Thursday, December 15, 2011

Fracking Brine Coming to Mansfield, Ohio

This is a follow-up to an earlier post about fracking brine injection wells slated for inner-Mansfield.

According to the latest news in The Mansfield News Journal, the Mansfield City Law Director has informed concerned citizens attempting to fight the propesed injection sites they have no legal standing.

Again, according to the News Journal article, Spon, the City Law Director, is working to help concerned citizens while taking the calming approach of somewhat downplaying the significance of using the inner-city industrial park site as a dumping ground for fracking brine, stating that the issue is not fracking itself, and is simply fracking-related brine.

The points that are easy to overlook in this issue are:
  • This is not a salt-water brine like your grandmother would have used to make pickles, this is the same toxin-filled brine that is used for fracking. Calling it fracking-related brine  does not change what it is.
  • It only takes one small bubble in the injection well's concrete casing to allow a toxic cocktail to leak out into the local water supply. (Have you ever seen concrete that didn't have at least one small bubble?)
  • The injection well casing only goes so far down, so after that depth it only takes one weak spot in the underlying ground (something no one among us can control) to allow a leak.
  • The fact that Ohio already has 184 of these deep-well fracking brine injection sites, dumps the stuff on the roadway to control ice and dusts, and (in some counties) coats road salt with it does not mean it is safe. (Is it honestly safe or have Ohioans so far simply been lucky there have been no larger problems?) In fact, if, like most everything else that affects human life, the fracking brine toxins have a cumulative effect... well, it's accumulating - you can fill in the rest.
So I'll end this post with a link to the original post on this site and another to the News Journal article, Mansfield Can't Fight Fracking Waste Wells, covering this so you can check out the original source if you want to, and a wish for Mansfield residents and all of us, that a safe resolution for disposing of fracking brine can be found before it's too late.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

After a massive signature-collecting campaign on the part of anti-fracking groups, the United States Forest Service (USFS) withdrew over 3,000 acres of Ohio land from the "fracking-board" (land that was slated for lease-sale on December 7, 2011.)

The halt may or may not become permanent as the withdrawal is simply providing time to review the potential effects of fracking.

According to a report on Truth-Out, there are things working against the groups and individuals working to protect the environment and Ohio residents from the effects of fracking. If you go through the article in critical-thinking mode, you will notice that all of the the reasons listed boil down to one thing - money.

Monday, November 28, 2011

How Many Jobs Will Be Created by Shale Drilling?

How many jobs will be created by shale drilling?

This post steps away from the environmental impact of fracking, to look at the one potential positive aspect of this issue: job creation.

No one who is familiar with Ohio's current economic situation could legitimately argue against the point that people here need jobs.

According to a quote from Lorain Mayor, Tony Krasienko, in a recent R&D Magazine article, for every manufacturing job created (by fracking) 5 to 7 ancillary jobs are created.

If, for example, you apply these numbers to the 350 manufacturing jobs expected to be coming to Youngstown via the V&M Star Mills, and you have the potential for between 1750 and 2450 newly created jobs.

The New Gold Rush

It's no wonder this is being referred to as the new gold rush.

The new jobs are obviously a positive thing for the economy, the puzzling part is, why can't the jobs be created without endangering people who live near drilling and brine dumping sites?

The technology exists to do this safely, sure, it costs the gas companies more to implement some of the safety measures, but considering how big the profits are regardless, why not do it safely rather than risk lives?

On Fracking Brine Dumping

A quick Internet search yields Halliburton documents on the process for filtering completion fluids and then reusing the parts filtered out for things like rat poison. So why dump the rat poison makings into the ground to seep back out into drinking water? Because it costs more to filter it? Is the fact that it's cheaper to dump toxins into old wells in an agricultural community than to filter the toxins out a good enough reason to dump tons upon tons of contaminated brine into the ground?

Every single one of these fracking jobs can be created without increasing the environmental risk. The question is, will the government and company leaders step forward and do the right thing?

Friday, November 25, 2011

Short Notice: Your Chance to Add Your Voice to ODNR Oil and Natural Gas Well Construction Draft Rules

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management is accepting comments on the new set of proposed well construction rules, but only until November 28, 2011.

Since this is coming to Ohio, in fact it's already here, and it's growing rapidly, if you care about this issue (and you probably do if you're here reading this) then you have this opportunity to read the proposed draft rules and make your voice heard if you feel any of the rules are amiss, unclear, or inadequate.

The new rules will be finalized and in effect by the end of January 2012 according to the ODNR website.
Link to Proposed Draft Rules
The email address for submitting your comments is: minerals@dnr.state.oh.us

Do Residents Living Near Fracking Brine Injection Sites Have the Right to Debate the Issue?

What rights do local governmental leaders and citizens have when it comes to potentially toxic waste being dumped in proximity to their homes?

Say Goodbye to Your Rights?

According to a report in the Mansfield News Journal, an attorney for the company (Preferred Fluids Management of Austin, Texas) that has proposed two injection sites in Mansfield, Ohio's industrial park, citizens and city leaders have absolutely no rights.

Who Gets to Decide for You?

The PFM attorney states that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Mineral Resources Management has sole jurisdiction and the city can neither limit nor prohibit the injection sites if the state's ODNR opts to allow the sites.

Zoning

It is also stated that the industrial park's zoning (general impact industrial use) allows the injection wells - further depleting rights of Mansfield, Ohio citizens.

Is the Brine Toxic?

The News Journal report also notes that the sites would be accepting up to 150,000 barrels of non-toxic fluid per month. The non-toxic part of the claim is interesting in light of the EPA's recent findings of contaminated groundwater from monitoring wells the agency set near hydro-fractured wells.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

25 Year Study 185 Documented Groundwater Contamination Incidents

An August 2011 report released by the Ground Water Protection Council describes a 25 year study in Ohio that has "documented  185 groundwater contamination incidents caused by historic or regulated oilfield activities."

Fracked Oil Wells?

You may be wondering what oilfield activities have to do with fracking, well, the majority (around 97%) of oil wells drilled in Ohio over the last three decades were - that's right - hydro-fracked. And there is more... those orphaned, fracked wells are now being used as Class II injection sites for natural gas fracking brine.

Orphaned Well Leakage

41 of the groundwater contamination incidents were found to be the result of orphaned well leakage. With the state of Ohio home to a rapidly growing number of orphaned well/ fracking brine injection sites, this should be of special concern to residents in the communities surrounding the injection sites.

Test Group of One

While only one shale gas drilling site in Ohio is mentioned in the GWPC report (prior to 20008, though the report is from 2011) in the interest of fairness it is important that I add, that one site had no cases of  "recorded  groundwater contamination incident resulting from site preparation, drilling, well construction, completion, hydraulic fracturing stimulation, or production operation."

Got to Be Fair

It is also important to note in the interest of fairness that "Over the past 25 years, Ohio has not identified a single incident of groundwater contamination from subsurface injection at a permitted Class II disposal well", Texas on the other hand has been "at it" longer and has recorded at least six documented incidents of groundwater contamination from subsurface injection at permitted Class II wells.

Conclusion

I appreciate the GWPC report because it explains both sides of the fracking issue in regard to groundwater contamination from fracking brine. Given the number of wells cited in the two-state study, the industry record is pretty good, though I doubt that a "pretty good record" is much consolation to the individuals exposed to and suffering from the effects of carcinogen-laced water.

Ohio does desperately need the jobs, but even one life lost to the effects of a fracking brine leak is too many. We need to proceed safely. The point of this blog is to raise awareness of the dangers, not to keep people from getting jobs in this overheated industry. We simply should not push ahead in a cavalier and unsafe manner that risks the health of every man, woman, child, and living creature exposed to the water and air contaminated by fracking. It is to see only one side of an issue, especially one as important as safe drinking water versus jobs. It would just be nice to see Ohioans do better on this important issue - before it's too late.

Regulate Fracking? Don't Regulate Fracking? Which Should it Be?

According to a report coming out of Washington, Ohio Rep. Bob Gibbs and other unnamed House Republicans are taking aim at the current administration's efforts to safely regulate the practice of hydraulic fracturing.

Proponents of the status quo, such as Gibbs, want to see the industry push ahead as quickly as possible, which makes sense from their point of view since that is how they rake in the dollars. They go on to cite the statistic that no documented cases of groundwater contamination have been recorded.

Environmentalists and some citizens want to see the pratice controlled until further environmental studies can be done, to insure the safety of groundwater around drilling pratice and dumping brine sites. Environmental groups say the term "documented" is pivotal in understanding the statistics cited by proponents; claiming that the reason no cases have been documented is that when gas companies settle with victims, the victim is required to sign a non-disclosure agreement and can no longer voice facts about their experiences.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Exxon Mobile Irony

Just a short post to say I am enjoying the irony of seeing an Exxon Mobile ad on my anti-fracking site.

I guess even bad publicity is publicity???

EPA Finds Groundwater Contamination from Fracking

Following report after report on the part of natural gas companies and gas industry lobbyists claiming there has never been a proven and recorded case of groundwater contamination related to hydro-fracture natural gas drilling, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "released the latest data from Pavillion-area domestic and monitoring wells at a public meeting on November 9, 2011" describing high levels of cancer-causing compounds (including acetone, toluene, naphthalene and traces of diesel fuel) and at least one chemical commonly used in hydraulic fracturing [2-Butoxyethanol (2-BE).] 


In short, after sampling water from Wyoming 42 homes located in close proximity to drilling sites, the EPA went on to drill 2 monitoring/test wells. The monitoring well sample results include (preliminary report quoted from EPA website):

  • Elevated ppH– rang g ging from 11.2-12
  • Potassium (8-18x) and chloride (18x) significantly elevated 
  • Synthetic organic compounds including glycols, alcohols and 2-butoxyethanol
  • Methane at near-saturation levels (up to 19 mg/L)- similar isotopic signature to production gas 
  • Other petroleum-related detections– BTEX (including benzene at 50x the MCL), phenols, trimethylbenzenes,, DR
The EPA plans to release an official report in late November, though all of this information is currently available on their website.

Are Ohio Gas Drilling Rules Adequate?

The debate goes on and on about the safety of hydraulic fracturing, also called hydrofracking and fracking, as well as the safety of fracking brine disposal methods like injection of completion fluids into existing well shafts.

Ohio is supposedly known for having some of the strictest regulations overseeing gas and oil drilling, though environmentalists consider that an example ofhow the regulations are failing on the national level rather than a triumph for Ohio.

Also, according to reports, Pensylvania, already experiencing negative environmental effects of the rapidly advancing fracking industry, has tougher regulations than Ohio - proving the "stricter than Ohio's" existing regulatory levels to be inadequate to protect the safety of citizens.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Ohio Treasurer Claims Sherrod Brown Should Support Fracking

Ohio treasurer, Josh Mandel, who is expected to run against Sherrod Brown in the 2012 senate race, has announced that he feels Brown should support fracking, according to a report on Vindy.

The claim states that Brown should do what the people of Ohio want and accuses Brown of siding with Washington bureaucrats and fringe environmentalists.

According to Brown's camp, while not stating a for or against stance, “Sen. Brown supports responsible domestic energy production. His priority is making certain that fracking negotiations result in good jobs for Ohioans, a fair deal for landowners, a safe local drinking-water supply, and sustainable, long-term economic growth for Ohio communities.”

Having read Brown's books and followed his career with interest, I find it highly unlikely that this man is out of touch with what his constituents want. If anything, he is, in my humble opinion, one of the few leaders actually working to make life better for the dwindling middle class and rapidly growing lower economic class.

So, let's hope Senator Brown does not take the advice of someone who is getting poised to run against him and who is, most likely, offering him bad advice.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion: November 16, 2011

A natural gas pipeline near Glouster in Ohio ruptured and then exploded this morning (11/16/11), around 8:30am. Two homes were damaged and one woman was found walking along the road carrying her dog. As of 1:58pm, no report is available on her, or the dog's, condition.

According to reports, the explosion was felt - and ensuing fire was heard - up to 12 miles away.

The natural gas transmission line is owned by the Houston-based Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company.


The gas flowing through the pipeline has reportedly since been shut off.


Edited at 2:20pm to Add Update about Pipeline Explosion: 


The Athens Messenger has offered an update, stating that no serious injuries resulted from the explosion. Also, the cause of the rupture is as yet unknown. The pictures are pretty "impressive", showing the size of the fire from a landscape view to give an idea of how big it really was. 

Monday, November 14, 2011

Is Fracking a Republican vs. Democrat Issue?

When I first heard fracking brine was being dumped into old wells near my home, it didn't occur to me that it might be a Republicans vs. Democrats issue. After all, we all have to drink the same water, breathe the same air, and live with any other effects that result from the practice regardless of the political party we follow.

I was surprised when I realized that somehow this very basic issue, that is affecting and will continue to affect, all of us has emerged as a partisan issue.

Cash for Fracking Support

According to an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio politicians, almost all Republican, are accused of having received nearly $3 million on lobbying and campaign contributions in Ohio over the last decade in an effort to keep drilling regulations lax by the non-profit organization known as Common Cause.

While I could easily go on and on about my opinions about this, I'm going to stop and let you check out the information found by Common Cause, and I'll end with a link to Common Cause's press release/summary of the study.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

EPA Effort to End Brine Dumping in Ohio's Mahoning River

For the last year, the city of Warren has been exercising the benefit of a permit allowing them to dump 100,000 gallons of fracking brine into the Mahoning River every day.

When the city appealed the permit, asking permission to allow even more brine to be dumped into the waterway,   Ohio's Attorney General and EPA Director stepped in and are working to repeal the permit altogether.

The practice of river-dumping the toxic fracking brine is expected to end soon as it is replaced with dumping into injection wells.

Is the practice of injection well dumping safer for stakeholders? 

No one actually knows! Some of the injection wells are near streams and in watersheds, but dumping the brine into the ground offers the illusion of safety, and it's out of site - out of mind - at least until people in the surrounding area start getting sick.

For now, though, it's a small victory for people living downstream from Warren, Ohio, that someone is working to protect them from the brine toxins currently being dumped in Warren.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Fracking Training Programs at Ohio Colleges

I was just reading a Columbus Dispatch article about Ohio colleges being quick to respond to the need for trained shale gas workers.

I was a little shocked to see that some of the educational programs are stretched out to a whole two weeks for certification in drilling site basics.

That's not to say longer programs are not available, Masters and Doctoral programs are also presented, but the way the industry is pushing ahead, by the time the students get the degrees the fracking ship will have sailed.

If it's going to happen, I guess placing our water and air supply in the hands of people with two weeks of training is better than ... nothing?

Link to CD article about Ohio colleges

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Adding List of Ohio Organizations Working to Provide Citizens with Information About Fracking

I am adding, in the right side-bar, a list of organizations that provide information about fracking in Ohio, along with links to the organizations' websites.

If you are affiliated with an organization that is not listed, and would like your organization's site included, feel free to leave a message to have your site considered and added.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Beautiful Fall Day in Ohio

It is turning out to be a beautiful fall day here in Ohio, and I just want to wish everyone reading this a nice weekend.

(I'm sorry to stray from the theme of this site, but this post isn't about fracking, I'm just in a pleasant mood and enjoying this sunshine so much I wanted to pop in and say hello and send positive thoughts out to everyone reading this.)

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Fracking Jobs in North Dakota

Another not-Ohio-centric post, but interesting.

According to one recent report, a small town in North Dakota has more jobs than it can be filled thanks to a frac-drilling boom. The report says for every job filled, another 1.5 jobs open up. The town's unemployment rate is less than 1% compared to over 9% for the rest of the US. The comments at the end of the article are almost more interesting than the article.

I can't and wouldn't argue the benefit of bringing jobs to any community, as mentioned before, my concerns are related to the environmental impact.

I still believe it is unethical to take fracking to the large scale it is rapidly reaching when it is so fraught with risk - but that is just my personal view and obviously a different view than the one held by big oil and the government, and apparently, the majority of those reading the linked report.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Fracking Ads and Paid Surveys

I just finished taking one of those paid surveys - well - I didn't finish, it "timed out" after I had answered 46 of the 65 questions. This survey was put out by the "2nd largest producer of natural gas in the US." If you're wondering what the 2nd largest producer of natural gas in the US pays for a 65 question survey, the amount is one dollar.

So darn, I won't get my one dollar since the survey timed out and they got thought-out, well-considered answers to 46 two-part questions. That's okay, I'll be okay without the dollar and it was interesting and informative seeing the process they use to develop ads that will sway people to allow them to drill on their property.

The questions they asked were written to only partially  inform and to totally sway landowners and community stakeholders to allow drilling. They wanted to know which ads would inspire "me, the survey-taker" to allow them to drill in my community.

The survey also asked, the second part of each question, how I felt after reading each proposed ad. Did I feel threatened? Did I feel curious? Did I feel unconcerned? Did I feel indignant? Did I feel hopeful?

I varied between threatened, curious, and indignant, because, truly, nothing about hydro-fracture gas drilling leaves me feeling hopeful or unconcerned.

A lot of the ads talked about how the drilling process is 100% safe IF the casing is properly cemented and IF half a dozen other things go 100% perfectly. Well, how often is anything this life is 100% anything? And, how often in this life does everything go 100% perfectly?

A couple of the proposed ads mentioned the recycling of water, but even then, at some point the contaminated water is going to find its way to a disposal site, and then the list of "safety IFs" begins again. IF the injection well is properly cased... IF the well did not break through the water table and contaminate the local wells when originally dug it MIGHT be safe to dump toxins into it... I could go on and on, but that's the gist of it.

So to round up this slightly rambling post, don't just believe the propaganda that's handed to you. If someone is trying to hand you propaganda, there is almost always more to it. These companies are researching to find the ideal ads to sway residents into signing without thinking. It's how they make their money, and lots of it.

Whether you are for or against this type of drilling and the completion fluid disposal that follows, you owe it to yourself to be an informed citizen. If a company tells you something is 100% safe, check around. If it was 100% safe, this site and the many, many other sites like it would not exist.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Common Problems of Storage Tanks

 

Author: richelleloughney

The water from a well system is often directed into your home. The well system has some form of storage tank which serves as the container connected to your home's piping system. Over the course of time, these storage tanks are susceptible to breaking and other maintenance issues.

One of the common problems that may occur in storage tanks is the loss of water quality, especially with underground water storage tanks. According to several studies, water in storage tanks may get contaminated for several reasons. One, there may be a chemical contamination in the water source that eventually find its way into tanks. For instance, storm water that gets into the water system is more polluted than other water sources.

Aside from the reduced water quality, leaks and damages are also a main concern. Corrosion and deterioration are primary sources for these. For instance, a water tank that holds thousands of gallons of water needs to be replaced because of leaks and damages. This can be very costly, especially if the damage is extensive. A lot of professional surmise that leaks in storage tanks are attributed to faulty concrete coverage, insufficient interior waterproofing and improper maintenance.
Some also look at the possibility of inconsistent application of regulations as the cause of storage tank issues. For instance, some regulatory boards issue the use of channel systems for storm water into the underground water and storage system. This can become a primary source of contamination of water sources located in these underground storage systems such as Field Erected Tanks.

Costs for installing water storage tanks such as Frac Tank Alternatives have become considerably high during the recent years. Underground water storage systems, for instance, generally cost twice as much as above-ground systems. Underground storage systems typically needs longer pipe runs, conduit and electrical wires. Aside from that, accessing these may also prove to be a challenge thus making maintenance more costly.

It can be very inconvenient if there is damage in your storage tank. For repair and maintenance, you can contact Frac Tanks repair services to evaluate the damage and determine if your storage tank needs to be replaced. It may, however, be expensive to have your tanks repaired, especially if the damage is extensive.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/industrial-articles/common-problems-of-storage-tanks-5281554.html

About the Author

Friday, October 7, 2011

Audio Recordings of EPA/Public Hearings about Fracking

If you were not able to attend the recent EPA meetings, or if you went but want to hear it again, you can still be "in the know" as to what was covered at the meetings. The EPA has released audio recordings of the September, 27, 28, & 29 meetings about "public hearings on the proposed standards to reduce air pollution from the oil and natural gas industry."

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Oil & Gas Development Briefings

OFBF will be holding meetings across Ohio over thenext few days, to provide information about emerging oil and gas issues in Ohio, how the issues will impact them and their communities and how they can potentially benefit from it.

Meeting Dates and Locations

DATE:
Sep. 26, 2011 | 07:00 pm - 09:00 pm
LOCATION:
Maplewood Career Center
7075 SR 88
Ravenna, OH

DATEL
Sep. 27, 2011 | 07:00 pm - 09:00 pm
LOCATION:
West Holmes High School Theater
10909 SR 39
Millersburg, OH

DATE:
Sep. 28, 2011 | 07:00 pm - 09:00 pm
LOCATION:
Ohio Department of Agriculture
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, OH

For more information about these meetings, contact the Ohio Farm Bureau or visit their website.

Public Hearings About the USEPA's Proposed Regulations to Reduce Air Pollution From Fracking

This week, September 27, 28, & 29, 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is holding public hearings about their proposed air rules for reducing air pollution from fracking.

The hearings will be held in Pittsburgh, PA on the 27th, Denver, CO on the 28th, and in Arlington, Texas on the 29th.

Addresses for the hearings, and phone numbers are included in this document .

According to the EPA's document, this is a chance to be heard and have your input considered if you are able to attand one of these meetings.

This is a direct quote from the document,
"The three public hearings will convene at 9:00 a.m. and wille until 8:00 p.m. (local time). The EPA will make everyl speakers that arrive and register before8:00p.m."
continu
effort to accommodate al

Friday, September 23, 2011

New Links to Fracking Information Sites in Side-Bar

I just want to point out a couple of new links in the sidebar (I'll put them here in this post, too).

The first one goes to a site called Earth Justice. It has a video clip about a couple who noticed signs of fracking surveyors in a park, fought it, and won - along with a handy list of tips for citizens in similar situations.

The second link is to the Center for Health, Environment and Justice's No Fracking Page. 


I apologize for the brevity of this post, I just wanted to get this updated since I found these two informative sites this evening.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Fracking Song: The Water's On Fire Tonight

A little musical break - "The Water's On Fire Tonight" was written using the details of Propublica's investigation on hydraulic fracturing gas drilling.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Things for Landowners to Consider When Signing Over Mineral Rights to Gas Companies

The gentleman in this video talks about things landowners need to consider, in detail, before signing land rights over to gas companies. He does not profess to offer legal or financial advice, and he does not declare a positive or negative stance in regards to fracking, he simply points out things most people would not think about and asks viewers to weigh the options before signing anything - like - if you sign over all mineral rights you cannot always later refinance or sell your property because a lien can be put against your property's mineral rights. That's not all, if you have about 20 minutes and 23 seconds to spare, this information is well worth learning, and could even be vital to your financial future.


Landowner Considerations in Unconventional Gas Drilling from Paul Feezel on Vimeo.

If you cannot open this embedded video, this is the link to the Vimeo page.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Could Ohio Colleges Be Slated as Fracking Sites?

With public lands in the park system on the table as potential hydraulic fracturing drilling sites, it starts to seem as if nothing is off the table.

Imagine sending your college-age children off to learn in an environment where potential carcinogenic and radioactive toxins float around in the air from a fracking rig (or several) operating on the campus - not to mention the noise and grime.

How many of us would really choose that environment for our children? Think they'll learn much?

Some western states (yeah, Texas is one of them) already have drilling sites set up on college campuses.

In response to extreme budget cuts, some Pennsylvania colleges are getting ready to roll out the rigs and jump on the frac truck, too. (The article the link goes to also mentions the use of prison lands being used as drilling sites.)

So my question, could Ohio college campuses be in the line of fire also?

Even though it hasn't made the local news yet, it seems logical that, just like western students and (soon-to-be Pennsylvania) students; students attending one of colleges located above the Marcellus or Utica shale reserves could end up seeing rigs go up on the campuses they attend.

Monday, September 12, 2011

ODOT Document About De-Icing Roads and Brine Use

I'm popping back in today in the interest of fairness to share a link to Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) document about de-icing the roads. When I found it, I was researching, attempting to find out just how much the state of Ohio spends annually on brine to dump on the roads after reviewing the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) documents about dumping oilfield completion brine and natural gas fracking brine on roadways. (Sorry about that long sentence.)

The ODOT document in question, while it does not specifically state what makes up the brine, states that all brine is made "in-house". So, depending on the breadth of the state's definition of "in-house" it leaves a lot open.

I found it interesting that two other government agencies state that it is drilling/fracking brine while the Ohio Department of Transportation offers that it is something they make. One question this raises: Does that mean the state starts with fracking brine and adds more chemicals before adding it to the road?

So, this post doesn't give any answers, it just raises more questions... and shares a link to an interesting document.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Update on Fracking Brine Dumping on Ohio Roadways

Updated January 21, 2011

Since strict environmental laws say dumping hazardous waste anywhere it can get into our water systems and soil is forbidden, why are some states dumping it on the roadways to keep down ice and dust - depending upon the season in question? This recently updated  Ohio Environmental Protection Agency document, Drilling for Natural Gas in the Marcellus and Utica Shales: Environmental Regulatory Basics, outlines in very specific language that this is being done in Ohio. 

The original document (circa 1983/Ohio Department of Natural Resources) outlining procedures for roadway/oilfield completion fluid dumping, implied that only oilfield completion fluids would be dumped, and then listed a few, somewhat unrealistic measures that are in place to keep the brine out of waterways, yards, and fields. (I mean, if it runs off the road and into the ditch, it is going to flow right along with the rest of the runoff water when the snow melts or when it rains. It's water, it isn't going to separate the toxins out of itself just because someone wants us to believe it will.) According to the newly released (July 2011 OEPA document, it is no longer oilfield completion fluid - ever.


Add dumping brine into old injection wells, and it's really a wonder it's still safe to drink the water. Or is it still safe? That's not for me to decide, I'm just here to share the information I find. I'm not against fracking, I don't hate energy companies, I just think it is the height of irresponsible behavior for businesses, and for state officials charged with the responsibility to protect the interests of citizens, to proceed with something so hazardous without a realistic plan in place for protecting the environment. 

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Is Your Water on Fire?


Author: Keep It Green Ideas

The USGS says on its website that although three-quarters of the earth's surface is covered by water, only about 2% of it is drinkable. That is pretty sad and it should help us to understand why water is so precious of a resource. Unfortunately, we waste our water all the time.

Why is it that some people have reported their water actually burns and how is that possible? One of the main causes of this is the recent practice of Fracking. This is a process of using water pressure to break up rock deep in the ground to get at the gas reserves there. Abrahm Lustgarten writes in the online journal ProPublica (May 9, 2011) that Duke University reports "flammable methane gas in drinking water wells" in Pennsylvania and other states. Yes, people have said they can light the water coming out of their faucets. The August 2011 issue of Readers Digest has a story that is a personal account of this issue.

You may say that your water is not on fire so why should you care? The real issues is what we are doing to our water in general. We have runoff from yards and farms, chemical spills, and all types of issues. Some of our problems are from the earth's natural processes and others are manmade. The Readers Digest issue mentioned before also reports that our water has in it: rocket fuel, pesticides, antibiotics, and the list goes on.

To be fair, some of these elements are so minute that scientists have only recently recorded them. Long term, if we don't take care of our water we won't even have 2% to drink.

What can you really do about all of this? First, write your local, state, and federal representatives and let them know how important this is. They are listening to the big corporations who say this is no big deal. They may ask about water like the one Lee Iaccoca did about clean air, "How much clean air do we need?" Second, pay attention to how you use water.

If you are not drinking your tap water, why aren't you? Don't like the taste, don't trust the pipes, or don't really know what is in your water? One good answer for the average person is to filter their water. That was one of the conclusions in the Readers Digest article. The average pitcher with a filter will do a great job for most drinking situations. Drop the plastic bottle habit and get a reusable bottle.

If you want clean more water, get an under the counter water filter. If you want to clean all of your water then you will need something like a reverse osmosis system. There will be more details about some of these ideas in future articles but see the links below for more information.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/is-your-water-on-fire-5051112.html


About the Author

Keep It Green Ideas is a Web site dedicated to helping people find everyday solutions to their efforts to be green. For information about bottled water go to Bottled Water Article and for information on clean water go to Clean Water.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Frac Truck: The Natural Gas Clean Up

This article offers some information on identifying a frac truck, and ends mentioning the EPA hotline for reporting illegal, or suspected illegal, dumping. The toll-free number for reporting dumping is 1-877-919-4372, or you can use the email address set up by the EPA for easy reporting, eyesondrilling@epa.gov.

Author: CentralTruckSales

Ok so now that we know about the process of utilizing up to 65 million gallons of potentially toxic water, and how important it is to transport it safely, the next item to cover is the cleanup. Spills and overflows will inevitably create the need to clean up transport and frac areas. To best clean up and keep control over the hydraulic fracturing process, Frac Trucks are used to haul frac sand or cement for gas well casings. Whatever the name or use of these various trucks, they usually catch your attention when they are parked roadside or travelling down the highway as oversize loads.

Frac trucks for sale usually sport all kinds of weird plumbing, pipes and gauges not seen in everyday life. Some frac trucks for sale carry containers of frac fluids or other devices that you never saw anything quite like before as equipment used for installing and fracking Marcellus Shale gas wells is a generally new business and has a clear experimental side to it.

Usually the frac truck has a vacuum system that is installed in a particular frack truck for sale designed to perform the clean up work quickly and efficiently. Manufacturers intentionally place certain limits or specifications on the pump system for future monitoring so that the pump system will function at normal capacity while in operation. 
There are two types of vacuum pump systems that are commonly used in frac process: the liquid ring and the rotary vane versions. The best vacuum pump for a truck is dependent upon the business needs for which it will be used. The liquid ring versions are now more popular in the industry because they are oil-free, not noisy, and more proficient in accomplishing the necessary task. The pump system for the liquid ring is more intricate and also has a need for more area and water for proper fracturing.

It is often difficult to tell if frac trucks are pumping water out of waterways or dumping drilling wastewater, since they haul both fresh water and wastewater. Illegal dumping of wastewater may be evidenced by country roads being wet when it hasn't rained. This sort of dumping often occurs under the cover of darkness. If in doubt, call the EPA Hotline.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/trucks-articles/frac-truck-the-natural-gas-clean-up-4975559.html


About the Author

Alex Rood is an expert in quality used commercial trucks.  If you are interested in learning more, please contact us by visiting our main site:  http://www.centraltrucksales.net.

Sand Control: Gravel Packing and Frac-Packing (Spe Reprint Series)

Leakoff and net pressure for the frac & pack stimulation of gas wells: Topical report

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Introducing the Frac Truck

While this frac article is not Ohio-centric, these are the trucks used to bring contaminated brine to Ohio. Ohioans should be aware that this article describes the quantity of contaminated fracking brine water drillers are bringing to Ohio to dump into abandoned oil wells in agricultural communities. (The quantities are highlighted in yellow below if you are searching for raw data.)

Author: CentralTruckSales

Demand for frac tanks is growing and we believe that a major reason for the increase is the service that comes along with a boom in the demand and desire for exploring the natural gas reserves in the Marcellus Shale. In order to crack the Marcellus Shale, over one mile beneath Pennsylvania and other parts of our Appalachian region, that is so abundant in gas and natural gas liquids, drilling companies use a method called hydraulic fracturing.

Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", are terms used to describe the process used to "frac" Marcellus Shale gas wells. To release methane from the shale, high pressure is used to crack the shale formation. While there are alternatives to water for fracking gas wells, such as nitrogen, production companies prefer to use water, since significantly higher hydraulic pressures can be created and it is a generally less expensive process. Some reports indicate these pressures can reach as high as 10,000 to 15,000 pounds per square inch.

Each Marcellus well frack job calls for 3 to 8 million gallons of water or recycled wastewater. With that much waste water, the frac trucks for sale chosen to move that wastewater becomes a very intricate decision process. But get this, since many of the latest well pads have 8 wells, that brings the total requirement up to 24 to 64 million gallons for one well pad. Imagine how many frac trucks and vacuum trucks are needed to move 64 million gallons of water. Wow.

These huge volumes of water are one of the reasons that vacuum trucks and temporary pipelines have become common sights around the Marcellus Shale regions over the past several years. These frac trucks for sale carry approximately 4,000 gallons each and are often marked with "Residual Waste" for the drilling wastewater they haul that comes back out of a Marcellus well following fracking. This wastewater can easily be 5-times saltier than ocean water, while also containing toxic volatile organic compounds and fracking chemicals. These frac trucks must be large, powerful, and most importantly, safe so that the transported hazardous material is properly removed and disposed of in its entirety.

Environmental Protection Departments in the region will require that drilling companies obtain approved Water Management Plans. 29 Marcellus Shale drilling companies in the 10-county area making up the SW Region of Pennsylvania, have approved water management plans for withdrawals totaling 48.5 million gallons of water through mid-2014. While drillers are exempt from many environmental laws, they must comply with the Clean Streams Law. These laws and the regulations that drillers will be given for the clean up process will drive the growth and need for frac trucks for years to come, if natural gas becomes this country's next great hope for energy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/trucks-articles/introducing-the-frac-truck-4975549.html


About the Author

Alex Rood is an expert in quality used commercial trucks. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us by visiting our main site: http://www.centraltrucksales.net.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011


Oil landman training document?... "The memo gives instructions to ignore the dangers of groundwater contamination and property devaluation, downplay the controversial natural gas drilling and to describe the drilling process as "radioactive free" — despite the fact that the memo acknowledges that is a lie." (Quoted from Raw Story)

Link to original article about the document.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Ohio Department of Natural Resources Recommendations for Well Water Testing Before Gas and Oil Drilling

I apologize for this post's long title. I couldn't decide which part should be left out to make it shorter.

ODNR has released information for concerned Ohio residents regarding the proper procedure for testing well water.

Basically, they ask residents to foot the bill to have their water tested before drilling begins (if they are lucky enough to have advance notice of drilling or fracking brine dumping in their area), only by OEPA certified water testing labs the ODNR approves, and then pay again after drilling or dumping to have that same lab test the well water again.

Here is why it has to be labs they specify (direct quote from ODNR document)... "Samples should be submitted to an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) certified drinking water laboratory. The laboratory should be certified for each chemical parameter to be tested. Without attention to these details, water analyses will be of little or no value in an oil and gas water contamination investigation or a legal proceeding."

I'm not arguing the wisdom of having your water tested before and after drilling or dumping, assuming you are forewarned. I just think it's a little disappointing that the very agencies charged with protecting the public good are telling residents not only, that they are on their own as far as water testing, but also if the residents don't send their cash to the lab the governmental agencies choose they will have very little legal recourse after their water has been contaminated.

Anyway, I invite you to check out the document, and, if your interpretation of the document varies from my own interpretation, you are welcome to stop back and leave a comment voicing your thoughts on the document, or anything about this topic.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Where is All of the US Shale Gas Located?

Since not much new happened today in the fracking/shale gas drilling world, I decided to share a link to maps of the major shale gas basins in the United States.

While the Marcellus shale deposit is currently the "big one", a look at the map indicates this is going to be a problem in several states and for many years to come.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Questionable Pro-Fracking Post

I just came across this site that says there are 80,000 fracked wells in Ohio with zero groundwater contamination.

Okay, I actually know about the number of fracked wells in Ohio because I came across numbers in the course of my research. I do not question the amount. It has been common practice to frack OIL wells in Ohio for, well, a few decades, now.

The part this other site's glowing report about the awesomeness and safety of fracking does not explain to the reader is, while some of the same hazardous chemicals are used in both oil well and gas well fracking, (by the way, they have been dumping this toxic stuff on roadways since the early 1980's to keep down dust in summer and in winter to thaw ice - want to take an educated guess at why cancer, autism, and asthma are on the rise since around that time?) some of the more explosive ones, known for causing ground to fracture are used only in natural gas drilling.

Also, saying there has been zero groundwater contamination is not completely true. Problems have just been poorly documented. Many of these wells broke through the water table when drilled, causing drinking water to become undrinkable.

So, in addition to potential problems in Ohio when natural gas drilling proceeds, the dumping of fracking brine into uncontained abandoned oil wells poses the threat of further contamination of drinking water from NG brine chemicals.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Help for Landowners Victimized by Gas Drilling

Something to balance the power between gas companies and the people affected by gas companies, at least a little bit of help for a few land-owners...

MIT is test-marketing a new software program to help loandowners make sure drilling proposals from companies are fair and safe.

Also available to provide information to landowners, The Landman Report Card.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Fracking Article on Lawyers, Guns & Money

While this article on Lawyers, Guns & Money is not about Ohio, it is about the dangers of fracking. It describes the eathquakes that started in Arkansas when fracking started there. The earthquakes subsided when the drilling stopped. Ther article goes on to mention that further exploration of the cause would not be researched because, well, the gas companies have the power to stop it.

The part I found the most interesting - the comments at the end of the article. One poster went as far as to describe the issue behind the fracking controversy as being that people hate energy companies. Really, though, that seems like a very, very short-sighted stance.

The problem, at least for most people and environmental groups, has nothing to do with hating energy companies. It has to do with not wanting to see people die due to a company's greed and political leader's greed over not wanting to lose money and power by standing up against companies doing the wrong thing.  That is the bottom line, not hatred of the companies bringing us energy.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Fraccidents: Ohio and Nationwide

Fracking has a new claim to fame. A new word has been coined to classify the numerous accidents caused by the practice: fraccidents.

FrackAlert.org posts a map of the fraccidents, and Google Maps also offers one for viewing. So far, Ohio only gets to lay claim to one skull and crossbones symbol, and it is from 2008.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Controversies Involved in Natural Gas Drilling

I selected this article for Ohio, Frac, and the Environment because, while I feel the author is pro-fracking based on his link to an oil-well selling site, he did a nice job with the article and he presented his information objectively.

Author: Andrews Boaz

The modern era has seen most of the countries, desperately searching for the deposits of oil and natural gas. Indeed drilling for gas has taken an upper hand, ever since it was found that the natural gas was much superior to that of the crude oil. This is because of the reason that, when a comparison is made among all the fossil fuels, it is the natural gas that is found to releases less of the harmful gases that harm the atmosphere on combustion. This has made it a star among all the fuels present on earth.

Because of this environmental friendliness, natural gas has become a champion fuel as far as the modern world is concerned. Drilling for gas has since then picked up on a worldwide level, with most of the companies getting involved with explorations in the natural gas field. Currently it is a period of recession, that most of the people worldwide are undergoing and certainly most of them have lost jobs. In this modern world the usage of oil has become essential and the oil wells for sale has emerged as the leading and most lucrative business and details about Oil Wells for Sale and oil well companies for sale can be obtained here.

Thus the natural gas drilling companies with their new projects can very well provide employment to the people who are located near the natural gas fields and this opens this sector, with plenty of job opportunities. Drilling for gas has its own set of disadvantages, when it comes to the areas that are located near the natural gas fields. This is following several reports which suggest that, the drilling for gas has resulted in polluting the ground water in several places. The gas drilling companies nowadays drill the shale rocks, to release the gas deposits that have been locked within the rock crevices, for millions of years.

Subsequently when the natural gas company start drilling for gas within the shale rocks, they use a method called as fracting that is most commonly employed, whenever a horizontal drilling process takes place. During the process of fracting that is employed during the drilling for gas several chemicals are used to fasten the process and this result in polluting the water table present in that locality. It is this fracting process, that most of the environmentalists and also the local groups are against, since it can cause health hazards to the local residents. Thus though gas drilling has picked up steam in most parts of the world, there are some places where the environmental groups and natives do offer stiff resistance, that blocks the prospects for drilling for gas near impossible in such areas.

Hence it is totally up to the natural gas drilling companies, to win the confidence of the people as well as the environmental groups and negotiate with them to make drilling possible. Apart from this, the gas drilling companies have to be very transparent about the drilling processes and the methods that they really intend to employ for their operations. They should in turn use the safest methods that do not harm the environment. This would instill confidence and the support for the drilling projects from the local groups.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/controversies-involved-in-natural-gas-drilling-4028876.html
About the Author

In this modern world the usage of oil has become essential and the oil wells for sale has emerged as the leading and most lucrative business and details about Oil Wells for Sale and oil well companies for sale can be obtained here. Investors and purchasers need not go in search of Oil wells for Sale.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Gap Between Business Ethics and the Law

The fracking issue inspired this Suite101 article about closing the gap between business ethics and the law; the article discusses more than fracking, however, and goes on to cover the history of bad business ethics and laws enacted to stop them.

Basically, business exist to make money, and laws are enacted only AFTER enough people get hurt, and even die, to make the media and law-makers take notice. Only then have companies shifted to more ethical practices.

Companies can come back after the bad press if truly committed to doing the right thing. The injured people and those who have lost their lives due to unethical companies, do not have that luxury.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Review of Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation

Frustrations over seeing hunting and fishing areas affected by fracking chemicals has prompted the Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation. Rather than accept information handed to them by gas companies, regarding the safety of hydro-fracture+ gas drilling and fracking brine, they are looking at the effects on water supplies and land surrounding areas near drilling sites.

This quote from a June 25, 2011 Huff Post article by Kevin Begos about the issue and group describes their findings in one short paragraph. "Already, preliminary water testing by sportsmen is showing consistently high levels of bromides and total dissolved solids in some streams near fracking operations, Dufalla said. Bromide is a salt that reacts with the chlorine disinfectants used by drinking water systems and creates trihalomethanes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says trihalomethanes can be harmful to people who drink water with elevated levels for many years."

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Pennsylvania Fracking Brine Dumped in Ohio

Awareness of brine dumping in Ohio is growing, but getting citizens to comprehend the severity of the problem is a challenge. Dumping brine into wells dug in the 1960's and 1970's, that contaminated the water by breaking through the water table when drilled, are unproven as secure brine containment vessels. 

June 20th newspaper article about the issue.

Ohio taking in flood of Pennsylvania's toxic brine for disposal

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Hydro-Fracture Facts

by Robert Myers (Lock Haven University) is loaded with information about the dangers of Fracking. 

In addition to a multitude of well-explained facts, the article contains links to numerous other informative sites and documents about the dangers of hydro-fracture gas drilling. 


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Understanding The Environmental Issues Of Our World Today


Author: Janice Sherwood

There is enormous talk about there being an environmental problem. Is it effecting you or your children? Will it effect your children and grand children? You be the judge. The jury say there sure is.

The U.S. Census Bureau states that the world population is expanding at an alarming rate. In 1800 the world population was estimated at one billion people and two billion by the year 1922. In the year 2000 population was at six billion worldwide. Researcher are estimating that this will grow by one half time to nine billion in the year 2050.

Now what do those numbers mean to our environment?

Simply put that in 2050 we will have 25% less natural resources per capita than people had in 1950. So with the growth of population our fixed amount of natural resources will have to be stretched further. What will that growth do to our greenhouse gas emissions? So if we keep living as we are, changing nothing, what kind of world are our children and grand children going to live in?

We want our children to have a better lifestyle, or at least comparable to ours. We save to further their education, their weddings and yes sometimes even what they will inherit. What we are not saving for them are the most important things, clean air,water, land, and an abundance of natural resources. We are not saving their health or the planet they live on. Instead we are leaving them a huge environmental problem full of health risks.

Fact: A carrot grown in 2002 has about a seventh of the beta-carotene as a carrot grown in 1950?

Some of the biggest threats to our future stems from the home and our family. From the dangerous chemicals used when cleaning your house to what you put in your trash bag.

Fact: House hold batteries can leak dangerous chemicals over time and should not be sent to landfills.

What happens to those Household chemicals that you pour down the drain or out behind the house. They can pollute the ground water that will eventually make it to aquifers and turn into tap water. This can also contaminate the soil in which our food is grown. Many of these chemical can not be removed from drinking water or from crops harvested in contaminated fields. Ever wonder where your waters been or what was in the field that potato was grown in.

Fact: Indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air.

So, what can you do to help solve the environmental problem we all face. You can Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. I know you have heard it for years, but its time to take it seriously. Be aware of what you do. One person can make a difference.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/understanding-the-environmental-issues-of-our-world-today-4403568.html
About the Author

Learn about skunks habitat and skunk bait at the Skunk Facts site.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Environmental issues can be a touchy subject


Author: Rubel Zaman

Whether the subject is global warming, clean energy sources, or toxic chemicals environmental issues are almost always a "point of contention" among those who discuss them. Like politics and religion, it is another subject that has a wide assortment of opinions regarding the many facets or sides of the issue. Even the so called experts can't seem to agree on what's best for us and our planet.

Global Warming is killing the people and the planet

Many environmental experts contend that our earth's atmosphere has become overloaded with carbon dioxide which traps in heat and threatens to disrupt the planets climate permanently. Even though the temperature change may amount to a mere three to nine degrees it can have disastrous effects on the world as we know it. Solving the issue of global warming will bring about improvements in our lives by clearing up the air pollution. As we invest in sources of clean energy and adapt energy saving solutions there will be less risk of global warming and other environmental issues that are plaguing us today. Some say the polar ice caps will melt and flood the planet, warming the earth and creating diseases. They do not consider the fact that this planet has done quite nicely for millions of years before we came along and that man's actions are inconsequential when looking at the big picture.

Renewable energy sources result in clean energy

There is no doubt that fossil fuels are a major contributor to the global warming issue our planet faces today. It creates toxic air that threatens to smother us in smoke and ash. Finding ways to invest in more energy efficient methods of power and energy is necessary for the health and welfare of each of us. Wind, biomass, and solar are clean alternatives to coal and oil for powering our world and will help cut down on global warming as well.

What part of toxic don't you understand?

Asthma, cancer, birth defects, infertility, brain impairments, and learning disabilities offer only a small picture of the amount of destructive power in the toxic chemicals we are surrounded by. Those chemicals can be found in furniture, electronics, beverages, food, toys, cleaning products, personal care products, and many children's products. Among all the environmental issues currently being debated and studied, the one that should concern us most is the toxicity of our surrounding environment. With the dramatic rise in Autism and ADHD in children in the past few decades we have come to realize there must be an underlying cause and it is most likely in the chemical pollutants our youth must face from time of conception on.
Eliminating the toxic elements will take time and must be addressed before it's too late. Testing of all new or existing chemicals is currently being conducted to learn which ones are safe and which must be replaced or even eliminated.

Toxic chemicals like dioxin, lead, mercury, and PCB's are allowed to contaminate our environment every day and that must be stopped. Many of these chemicals enter the system of fish, birds, and mammals which we then consume. Children especially must not be exposed to these deadly contaminants.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/environmental-issues-can-be-a-touchy-subject-2495531.html


About the Author

For an organically grown and processed baby clothing for newborn, older babies and toddlers take a look at Bamboo Baby's organic baby clothing store.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Flammable Methane in Drinking Water Near Fracking Wells, Study Finds


Author: howto35

For the first time, a scientific study has linked natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing with a pattern of drinking water contamination so severe that some faucets can be lit on fire.

The peer-reviewed study, published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, stands to shape the contentious debate over whether drilling is safe and begins to fill an information gap that has made it difficult for lawmakers and the public to understand the risks. wholesale electronics suppliers


The research was conducted by four scientists at Duke University. They found that levels of flammable methane gas in drinking water wells increased to dangerous levels when those water supplies were close to natural gas wells. They also found that the type of gas detected at high levels in the water was the same type of gas that energy companies were extracting from thousands of feet underground, strongly implying that the gas may be seeping underground through natural or manmade faults and fractures, or coming from cracks in the well structure itself.

"Our results show evidence for methane contamination of shallow drinking water systems in at least three areas of the region and suggest important environmental risks accompanying shale gas exploration worldwide," the article states.

The group tested 68 drinking water wells in the Marcellus and Utica shale drilling areas in northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York State. Sixty of those wells were tested for dissolved gas. While most of the wells had some methane, the water samples taken closest to the gas wells had on average 17 times the levels detected in wells further from active drilling. The group defined an active drilling area as within one kilometer, or about six tenths of a mile, from a gas well. wholesale Android Tablets The average concentration of the methane detected in the water wells near drilling sites fell squarely within a range that the U.S. Department of Interior says is dangerous and requires urgent "hazard mitigation" action, according to the study.

The researchers did not find evidence that the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing had contaminated any of the wells they tested, allaying for the time being some of the greatest fears among environmentalists and drilling opponents.

But they were alarmed by what they described as a clear correlation between drilling activity and the seepage of gas contaminants underground, a danger in itself and evidence that pathways do exist for contaminants to migrate deep within the earth.

"We certainly didn't expect to see such a strong relationship between the concentration of methane in water and the nearest gas wells. That was a real surprise," said Robert Jackson, a biology professor at Duke and one of the report's authors.

Methane contamination of drinking water wells has been a common complaint among people living in gas drilling areas across the country. A 2009 investigation by ProPublica revealed that methane contamination from drilling was widespread, including in Colorado, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In several cases, homes blew up after gas seeped into their basements or water supplies. In Pennsylvania a 2004 accident killed three people, including a baby.

In Dimock, Pa., where part of the Duke study was performed, some residents' water wells exploded or their water could be lit on fire. In at least a dozen cases in Colorado, methane had infiltrated drinking water supplies that residents said were clean until hydraulic fracturing was performed nearby.

The drilling industry and some state regulators described some of these cases as "anecdotal" and said they were either unconnected to drilling activity or were an isolated problem. But the consistency of the Duke findings raises questions about how unusual and widespread such cases of methane contamination may be.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/flammable-methane-in-drinking-water-near-fracking-wells-study-finds-4749989.html


About the Author

Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Dangers of "Fracking"


Author: Brian

As the Gulf Coast continues to struggle with the impending environmental consequences of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil leak, another energy harvesting technique that could have potentially devastating effects on Alabama's ecology is beginning to draw attention, thanks in part to the recent HBO documentary, "GasLand."

"Fracking" – or more precisely hydraulic fracturing – is a method of drilling for natural gas developed by Halliburton that involves pumping extreme volumes of water, sand and a host of chemicals at high pressure into the ground, fracturing the rock structures below to allow easier access to natural gas deposits.  It is a process that has been used in Alabama for a long time – and contaminated streams and wells have been reported in areas near fracking operations since the 1990s, though the Alabama Oil and Gas Board claims that there have been no confirmed findings of contaminated groundwater.

A recent article in the Birmingham News spells out the extent of fracking is taking place in Alabama.  The article notes, "Energen, which also owns the Alagasco utility, has a lot resting on unconventional gas wells which require fracking. The company has spent about $40 million leasing 400,000 acres around the state from landowners whose property sits above natural gas shale formations. Most of the attention in recent years on Alabama shale gas has been in Tuscaloosa, Bibb, St. Clair, Cullman and Etowah counties."

With the increased practice of fracking comes the increased risk of contamination of the fresh water aquifer in areas where the practice is employed.  Around the United States, reports of water contamination have followed in fracking's path.  Contaminated drinking wells, including wells where the water is so contaminated it has become flammable, have been reported in areas where fracking has been employed.  Chemicals commonly used in the fracking process include diesel fuel, benzene, methanol, formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid.  The Environmental Protection Agency is looking at this dangerous practice which, as of today, is exempt from federal regulation.

If you believe that you have been exposed to a toxic substance, or want more information about toxic exposure, you should contact a Birmingham toxic tort lawyer.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/national-state-local-articles/the-dangers-of-fracking-3220021.html


About the Author

Alabama class action lawyer, Brian Turner focuses primarily on complex civil litigation, including class actions and mass tort litigation.  Attorney turner has worked on national litigation committees, including steering committees and various sub-committees for several pharmaceutical mass tort litigation matters.  Brian received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of South Florida, and his Juris Doctor degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

Class action lawyer, Brian Turner is a member of the Alabama State Bar Association and is admitted to practice in all of Alabama's State and Federal Courts as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  Brian has been admitted to practice pro hac vice in various State and Federal courts throughout the United States.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Gasland by Josh Fox

Some films can be viewed for the pure enjoyment of checking out a great flick. Other films are painful to watch, especially when the film in question is a documentary about something happening to real peole, and that is about to burst ut in a nationwide, and even worldwide scale. Josh Fox's Gasland, is the second kind of film.

If you haven't seen the documentary film, Gasland, you probably haven't seen the eyes of the people suffering from the effects of hydraulic fracturing. You probably haven't seen the animals, the cats and horses, with their fur falling out from drinking poisoned well water. You might not have seen a man light his tap water on fire. And, you might not have stopped to consider that all of the water in our huge biosphere is connected, and that the animals we use for food and plants we consume are also being fueled by the same, toxic water.

If you haven't seen Gasland, you should, if only so you know what your government and your environmental protection agency has deemed as acceptable - for you, and your children, and everyone you have ever cared about.