Here in Louisiana, many citizens have made lots of money on oil and natural gas. Our state lies above two very profitable and prolific natural gas shales – Haynesville and Tuscaloosa.

Haynesville is located in Northwest to Central Louisiana and has made millionaires overnight. The Tuscaloosa shale is one located North of Baton Rouge into central Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama; it is being tapped for the enormous reserves, reports Baton Rouge’s Advocate news paper in a recent article.

Natual gas is being sold by the industry to the public as a safe and green alternative to other reusable energy sources. In a new study from Cornell University, researchers say that Natual gas has as negative a carbon foot print as coal, or worse! Coal has constantly been chastised as the anti-green fuel. Time Magazine has a in depth analysis at this study and its impact on the energy industry.

New York Times reports that the gas industry “fiercely” disputes the finding of the Cornell Study. Natural gas has always been reported to the public to be plentiful, clean and green. The revolutionary process whereby the gas is extracted from depths of over 10,000 feet below the surface is called hydraulic fracturing. Apparently this process releases enough methane gas to negate all of the benefits of gas production.

In the end what could this mean for Louisiana? This reminds me of the old saying, “if is sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.” Many Louisiana citizens who live in areas encompassed by the underground shales are looking to get rich quick. Unfortunately this may come at a high price to our environment and our landscape. See picture. Louisiana citizens need to make sure they tread lightly when selling or leasing mineral rights to land. Always seek the advice of trusted independent counsel when dealing with prospecting companies.