than two hands the number of crude barges,” said Joe Pyne, head of Kirby.

“The movement is mostly downriver movement of Canadian crude oil through Baton Rouge refineries.

Exxon Mobil Corp. operates a large, 503,000 barrel per day refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is located north of several large Louisiana refineries including those owned by ConocoPhillips and Marathon oil.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/27/kirby-crude-barges-idUSN1E79Q1HY20111027

The Texas Railroad Commission-led Eagle Ford Task Force has adopted several advisements related to truck traffic and pipeline development in the region. The rapid increase in truck traffic on local roads in the Eagle Ford shale region has led to concerns regarding the deterioration of roads and hazards to public safety. Pipeline infrastructure also was on the task force agenda. Several billion dollars worth of pipeline projects are under development in the region, and local communities have expressed concern with how the development of these massive projects will affect them. “The construction of a 20-in. crude oil line running 50 miles through a county can take the place of 1,250 ta…

Source:  http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-109/issue-44/general-interest/texas-railroad-commission-sets.html

….The total impact is expected to be $13.9 billion this year and increase to $48 billion in 2020. By comparison, the annual GDP of the three county Corpus Christi metropolitan area is about $15 billion….

Source:  Corpus Christi Caller Times

http://www.caller.com/news/2011/sep/27/coastal-bend-businesses-should-take-advantage-of/

Roads in small communities are taking a beating from oil field truck traffic. There’s a housing shortage. And billions of dollars in new pipelines will crisscross the oil and gas play, an eminent domain issue that inevitably will make some private landowners unhappy.

Source: Houston chronicle

http://www.chron.com/business/article/Eagle-Ford-boom-brings-tricky-problems-2195719.php