U.S. Fracking's Larger Implications

[Wiseacre]

EPA Blames Fracking for Wyoming Groundwater Contamination | StateImpact Pennsylvania

For the first time, fed*eral envi*ron*men*tal reg*u*la*tors have made a direct link between the con*tro*ver*sial drilling prac*tice known as hydraulic frac*tur*ing and ground*wa*ter contamination.

The EPA released on Thurs*day its draft inves*ti*ga*tion results on water pol*lu*tion in the Wyoming town of Pavilion.

This fed*eral find*ing link*ing “frack*ing” and ground*wa*ter pol*lu*tion could have wide*spread reper*cus*sions. Sev*eral states, includ*ing New York and Penn*syl*va*nia, are in the midst of cre*at*ing new gas-drilling reg*u*la*tions. Up until this report, indus*try rep*re*sen*ta*tives, along with the head of Pennsylvania’s Depart*ment of Envi*ron*men*tal Pro*tec*tion, have said no per*sua*sive evi*dence exists link*ing frack*ing directly to prob*lems with water qual*ity. DEP Sec*re*tary Michael Krancer recently tes*ti*fied in Con*gress that the idea that frack*ing pol*lutes ground*wa*ter is “bogus.”

Res*i*dents of Pavil*ion, Wy., began com*plain*ing about drink*ing water that smelled like chem*i*cals back in 2008. Inten*sive drilling for nat*ural gas in the area began in the late 1990’s and con*tin*ued until 2006. The area now has 169 nat*ural gas wells.

The draft report says inves*ti*ga*tors have found com*pounds in Pavilion’s ground*wa*ter asso*ci*ated with frack*ing. The EPA found high con*cen*tra*tions of ben*zene, xylene, gaso*line and diesel fuel in shal*low ground*wa*ter sup*plies that they linked to waste*water pits. But the report also found a num*ber of frack*ing chem*i*cals in much deeper fresh water wells.

About that study - what the EPA doesn't say is that the US Geological Survey has detected organic chemicals in the well water of Pavillion for at least 50 years.

The dangerous compound the EPA found in drinking water wells was 2-butoxyethyl phosphate, which isn't an oil and gas chemical at all, it's a common fire retardant used in association with plastics and plastic components in drinking water wells.

The pollution detected by the EPA and alleged to be linked to fracking was found in deep-water monitoring wells, not the shallower drinking wells. To the extent that drilling chemicals were found in the deeper monitoring wells, the EPA admits this may result from legacy pits, which are old wellsthat were drilled many years before fracking was used. The EPA also concedes that the inferior design of Pavillion's old wells allows seepage into the water supply. Safer well construction of the kind used today might have prevented any contaminents from leaking into the water supply.

The fracking in Pavillion takes place in unusually shallow wells of fewer than 1000-1500 feet deep. Most fracking today occurs 10,000 feet deep or more, far below normal drinking wells, which typically at 500 feet or less. Even the EPA acknowledges that Pavillion's drilling is far different from other fracking areas. So to imply that this study means that fracking everywhere else is dangerous is spurious.

I wouldn't trust the EPA one bit, obviously they and the Obama admin are in thrall to the greenies.

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=21431

 

[Two Thumbs]

Fracking also brings small earthquakes and flammable water.

Still think it's a good idea?

You're believing lies and spreading them.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Then there's the conservative way...

NY fracking opponents focus efforts on local bans

ALBANY, N.Y. -- As state environmental regulators finish a review of shale gas drilling in New York, opponents of gas well "fracking" are taking a local approach, enacting zoning and planning laws that ban the practice.

This "home rule" tactic will be a focus of environmental groups in the legislative session that begins Wednesday with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's state-of-the-state address.

Sen. James Seward, an Oneonta Republican, is co-sponsoring legislation to give local governments veto power over natural gas drilling. He also wants the Department of Environmental Conservation to address home rule authority in proposed regulations....

NY fracking opponents focus efforts on local bans | SILive.com

 

[Old Rocks]

EPA Blames Fracking for Wyoming Groundwater Contamination | StateImpact Pennsylvania

For the first time, fed*eral envi*ron*men*tal reg*u*la*tors have made a direct link between the con*tro*ver*sial drilling prac*tice known as hydraulic frac*tur*ing and ground*wa*ter contamination.

The EPA released on Thurs*day its draft inves*ti*ga*tion results on water pol*lu*tion in the Wyoming town of Pavilion.

This fed*eral find*ing link*ing “frack*ing” and ground*wa*ter pol*lu*tion could have wide*spread reper*cus*sions. Sev*eral states, includ*ing New York and Penn*syl*va*nia, are in the midst of cre*at*ing new gas-drilling reg*u*la*tions. Up until this report, indus*try rep*re*sen*ta*tives, along with the head of Pennsylvania’s Depart*ment of Envi*ron*men*tal Pro*tec*tion, have said no per*sua*sive evi*dence exists link*ing frack*ing directly to prob*lems with water qual*ity. DEP Sec*re*tary Michael Krancer recently tes*ti*fied in Con*gress that the idea that frack*ing pol*lutes ground*wa*ter is “bogus.”

Res*i*dents of Pavil*ion, Wy., began com*plain*ing about drink*ing water that smelled like chem*i*cals back in 2008. Inten*sive drilling for nat*ural gas in the area began in the late 1990’s and con*tin*ued until 2006. The area now has 169 nat*ural gas wells.

The draft report says inves*ti*ga*tors have found com*pounds in Pavilion’s ground*wa*ter asso*ci*ated with frack*ing. The EPA found high con*cen*tra*tions of ben*zene, xylene, gaso*line and diesel fuel in shal*low ground*wa*ter sup*plies that they linked to waste*water pits. But the report also found a num*ber of frack*ing chem*i*cals in much deeper fresh water wells.[/quote]


About that study - what the EPA doesn't say is that the US Geological Survey has detected organic chemicals in the well water of Pavillion for at least 50 years.

The dangerous compound the EPA found in drinking water wells was 2-butoxyethyl phosphate, which isn't an oil and gas chemical at all, it's a common fire retardant used in association with plastics and plastic components in drinking water wells.

The pollution detected by the EPA and alleged to be linked to fracking was found in deep-water monitoring wells, not the shallower drinking wells. To the extent that drilling chemicals were found in the deeper monitoring wells, the EPA admits this may result from legacy pits, which are old wellsthat were drilled many years before fracking was used. The EPA also concedes that the inferior design of Pavillion's old wells allows seepage into the water supply. Safer well construction of the kind used today might have prevented any contaminents from leaking into the water supply.

The fracking in Pavillion takes place in unusually shallow wells of fewer than 1000-1500 feet deep. Most fracking today occurs 10,000 feet deep or more, far below normal drinking wells, which typically at 500 feet or less. Even the EPA acknowledges that Pavillion's drilling is far different from other fracking areas. So to imply that this study means that fracking everywhere else is dangerous is spurious.

I wouldn't trust the EPA one bit, obviously they and the Obama admin are in thrall to the greenies.

The EPA's Fracking Scare

Really? But the chemicals were only detected in 2008? And in both the shallow and deep wells?

 

[Old Rocks]

Fracking also brings small earthquakes and flammable water.

Still think it's a good idea?

You're believing lies and spreading them.

Ohio.

 

[Mr. H.]

I did read at the link. Very telling.
But is it damnable to the point of sounding a death knell for fracking nationwide?
Isn't this what many people want, regardless?

No, I don't think that it is. But it will be if the industry disregardes the warnings and destroy aquifers. We can live without the natural gas, we cannot live without the water.

Roger that.

I think that state O&G agencies have a decent handle on the issue. There are already a host of regs that dictate fracking practices, fluids containment, and fluids disposal. But with the flurry of activity, we're seeing them revised of late. The sheer volume of newly fractured wells is a bit overwhelming especially in light of state budget cutbacks. DNR offices are swamped.

Illinois may be positioned as a "next frontier" with respect to unconventional gas and oil (requiring fracturing). There's a huge lease grab going on in a select few counties. Our O&G association has been working with other interested parties in writing legislation and we've recently had a bill pass which will subsequently effect our Oil and Gas regs.

It's not really an issue of "if the industry disregards the warnings...", it's about gathering facts and acting upon them through legislation that is responsible to all parties. Industry works in concert with regulatory agencies- not against them.

 

[Wiseacre]

Don't think for a minute that the fracking companies are not aware of what's going to happen if it can be proved their operations have contaminated drinking water. The lawsuits alone would be enormous, and one can assume that EPA inspectors are vigilant indeed in that regard. As they should be.

 

[freedombecki]

Re: Gasland...

"...according to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which tested Markham's water in 2008, there were "no indications of oil & gas related impacts to water well." Instead the investigation found that the methane was "biogenic" in nature, meaning it was naturally occurring and that his water well was drilled into a natural gas pocket."

http://cogcc.state.co.us/library/GASLAND DOC.pdf

Earthquakes? Likely...

UK firm says shale fracking caused earthquakes | Reuters

However, there are over 1 million naturally occuring earthquakes each year.

A million earthquakes per year? Wonder upon what they based their claim, then.

 

[Mr. H.]

Re: Gasland...

"...according to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which tested Markham's water in 2008, there were "no indications of oil & gas related impacts to water well." Instead the investigation found that the methane was "biogenic" in nature, meaning it was naturally occurring and that his water well was drilled into a natural gas pocket."

http://cogcc.state.co.us/library/GASLAND DOC.pdf

Earthquakes? Likely...

UK firm says shale fracking caused earthquakes | Reuters

However, there are over 1 million naturally occuring earthquakes each year.

A million earthquakes per year? Wonder upon what they based their claim, then.

I stand corrected. That's several million per year...

Earthquake Facts and Statistics

 

[editec]

DKC is already building the infrastructure to ship the LPG coming from fracking OUT of the country.

Much of that LPG will be moving out of the nation via SEARPORT MAINE.

 

[Mr. H.]

DKC is already building the infrastructure to ship the LPG coming from fracking OUT of the country.

Much of that LPG will be moving out of the nation via SEARPORT MAINE.

And that's a good thing.

 

[ABikerSailor]

DKC is already building the infrastructure to ship the LPG coming from fracking OUT of the country.

Much of that LPG will be moving out of the nation via SEARPORT MAINE.

And that's a good thing.

Why is that a good thing? I thought we were supposed to reduce our dependence on foreign energy?

 

[The Irish Ram]

I live in farm country, about 60 miles from Youngstown. I grew up here and never felt an earthquake until recently. Now they are becoming frequent. I had no interest in leasing my land to the gas companies. One reason was finding out China just bought a third of Chesapeake Gas. The other is that I already have a gas well, and don't even use it. And the other is environment. I live on a large creek that my ducks, dogs, cat, horses, and chickens drink from daily. It flows through the middle of my property. There are old salt mines right here in my area. Several people have had to drill several times for well water that has no salt in it, me being one of them.
Ohio is floating on liquid gas. Shale is flat thin rock that crumbles easily. My concern is that if you remove the pressure, the shale will collapse, and the land on top of the shale will fall. Another problem is, all of the farms around me have signed up to allow gas drilling. I am literally surrounded by leased property now.
If I don't lease my land to them too, they can sit right on my neighbor's border and suck my gas right out from under me. Even worse they could e-domain me, if I am in their way.
The leasors are offering a shitload of money, that I have already turned down once, but now I am between a thin rock and a hard place. I'm not sure what to do. I could sell/lease my property and move all the animals, but I don't want to. I'll have no choice if they contaminate the creek, but if they ruin the creek then my selling price would plummet. What a mess. I really don't know what to do now.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I feel for you Ram, I really do. Maybe you can do some community organization to get the companies to fully disclose what they are using for fracking liquid?

I know it's been done in other states.

 

[RGR]

I really don't know what to do now.

Well, for starters, it is a good thing you aren't in REAL earthquake country, versus "little" earthquake country. Look what happens in real earthquake country when one hits, right? Versus some window rattling?

You have several alternatives to your problem. One would be to buy up the mineral rights yourself to all neighboring properties and prevent an entire block of acreage from being sold, yourself in the middle, and therefore the best protected from depletion of your resource from adjacent properties.

Another would be to just let them drain your resource from adjacent properties and sue and gum up the works when they try and forcibly unitize your land. You could go postal, or you could just lay back and appreciate how these fractured shales are providing the country with inexpensive and abundant energy, warm in the glow of the good you are contributing to society at large?

 

[RGR]

I feel for you Ram, I really do. Maybe you can do some community organization to get the companies to fully disclose what they are using for fracking liquid?

I know it's been done in other states.

Hell, 20 years ago I would have given him some of the frac fluid on the jobs I was doing to drink. Assuming he can metabolize water of course.

 

[Mr. H.]

DKC is already building the infrastructure to ship the LPG coming from fracking OUT of the country.

Much of that LPG will be moving out of the nation via SEARPORT MAINE.

And that's a good thing.

Why is that a good thing? I thought we were supposed to reduce our dependence on foreign energy?

And I thought ethanol was supposed to reduce our dependence of foreign energy.
Yet we're exporting 20% of ethanol production.
Go figure.

There's only so much natural gas that you can push to market. At any given time there are massive volumes of nat gas in storage around this country- plenty to meet demand.

Prices are 1/3 what they were just a few years ago and with new discoveries coming online it only makes sense to export it. It creates jobs, economic activity, generates tax revenues, and reduces the trade deficit.

What's not to like?

 

[Mr. H.]

I live in farm country, about 60 miles from Youngstown. I grew up here and never felt an earthquake until recently. Now they are becoming frequent. I had no interest in leasing my land to the gas companies. One reason was finding out China just bought a third of Chesapeake Gas. The other is that I already have a gas well, and don't even use it. And the other is environment. I live on a large creek that my ducks, dogs, cat, horses, and chickens drink from daily. It flows through the middle of my property. There are old salt mines right here in my area. Several people have had to drill several times for well water that has no salt in it, me being one of them.
Ohio is floating on liquid gas. Shale is flat thin rock that crumbles easily. My concern is that if you remove the pressure, the shale will collapse, and the land on top of the shale will fall. Another problem is, all of the farms around me have signed up to allow gas drilling. I am literally surrounded by leased property now.
If I don't lease my land to them too, they can sit right on my neighbor's border and suck my gas right out from under me. Even worse they could e-domain me, if I am in their way.
The leasors are offering a shitload of money, that I have already turned down once, but now I am between a thin rock and a hard place. I'm not sure what to do. I could sell/lease my property and move all the animals, but I don't want to. I'll have no choice if they contaminate the creek, but if they ruin the creek then my selling price would plummet. What a mess. I really don't know what to do now.

I'm assuming you've been presented with a lease agreement to review. I'd suggest taking it to an attorney familiar with such documents and who is also well versed in minerals law.

You didn't mention your acreage position (and I'm not asking), but depending on spacing requirements you may be "pooled" with other landowners in which case you'd be sharing revenues on a percentage basis. Your property could be worth much more than just the acres you occupy. Hope that makes sense.

Good luck.

 

[KissMy]

I live in farm country, about 60 miles from Youngstown. I grew up here and never felt an earthquake until recently. Now they are becoming frequent. I had no interest in leasing my land to the gas companies. One reason was finding out China just bought a third of Chesapeake Gas. The other is that I already have a gas well, and don't even use it. And the other is environment. I live on a large creek that my ducks, dogs, cat, horses, and chickens drink from daily. It flows through the middle of my property. There are old salt mines right here in my area. Several people have had to drill several times for well water that has no salt in it, me being one of them.
Ohio is floating on liquid gas. Shale is flat thin rock that crumbles easily. My concern is that if you remove the pressure, the shale will collapse, and the land on top of the shale will fall. Another problem is, all of the farms around me have signed up to allow gas drilling. I am literally surrounded by leased property now.
If I don't lease my land to them too, they can sit right on my neighbor's border and suck my gas right out from under me. Even worse they could e-domain me, if I am in their way.
The leasors are offering a shitload of money, that I have already turned down once, but now I am between a thin rock and a hard place. I'm not sure what to do. I could sell/lease my property and move all the animals, but I don't want to. I'll have no choice if they contaminate the creek, but if they ruin the creek then my selling price would plummet. What a mess. I really don't know what to do now.

Have them pay for a water test & get a copy of it, or get one done from the county/state. Make sure your agreement with the gas & drilling company states that if contamination levels rise, they must supply your farm with all the clean water you need for you & the animals. Make sure this supplied water agreement is transferable to future owners of said property. Get the best price you can & take the money before they steal the gas from you. Good Luck.

 

[The Irish Ram]

I live in farm country, about 60 miles from Youngstown. I grew up here and never felt an earthquake until recently. Now they are becoming frequent. I had no interest in leasing my land to the gas companies. One reason was finding out China just bought a third of Chesapeake Gas. The other is that I already have a gas well, and don't even use it. And the other is environment. I live on a large creek that my ducks, dogs, cat, horses, and chickens drink from daily. It flows through the middle of my property. There are old salt mines right here in my area. Several people have had to drill several times for well water that has no salt in it, me being one of them.
Ohio is floating on liquid gas. Shale is flat thin rock that crumbles easily. My concern is that if you remove the pressure, the shale will collapse, and the land on top of the shale will fall. Another problem is, all of the farms around me have signed up to allow gas drilling. I am literally surrounded by leased property now.
If I don't lease my land to them too, they can sit right on my neighbor's border and suck my gas right out from under me. Even worse they could e-domain me, if I am in their way.
The leasors are offering a shitload of money, that I have already turned down once, but now I am between a thin rock and a hard place. I'm not sure what to do. I could sell/lease my property and move all the animals, but I don't want to. I'll have no choice if they contaminate the creek, but if they ruin the creek then my selling price would plummet. What a mess. I really don't know what to do now.

Have them pay for a water test & get a copy of it, or get one done from the county/state. Make sure your agreement with the gas & drilling company states that if contamination levels rise, they must supply your farm with all the clean water you need for you & the animals. Make sure this supplied water agreement is transferable to future owners of said property. Get the best price you can & take the money before they steal the gas from you. Good Luck.

Locally there are 2 groups of lawyers that have merged to either go after, or to sign you up with, the gas companies that are pouring in. I planned on using an attorney, and will go ahead and let them horizontal drill I think, but they will have to encase both wells and pay for testing of the well water, and the creek water. They have to do that on a regular basis because we need to know if there is a problem before our animals drop dead. I so don't want to move. It's animal heaven here, and I love it. In the middle of the woods on the creek. aahhh.