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BUSINESS
Business author shares his straight-shooting secrets
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ARTS
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Newest addition to Denver Public Art collection dedicated
Author and speaker Richard Bryan speaks for the Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce Oct. 14 at Colore restaurant.
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“Upper Main Street Clothesline,” designed by artist Reven Marie Swanson, was dedicated Oct. 17, as part of Denver Public Art program.
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HALLOWEEN
Zombies crawl Main Street in annual ritual
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About 600 brain-oozing corpses ambled down Littleton’s Main Street for an hour on Oct. 4 for the annual Zombie Crawl.
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Digging into oil and gas October 23, 2014
www.HDnewspaper.com
Vol. 93 No. 45
South Metro Chamber group offers ‘Fracking 101’
By Peter Jones In light of such issues as hydraulic fracturing, environmental sustainability and dependence on foreign oil, everyone has questions about that black, gooey and sometimes-controversial chemical substance that keeps the nation moving. “The funny part about it is when I started in the industry, I had no flippin’ clue about oil,” said Howard Rough, vice president of sales for RockPile Energy Services. “I thought it just boiled out of the ground like when Jed becomes a millionaire. A lot of people in the world, including this country, still believe that’s how it is.” Even some members of the South Metro Denver Chamber, an organization that is often in the thick of energy politics, had questions about an industry with a $45.3 million annual impact on Colorado’s economy. Jeff Keener of Halo Branded Solutions, a firm more geared to energizing business promotions than promoting the energy business, was among the chamber’s active business leaders who realized they had more questions than answers about oil. Enter the chamber’s Rocky Mountain Energy Council, a coalition of lay members of the businesssupport organization who say they are dedicated to exploring all aspects of – and all potential answers to – the energy questions of our time. “We were very curious to know more about oil and gas, the pros and cons, the white elephants in the room, all those types of things,” Keener told a meeting of interested chamber members on Oct. 8. “We
started asking questions. We asked questions about hydraulic fracturing, about deep-well injection, about all those things.” Hydraulic fracturing – more commonly called fracking – quickly boiled to the surface in that oilfield of information. The controversial practice has spurred debate everywhere from city council chambers to editorial pages. The technique involves underground rock being ruptured by a pressurized cocktail of water, sand and chemicals, retrieving oil and natural gas that would
ABOVE: Howard Rough, vice president of sales for RockPile Energy Services, explains hydraulic fracturing to members of the South Metro Denver Chamber, whose Rocky Mountain Energy Council was established to delve into oil and gas issues. LEFT: A sample pulled from a recent process of hydraulic fracturing, which involves underground rock being ruptured by a pressurized cocktail of water, sand and chemicals, retrieving oil and natural gas that would otherwise be obstructed. Photos by Peter Jones
otherwise be obstructed. Contrary to popular assumption, fracking has been a popular industry practice for decades in Colorado. Though as Rough pointed out at the recent fracking primer at the chamber, the technology has greatly improved, making the technique less of fishing expedition and more like a precision attack. “You drill five wells from that one location … so you’re covering miles around you from one site,” he said. “They could go 10,000
feet deep, turn it 90 degrees and go 10,000 feet that way, that way or that way with accuracy. … They can drill to my office in downtown Denver and hit my desk with the drill.” So where in the past you might have had 100 wells, you would have just one. As for what some have considered the ominous concoction of chemicals that make it all possible, Rough points out that water is the main ingredient. “We use just a little bit of
chemical. We blend that together,” he said. “The only potential danger is spilling acid on the surface in its rawest form – no different than … acid you put in your swimming pool. It’s the same stuff. The acids that we use turn neutral when they hit the ground.” In other words, not much danger, by Rough’s estimation. Although oil companies had long resisted revealing the particulars of their chemical cocktails, a compromise was eventually struck in which the businesses would disclose the ingredients, but not the percentages. As for the water that constitutes fracking’s most voluminous constituent, Rough downplays the significance in context of Colorado’s drought history. “The total water use for all fracturing in the state of Colorado … will be less than 1 percent, more like 0.1 percent,” he said. Such assurances are unlikely to persuade fracking’s staunchest critics, who have worked to implement bans on the practice, such as in Longmont, leading to lawsuits. In August, U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, withdrew his controversial statewide ballot initiatives that restricted fracturing in exchange for the withdrawal of pro-fracking measures and the establishment of a blue-ribbon panel. Environmentalists continue to be concerned about issues ranging from earthquakes to noise pollution to drinking water contamination. In Colorado, the issue is regulated by the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission, which has worked to limit preemptive actions by municipalities.
Inter-Faith Community Services holiday programs need your help Submitted by IFCS Each year, Inter-Faith Community Services provides two different holiday programs to help neighbors in need. These programs help bring joy and comfort during a stressful time of year. Without them, hundreds of seniors and families would feel further despair and sink further into poverty. Simply put, IFCS works to stop the unyielding stress and hopelessness of poverty. This work only happens though with your support. Here is how to help. Volunteers help distribute 1,300 food and/or gift boxes to families, individuals, and seniors through the for the IFCS Thanksgiving and Holiday enrichment programs. IFCS offers two holiday programs: • In November, Thanksgiving baskets program, a complete Thanksgiving meal with extras • In December, Adopt-A-Family or Senior program, holiday
gifts/clothing and food Last year, 4,077 individuals benefited from IFCS’ Holiday Programs including hundreds of children who received gifts from generous donors. “The holidays can be a dark time for people in need,” said Sandra Blythe-Perry, Inter-Faith Community Services executive director. “Through the support of the community, we are able to create a warm glow in the hearts of neighbors in need. Creating that special moment for a child, individual, family or senior can have a long-lasting impact. It can restore hope and help lift the hopelessness that often surrounding poverty. I am so grateful for all the community support we get during
this time of year because it truly changes lives with a hand up, not a hand out. Our goal is to restore dignity, respect and self-worth during a special time of year when others are celebrating their successes.” These programs are essential in helping struggling families manage these annual one-time expenses. Quite often, the onetime expenses can run upwards of several hundred dollars. For families living paycheck to paycheck or seniors on a fixed income, it simply isn’t possible to pay for this. You may be wondering, what is the big deal in missing a Thanksgiving dinner or a holiday gift? Going without these items is a huge emotional burden. It creates a further separation between those who have and those who have not. Simply skipping these events puts a real mental burden on these families in need and can lead to longterm depression issues. It is part
of the spiraling effect of poverty. When these families miss out on these events, it deepens their state of despair. Through the community’s generosity, IFCS is a beacon of hope during the stressful holiday season. This means IFCS is able to provide a Thanksgiving meal to multiple hundreds of families this November. In December, IFCS puts the joy in a child’s heart with gifts for them and their families. They also help seniors with gifts and food that lifts their spirits. Join IFCS this year as they aim to provide every one of their clients a hand up, not just a hand out during the holidays. During the next several months, IFCS needs the community’s support through financial and food donations. There is also a need of volunteers to help collect and distribute food and clothing. Find out more on how you can make a difference by visiting www.IFCS.org or by calling 303-789-0501.