Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Fracking in Environmentally Protected Zone of Meander Reservoir


ODNR permitted a fracking well in the environmentally-protected zone of Meander Reservoir. This is in Ohio's Mahoning Valley and was permitted without consulting the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the overseeing Mahoning Valley Sanitary District.    

Monday, October 15, 2012

Natural Gas, Pipelines, Eminent Domain, and... Ohio?

In Texas, there is a current debate over the possibility and likelihood of a natural gas company declaring eminent domain over land needed to bury pipeline "for the public good".

So, what does that have to with Ohio? Well, they have some pipeline planned for Ohio, too, though the construction phase a couple to a few years away. (Expect more than one new pipeline passing through Ohio.) But, basically, if they decide your land is in the path they need for the new natural gas pipelines, yes, they can take your land by invoking eminent domain, and there will belittle you can do to fight it.

While you wouldn't think it would be a Republican/Democrat issue if it's really for "the greater good", one potentially high-ranking Republican, Paul Ryan, has already jumped on board the pipeline issue (though in this case he's referring to the Keystone Pipeline, but don't worry, others will come) and is pushing buttons to get voters primed so they won't fight the issue.

Oh, I almost forgot to add, in comparison to the fracking process used to get the natural gas out of the ground, and the brine dumped back in the ground and on roads, the pipelines are considered relatively benign.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Solidified Fracking Brine Coming to a Landfill Near You?

Solidified fracking brine.

Now, they (OEPA and Natural Gas producers) want to solidify toxic fracking brine so it can be dumped at landfills, along with frac sand and assorted other natural gas hydro-fracking byproducts and fracking waste.

I guess it isn't enough that our underground aquifers and water tables have been turned into a big toxic septic system, now there will be plenty of (or even more) above-ground toxins, too.

Thanks so much for protecting Ohio citizens, Ohio EPA! (B the way, that was sarcasm.)

Sunday, August 26, 2012

When Newspapers Mislead Readers with Sort-Of True Titles on Fracking Articles....

If you are interested in the topic of fracking, and you probably are if you are reading this, make sure you read articles all the way through. Do not judge the information by the title, and make sure, also, to go back to the original source whenever possible. I try to always provide my original sources here to make it easy for you to confirm my information, but many sites do not offer that service so some research might be required on your part - if you want to know the truth about fracking.

Now, for the inspiration for this post:

I just finished checking out a slightly older Morrow County Sentinel article with the slightly misleading title: Fracking in Morrow County not likely. (I hate it when newspapers don't capitalize titles.)

I read the article, and while the article fits the title by describing the fact that Morrow County will probably not see an influx of cash from drillers, it is misleading (accidentally so I am sure)  in that many people do not read the content - they just peruse the headlines - giving the impression that residents do not have to fear fracking brine contamination.

The article leaves out the fact that the locals in this agricultural community do face exposure through fracking brine dumping. That's right, the drillers can't get natural gas here so they are already using the county as a sort of toxic septic system and have been for some time.

Like I said, I'm just using this particular article as an example to prove my point. I want to be perfectly clear in that I feel the article mentioned is accurate about Morrow County nor seeing much money from this boom, I just think the title will give mildly interested readers who skim titles and go on a false sense of security, and I feel this is pretty common in the news industry, especially with fracking as the topic.

What Do You Have in Common with Robert DeNiro, Hugh Jackman, Paul McCartney, and Julianne Moore

If you're are against fracking, you share an interest in the environmentally unsafe practice of fracking according to the new website, Artists Against Fracking. (By the way, that is just a short list of artists who are against this dangerous practice.)

While the Artists Against Fracking website is currently addressing New York's issues, it is still kind of interesting to check out the names of the artists who have become aware of this issue and who have chosen to stand on the side of the environment and the people whose lives are affected by the negative impacts of fracking.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

David Letterman on Fracking

I can't say I've ever thought much one way or the other about David Letterman, but after his recent stance against fracking I might pay a bit more attention. Letterman recently spoke out against fracking. To read a summary of his anti-fracking speech or to watch the video, click here.

My short version summary of what Letterman had to say about fracking:
  • Shame on the gas and oil companies for ruining the country.
  • We're screwed.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Study Uses Tracing Fluid in Fracking Brine to Identify Threat

A new Department of Energy study on fracking brine, is being conducted in Pennsylvania to determine if fracking brine migrates and affects drinking water.

The gas drilling company participating let researchers add tracing fluid to their hydraulic fracturing fluids before injecting the fluids 8,100 feet into the ground.

The company hopes to prove with this one (out of thousands upon thousands) well that fracking brine does not migrate.

While it is a great start to research one meager well and the voluntary participation of the gas company is noteworthy, one case study cannot be presented as scientific proof; as it is, in fact, only one well while multiple sets of circumstances can affect the results of a study like this.

While the results are not in yet on this one case study, drawing conclusions from a single test would be like the FDA approving a drug after testing a new medication on a single patient.

When the results come in, I'll be sure to share them.

Fracking Brine Spill in Trumbull County

A five mile stretch of road in Trumbull County is coated with 100 to 150 gallons of fluid that dried into a reddish brown residue, which the EPA thinks is/was fracking brine.

A lot of the grass in the area around the (maybe) brine spill is dead, but hey, the EPA says it's not a threat.

Question (for anyone with an opinion who wants to answer): How is it possible that the agency assigned with the responsibility of protecting Ohio's citizens from environmental threats does not know what this is after having several days to find out?

Here is an embedded video of the news story about this dangerous fraccident.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Frack Facts on Facebook

I know I have mentioned this before, but if you are on Facebook, make sure to visit the Frack Facts Facebook page, and click "Like" to get updates.

I share a lot there that I don't share here, simply because of the ease of sharing on that site. I wish I knew how to make it that easy to share information here.

Also, there are  alot of great anti-fracking groups sharing information on Facebook, and Frack Facts links to a lot of them.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Call to Action (Easy) to Fight Against Dangers From Fracking Toxins

A petition is circulating to have gas and oil waste reclassified as hazardous waste.

You can read the petition and add your signature here.

If you are concerned about fracking brine, your health and your family's health, and safe drinking water, please take the time to read the petition, and if you agree, add your signature - but don't put it off too long - this petition is to be submitted at the end of July.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Is There a Hidden Danger in Fracked Food Grade Petroleum?

The recent revelation of a fracking industry insider that M&M's and Advil are coated in fracked food grade paraffin left me wondering exactly what food grade paraffin or food grade petroleum is and how it could possibly be safe if it's fracked.

Then, I noticed this sign hanging over the bell peppers at the grocery store, wondered if it meant fracked food grade petroleum like the M&M's, and knew it was time to get busy digging.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a federal law requires United States produce shippers and supermarkets to label waxed fruits and vegetables.

While I have not yet found anything specific that says "yes" or "no" to the question, Are they putting fracked petroleum wax on fruit and vegetables?" It does seem likely that, since the majority of all wells are fracked today, that it probably is the case.

So, the FDA allows the use of fracked food grade paraffin (directly from a gas & oil insider's mouth) and the use of most likely fracked petroleum wax, so the question you are left with is, do you trust the government agencies handling this to tell you the truth about the safety of the petroleum's chemicals you are exposing your family to, and do you trust them to keep you safe and act in your best interest?

If you opt to buy only unwaxed fruits and vegetables, you reduce your risk of exposure slightly, but remember these ingredients are commonly used many places you would probably not suspect: chewing gum, cheese, fruits, vegetables, spice flavoring substances (?), and as a defoamer (again ?) in foods. (Wow, that's pretty unspecific, isn't it? Got to beware those foamy foods. What foods even foam to begin with?)




Thursday, June 14, 2012

Fracking Brine "As Good As Candy"

Hi All,

Just sharing a link to a well-researched and well-written article I just found on the Morrow County Sentinel's website, Oil and gas lobbyist claims fracking well residue “good as candy!”

The article has lots of details so be sure to read it all the way to the end.

Hey Frackers, Stop Fracking Until the Drought Is Over, Please

With northern Ohio (the part of Ohio most immediately affected by fracking's water-depleting effect) now officially in a drought, the question is, who gets the water when there is a water shortage? The people who need drinking water to survive and farmers who need water to grow food for people to consume in order to survive? Or fracking drillers who want the water to get more gas out of the ground and increase profits.

I know this is dreaming, but hey, gas drillers, how about you halt fracking until the drought passes? The needs of human beings should come before the profit-related wants of a business. This is your chance to show an iota of ethics - or to show once and for all a total lack of ethics and to let environmentalists know they are right about your industry.

(Oh, and by the way I'm not saying natural gas drillers are unethical. I'm actually keeping my opinions to myself and simply challenging the frackers to show they do have some ethics. We'll all know the answer by what they do.)

Shale Map Concerns and Demotion of Ohio's Top Geologist

According to an article in the Zanesville Times Recorder, Ohio's top geologist demoted following shale map concerns, a series of errors, primarily linked to the gas and oil fracking industry, has led to the demotion of Ohio's top geologist, Mr. L. Wickstrom.

Based on an April 12 employee evaluation form cited in the article, Wickstrom's fracking-related grievances include:
  • Wickstrom developed a new Utica shale map and presented it to the Ohio Gas & Oil Association four days before allowing his supervisors to review it. The map shows where the Utica shale is buried and in what form, "dry gas, wet gas or oil." (Zanesville Times Recorder)
  • Wickstrom waited until January 17 to report the January 12 2.1 magnitude earthquake near Youngstown to his superiors.

Are Fracking Dangers Threatening to Invade a State Park Near You?

Imagine, if you will, you head out to enjoy a day in the park. Beautiful old stand hardwood trees are all around you in the picnic area. A gentle breeze is blowing. Birds are flying overhead. It's all very beautiful, but something is off. The peaceful beauty of the park is gone, sold to the highest bidder by your state's elected officials.

The sound of fracking rigs hums constantly in the background. Semi's chug in and out every few minutes. Occasionally the breeze brings the overpowering stench of chemicals and burning diesel fuel from the frac trucks. You give up on enjoying the day in one of Ohio's formerly pristine parks and head for your car only to notice it is covered in gritty silica sand dust.

A report in the Columbus Dispatch, State catalogs shale holdings in parks, forests, explains that some of Ohio's state employees have been assigned the job of sifting through Tier 1 eastern ohio property records to find public lands ripe for frackers to consume. They have even prepared maps with some prime locations marked for potential drilling sites.

Five state forests are included in the Tier 1 marked sites:
  1. Beaver Creek
  2. Fernwood
  3. Harrison
  4. Sunfish Creek
  5. Yellow Creek
According to the report in the Dispatch, Tier 2 reviews are slated begin next.

So, not only is the state giving away public lands against the will of the public, they are using public tax dollars to pay state employees to do the oil & gas company's research work for them.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Can You Protect Your Family From the Threat of Fracked Drinking Water and Food?

Of all the things that have caught my attention since I began researching the environmental effects of the hydraulic fracturing natural gas drilling method, the most striking part has been the fact that no matter how much people ask for help, no matter how many experts stand up and present data about their research, and no matter how many government agencies publish data indicating the dangers of fracking (wow, sorry about that run-on sentence) the industry marches ahead and does pretty much whatever it wants to do.

So, in light of that, I have to ask, can you protect your family from the threat of fracked drinking water and food?

I'm not being facetious, here, I really want to know. Do you feel safe?

I know some pro-frackers are going to pop in here, munching on their M&M's and popping Advil while drinking their tap water, to say something like "Yeee Haaa, I shore nuf can keep muh famly safe cuz there aint not no threat from frackin. Drill, babee, drill." But I want to know what the people who have done actual research have to say.

Even if you buy bottled water and do not drink your tap water, where do you think the bottled water comes from? There is fracking done in every state in the country (Ooh, except, I believe Vermont recently banned fracking - kudos Vermont) and in almost every country in the world, so what do you tell yourself about the safety of your drinking water and food supply?

Do you have any assurance that fracked water is not used to grow your produce or feed the livestock that produce your meat, eggs, and dairy products? No?

I truly wish I could wind up this post with an assurance that water and food purchased from #### place #### would be safe (come on, just one safe place, please,) but if fracking is everywhere, and there is no science and research-backed way to assure its safety, then there can be no assurance. I wonder if Vermont could supply enough frack-free water and food to supply the rest of the nation, or at least the families who care about the dangers of fracking???

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Fracking Bad Karma: Now They're Fracking Elementary Schools?

Months ago, I sarcastically joked, after learning of a gas company fracking a cemetary, asking if elementary schools were next.

I did not think any company would stoop so low, I guess I should have known, now one of them is fracking by an elementary school.

Now THAT is seriously, seriously LOW, and everyone involved in the decision to frack that close to children deserves to have some seriously BAD karma headed their way.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

The Things Kids Say... About Fracking

A post on Facebook's Protest Shale Gas Fracking page led to a cute spoof of a gas company's commercial made by two clever young men. (Well, the gas company getting spoofed might not think it's cute.) Like the post said, kid's know the ads are BS. (Makes you wonder why some adults fall for the propaganda.)

If you click on the embedded image below the video will play on the kid's (or their parent's) You Tube channel.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Fracking's Effect on Air Quality

If you have been following the water-related issues from fracking, you might also be interested to hear about air quality issues caused by the process.

According to an article on Mount Vernon News, an expert, Dr. Deborah Cowden M.D., recently spoke at a Stewards of the Land information session, desscribing the air quality effect of fracking activity.

The source for at least part of Cowden's presentation was a study performed in Colorado by the Garfield County Health Department. Garfield has a heavy concentration of fracking wells, making it an ideal location for such a study.

The Assault on Air Quality

Forms of fracking pollutants:
  • Dust (from truck traffic and mining process)
  • Silica (used in the mining process)
  • Smoke (casued by fires and explosions)
  • "Volatile organics from condensation tanks, compressor stations, rogue gas and evaporative pits.
  • Diesel fumes from drilling engines, large fracking pumps and truck traffic." (Quoted from Mt Vernon News, 6/8/ 2012 to ensure accuracy)
One interesting point, if you drive past one of the fracked sites, you will not see or smell the "volatile organics affecting air quality with the naked eye. You have to have an infrared camera to see this type of odorless air contaminant.




Cowden: Fracking an assault on air quality http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/12/06/08/cowden-fracking-an-assault-on-air-quality.php#ixzz1xIuxnWAL

Friday, June 8, 2012

The Role of Fracking in the US Economy

I recently picked up a pro and con Congressional report about fracking at the local library. I was actually kind of surprised to find something like that in my little town's library.

As I read through it, one thing really caught my attention, well there were a lot of interesting things, but especially this one.

One of the document's authors wrote that the economy of the United States hinges on the success of the natural gas industry.

Think about that a moment, because it's huge.

One industry, that according to some has the potential to destroy our eco-system, according to what I read in this congressional report (you can get a copy for $19 if your library doesn't have one), carries the burden of repairing the American economy.

So, if that author is correct, our only hope of rebuilding America to the point where the "American Dream" is possible for the average Joe, is to allow the fracking industry to proceed at will.

I'm going to hold my own thoughts about this and ask you, "What do you think?"

MWCD Halts Water Sale to Frackers

This past week, the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District decided to temporarily halt the sale of water to oil and gas drillers.

While it has been all over the news, One recent report came from the Mansfield News Journal. According to the information provided, the moratorium is only temporary, but it is in response to concerns expressed by the public.

Please Say They Don't Really Frack My M&M's... Please

According to an article (and video showing the trestimony - so you can actually watch the man saying this if you want to) pro-fracking industry expert testified before the Ohio House Public Utility Committee on May 22, and described the process as safe because (as proof of the process's safety) the crude paraffin obtained by fracking is used to make the coating on M&M's and Advil pain pills.

Wow. Just wow. I'm going to miss my M&M's.

Fracking Geysers in the Back Yard: Not a Danger, Just a Fraccident Nuisance?

A gas drilling operation in Sardis, West Virginia hit an aquifer, which unfortunately repressurized a few old wells.

One family had a geyser in the back yard, with water shooting about 10 to 12 feet in the air. The luckier families just had "small gushers". (Um, something can't be small and a gusher at the same time can it?)

Apparently, as usual, even the DEP does not know what was in the fluid being injected into the ground and (oopsie) the aquifer, because a DEP spokeperson presented a relaxed stance, saying the drilling company was, " using only water and possibly a nontoxic soap when it hit the aquifer." (Fuel Fix)

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Battlestar Gallactica and Frack

I recently watched an old episode of Battlestar Gallactica on Netflix, and I loved, loved, loved, that Starbuck's favorite, most used, and frankly only, cuss word was - frack.

While it was not often because the show was made before television got so trashy, every time something went wrong or he was mad about something Starbuck would say , "Frack."

Frack, frack, frack. This concludes the humor break, now, back to your regular scheduled programming.

Fracking Well Casing Questions and Answers

One of the things I have heard the most frequently since I began researching fracking brine is, that it is safe as long as the well casings do not fail. So, how often do well casings fail? Question and answer session and video below...

Q: How many well casings fail right off the bat, leading to methane migration?
A: 6.2%

Q: How many well casings fail over a 20 year time span?
A: 60%

Q: Do any well casings last forever?
A: They ALL fail over time.

Q: Where do these figures come from?
A: The Pennsylvania DEP

Q: Why doesn't the oil & gas industry fix these problems and make well casings that actually work?
A: They can't. There is no way to guarantee safety. Natural things like drilling through earth and stone cannot be controlled or predicted.

Q: Where can I learn more about this?
A: You can watch a Cornell University engineering professor, Dr. Ingraffea, explain if you would like. The video is embedded below.

Those Darn Anti-Fracking Radicals

According to an article on Cleveland, Josh Mandel, the Senate candidate who according to a different report on Open Secrets received $80,000 so far in 2012 from oil & gas lobbyists, is concerned that those darned cantakerous environmentalist radicals are going to hinder gas and oil drilling in Ohio.

I guess it's easy to say nice things about folks who give you gobwads of cash and to say negative things about opponents of your financiers?

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Leroy Blowout Video by Susquahanna River Sentinel

This embedded link will let you see video taken and posted on the Susquehanna River Sentinel.

Since this was origianlly posted, the video has been made private, so it's basically worthless as a means of sharing information about the fracking blowout. Sorry everyone.

Basically,the ground surrounding a fracking site in Leroy erupted and sprayed unknown chemicals about 25 feet in all directions and greasy-looking mud and "colorful" water continues to bubble out of the ground and river basin.

 In the video, before it was made private, you can could also see a greasy-looking substance pooling at the water's edge and note the absence of river life. Normally, if you scoop up an handful of river mud, there will be some small water bugs and maybe a couple of snails. These images - just greasy-looking mud.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Frack Facts on Facebook

Hi Everyone,

I apologize for the recent lack of posts here on OFE. Thought I would mention there has been a lot of activity (link sharing) on recent developments on the Frack Facts Facebook page, also some new updates in the Frack Facts free newspaper (sign-up link over at the side of this page and also in its entirety on Facebook.)

Let me know if there is any problem with either of those links and I'll try again.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Frac Sand Issues

With all the time I have spent thinking about, researching, and writing about fracking issues, I have not, before tonight, heard about the frac sand debate and issues.

Surprisingly, the article spurring this post, was posted on the Columbus Dispatch website in January of this year (2012) I say surprisingly, because I check their site about once a week, searching for the terms frac, fracking, and hydraulic fracturing. The article mentioned has not popped up in my searches before tonight.

Basically, residents near sand-mining facilities are concerned about the effects on human health and the environment. Nearby residents, in the vicinity of the mines, say the sand is not kept wet so it goes air-born when the wind blows, and it is not regular sand. It is silica sand that has sharp, jagged parts and "fresh, fine silica dust is a well-documented health risk blamed for lung diseases such as silicosis, cancer and autoimmune diseases."

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Where Are All the Fracking Brine Injection Sites In Ohio

Update 1/29/2018 - the map has been removed from the Internet.

The map I am going to link to at the end of this post, dated January 2012, shows all of the brine injection wells in Ohio, as of that date.

Forty-three of Ohio's eighty-eight counties host brine injection sites, with brine injected to different depths in different counties. Here, on this site, the counties are in alphabetical order for your convenience in finding your own county, or you can hit Ctrl+f and type the name of your county into the little search box that pops up, and it should take you right to it.

While the map is dated January 2012, it is possible it was only recently made available online, as I have done many, many, and very frequent Internet searches for this information and this is the first I have found anything.

The map is color-coded to show what level or depth the brine is injected to in the earth's crust. (Check the map's key for more details on that.)

Some of the dots are piled on top of one another, making it hard to see without zooming, but here is a basic rundown of how many injection wells can be found in each county. The counties with brine injection wells are highlighted to make it easier to spot them. The wells shown crossing county lines are not accurately represented here because I did not know which county gets to - or has to - claim each of those.

  1. Adams: None
  2. Allen: None
  3. Ashland: None
  4. Ashtabula: Twelve
  5. Athens: Seven (Three appear to overlap Vinton and Meigs county lines)
  6. Auglaize: One
  7. Belmont: Two
  8. Brown: None
  9. Butler: None
  10. Carroll: Four (two appear to overlap into Tuscarawas and Stark county lines)
  11. Champaign: None
  12. Clark: None
  13. Clermont: None
  14. Clinton: None
  15. Columbiana: Five (all of these are on the Stark and Mahoning county lines, making it hard to determine which county actually gets to claim them.
  16. Coshocton: Four (one is on the Knox county line)
  17. Crawford: None
  18. Cuyahoga: None
  19. Darke: None
  20. Defiance: None
  21. Delaware: One
  22. Erie: One
  23. Fairfield: None
  24. Fayette: None
  25. Franklin
  26. Fulton: One
  27. Gallia: Two
  28. Geauga: Four (two are on county line shared with Ashatabula County)
  29. Greene: None
  30. Guernsey: Three
  31. Hamilton: None
  32. Hancock: None
  33. Hardin: One (on county line shared with Marion and Wyandot)
  34. Harrison: None
  35. Henry: One
  36. Highland: None
  37. Hocking: Two
  38. Holmes: Five (one on Wayne county line)
  39. Huron: None
  40. Jackson: None
  41. Jefferson: One
  42. Knox: Five (one on Coshocton county line)
  43. Lake: Two (one on edge of Lake Erie)
  44. Lawrence: None
  45. Licking: Two
  46. Logan: None
  47. Lorain: One
  48. Lucas: None
  49. Madison: None
  50. Mahoning: Nine (six are on the Columbiana, Stark, and Trumbull county lines)
  51. Marion: None (But one is on county lines where Marion, Hardin, and Wyandot counties meet)
  52. Medina: One
  53. Meigs: Eleven (one is on the county line between Meigs, Athens, and Vinton)
  54. Mercer: None
  55. Miami: None
  56. Monroe: None
  57. Montgomery: None
  58. Morgan: Ten (two are on the border of Muskingum and Athens counties)
  59. Morrow: Thirteen
  60. Muskingum: Five (one is on the border of Morgan county)
  61. Noble: Four (two are together on the border of Washington county)
  62. Ottawa: None
  63. Paulding: None
  64. Perry: Three
  65. Pickaway: Seven
  66. Pike: None
  67. Portage: Eighteen (five are on the borders of Geauga and Trumbull Counties)
  68. Preble: None
  69. Putnam: None
  70. Richland: One
  71. Ross: None
  72. Sandusky: None
  73. Scioto: None
  74. Seneca: Two
  75. Shelby: None
  76. Stark: Seventeen (five are on the borders of Summit, Mahoning, and Carroll counties)
  77. Summit: One
  78. Trumbull: Nine (four are on the borders of Portage and Mahoning counties)
  79. Tuscarawas: Six (two are on the border of Carrol county.)
  80. Union: None
  81. Van Wert: None
  82. Vinton: Four (all on the border of Athens and Meigs counties)
  83. Warren: None
  84. Washington: Nine
  85. Wayne: Three (one on the border of Holmes)
  86. Williams: None
  87. Wood: One
  88. Wyandot: Two (one on the border of Hardin and Wyandot counties)
This is the link to the map: Class II Brine Injection Wells of Ohio







Sunday, March 25, 2012

What Is in the Brine Used by Road Crews?

What is that truck spraying on the road? Have you ever been driving down the road behind a truck spraying something and wondered about that? It's just brine, right? Well, it is brine, but it's not your grandmother's pickle-making brine.

Recent controversy over the dangers of fracking brine from natural gas drilling have raised questions about other types of commonly used brines. Oil field completions fluids, or brines, have been in use in the state of Ohio and several other states as road de-icer in winter and to keep dust down in summer since the mid 1980's. Oilfield drilling brine is used in completion operations and when the drill is penetrating the pay zone.

What Is Brine?

The innocuous term brine brings to mind the process for making crispy home-made pickles or a frothy salt-water ocean. Following that reasoning, the term roadway brine implies a relatively harmless salt-water bath, with the salt preventing roadway ice. While the oilfield drilling brine is sometimes salt-based, research shows it is not always the case. Two main classes of corrosive completion fluid, or brine exist; chloride brines and bromides/formates.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources document describing brine use on roadways, for one example, does not distinguish between the two classes of oilfield brine. Oilfield drilling brine is not considered as toxic as hydro-fracture gas drilling brine, but it is corrosive. While the ODNR document originally only mentions oilfield fluid use on roads, a recent ODNR document reveals natural gas brine is also used on roads now.

Contents of Completion Fluid Brine

While there are rules in place for Ohio's road crews to follow to prevent completion fluids from reaching the water supply, heavy precipitation carries the chemicals into drainage ditches that flow into larger water supplies. According to the Sclumberger company's website, an oilfield service provider specializing in well site operation as well as research and engineering facilities, the list of chemical used in oilfield completion brines (these are the less corrosive ones by the way) include:
  • Calcium bromide, which can cause skin irritation, eye irritation, respiratory system irritation, blistering, erythema, exfoliation, ulceration, necrosis, scarring, and mucous membrane irritation.
  • Calcium carbonate is the base material used in calcium antacids, such as Tums and Caltrate. No side effects are normally associated with calcium carbonate, but in unchecked dosages it can lead to rashes, hives, itching, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, plus swelling of the mouth, face, lips, and tongue.
  • Calcium chloride can be irritating to veins, can cause severe necrosis and sloughing, contains potentially toxic levels of aluminum, poses a danger of cardiac syncope, can cause fetal harm, diminished reproductive capacity, a tingling sensation, and can cause heat flashes.
  • Carboxymethyl is generally considered "not harmful" but washing eyes immediately with water is recommended in the event of contact. (This is hard to do if the water is the source of the contamination.)
  • Hydroethycellulose is a caustic soda, capable of causing eye and skin burns, respiratory tract burns, and mucous membrane burns. In its pure form, it becomes combustible and slippery when mixed with water. .
  • Cesium acetate is a formate brine that can affect the central nervous system if ingested. It can also cause asthma, respiratory disorders, skin disorders, and is skin irritation.
  • Guar gum is a laxative when consumed by humans, a thickening agent when used in food,  and a binding agent when used in pills and cosmetic creams. 
  • Hydroxypropyl starch is a colorless, odorless thickener derived from natural starch and is used as a stabilizer in brine.
  • Zinc is an essential mineral, commonly found in foods and nutritional supplements. While essential to good health, in excessive or uncontrolled doses, it cam cause physical distress and illness including: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and headaches.
  • Bromide can also be called methyl bromide or alkyl bromide and is derived from bromide salts. Methyl bromide is toxic and is also used as a pesticide. The problems with it's use, according to the US EPA is, it depletes the stratospheric ozone layer and it targets not only the pest it is used for, but also any living thing coming into contact with the bromide. Methyl bromide exposure can cause central nervous system failure, respiratory system failure, as well as specific and severe deleterious actions on the lungs, eyes, and skin.
  • Iodine salts are commonly used as a nutritional supplement for cattle, but careful dosage requirements are provided on the package along with warnings to keep the product away from children. While iodine is essential to good health, excess iodine can cause inhibited thyroid hormone synthesis, increased TSH stimulation, goiter, thyroiditis, thyroid papillary cancer, burning of the mouth, burning of the throat, a burning sensation in the stomach, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weak pulse, and coma.
Some of these chemicals are corrosive while others are used in everyday medicines, such as antacids. While many of these are commonly found in over-the-counter medicines and nutritional supplements, uncontrolled doses of these chemicals lead to numerous disorders that range from mild, flu-like symptoms to severe medical conditions such as cancer. 

Friday, March 23, 2012

The First Warning that Fracking Might Cause Earthquakes

It seems as if the idea of a link between earthquakes and hydro-fracture drilling is a new concept, brought on only after recent earthquakes in Ohio and out west. Actually, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a warning over thirty years ago (almost 40 years ago in fact)  that the hydro-fracture drilling method could cause earthquakes.

They Called it Right Before the First Well Was Ever Fracked!

Before the first hydro-fracture drilling test well was even drilled in 1975 in Los Alamos, New Mexico, as part of an experiment for geothermal energy production, the GAO reported to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives that the process had the potential to cause earthquakes. (Check the end-note - it mentions the possibility of earlier fracking.)

Two Other Potential Issues the GAO Warned About in the March 6, 1975 Report

Two other issues brought up in the report that might reasonably be expected to come up as use of the process expands (Direct quote from the 1975 GAO document):

  1. "How  long  can  production  from  a  geopressured  zone  be sustained  without  decreases  in  temperature  and  pressure?" 
  2. "How  much  will  the  land  sink  if  large  quantities  of geopressured  fluids  are  removed?" 
Where to Read the Full 1975 GAO Document, if Interested


(Note: According to Wikipedia's Hydraulic_fracture page, which you can trust or not as you choose, the first frac job was done in 1947 in limestone deposits. The document linked above, however, does describe the 1975 drilling experiment as the first.)

Who Is Watching the Fracking Pipelines?

As if worrying about fracking brine dumping, hydro-fracture drilling risks and earthquakes from dumping the brine, now there is something new to consider and worry about: pipeline risks while transporting the fracked natural gas. 


According to the GAO and as covered by the Wall Street Journal article, Audit: Gas lines tied to fracking lack oversight, about 240,000 miles of gathering pipelines carrying gas and oil to processing plants and larger pipelines are largely unregulated. 


According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), only about 24,000 of the 200,000-240,000 miles of gathering pipelines (equaling about 10-12%) are regulated; and, "While incidents involving gathering pipelines regulated by PHMSA have resulted in millions of dollars in property damage in recent years, comparable statistics for federally unregulated gathering pipelines are unknown."  


Thousands of miles of these gathering pipelines were built in response to the need to transport fracked natural gas, and according to the WSJ article, officials in some states do not even know where the new pipelines are, making it impossible to monitor or regulate them for safety issues. 


More Reading About This from the GAO Documents





Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Fracking Industry Word-Play

Now that fracking brine injection has been determined as the source of a series of Ohio earthquakes, some pro-fracking writers and industry professionals have concluded that the true meaning of the results are: that fracking has nothing to do with earthquakes and the two are events, fracking and earthquakes are unrelated. (Sorry about that run-on sentence.)

So, a few points come immediately to mind (feel free to share your thoughts):
  1. If there was no fracking, there would be no brine to inject.
  2. The last I heard, the kind of high pressure (the amount of PSI) used to dump brine into disposal wells (causing earthquakes) is the same high pressure used to originally frack the wells in the first place; so, saying the dumping caused the eartquakes and not the drilling, is just word-play.
  3. The lack of earthquakes at drill sites so far has more to do with luck, if you can call it that, than it has to do with the difference between drilling and dumping. (Another run-on, sorry about that one, too.)
  4. Unrelated to brine injection, but having to do with roadway brine dumping in Ohio and other fracked states, according to one Forbes article, and I guess the EPA, "The U.S. EPA considers the deep injection of brine using Class II disposal wells as the preferred and environmentally safe method for disposal of oilfield fluid wastes."
  5. So, why is this toxic stuff dumped on Ohio and many other states' roadways if the EPA says it should be propelled deep into the earth (and that brings us back to the earthquake thing)?
  6. And, if brine causes earthquakes when injected deep into the earth, which is after all the preferred disposal method, isn't it time to find a way to do this safely - or at least stop doing it until they figure out a safe way instead of a way that is only safe if they throw in enough word-play?
As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I'm not against fracking; I know people need jobs, desperately. I'm against companies putting people's lives and health at risk for the sake of a fast buck, or even millions of fast bucks.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Surprised Ohio Governor Kasich Responds to His Own Party's Move to Remove Frack Tax from Budget

Governor Kasich appeared to be both surprised and disappointed by his own party's removal of his proposed budget fracking tax.

The proposed fracking tax would have filled the gap from (also proposed) across-the-board income tax cuts for Ohioans.

According to a Columbus Dispatch article, the tax would have accounted for about $500 million in the state's budget by the year 2016.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Frack Facts: Free Online Newspaper

Hi Everyone,

Tonight, I just want to point out the new link over on the right side of the page, to the free online newspaper about fracking, Frack Facts.

For your convenience, you can sign up to follow the newspaper to get regular updates sent to your email inbox.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Center for health, Environment and Justice

I found a link to a site I would like to share, the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice, or CHEJ for short.

CHEJ is putting out a No Fracking campaign, and their site is loaded with links to fracking news articles.

I'm sorry this is so short, I just wanted to get this posted while it's fresh on my mind.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Ohio Farm Bureau Landowner's Meetings for Frac Leasing Information

The Ohio Farm Bureau (OFB) has three landowner's leasing information meetings coming up from March 13-16, 2012.
  1. The meeting on the 13th will be held from 7pm until 9pm in New Philadelphia, Ohio at the First Christian Church, located at 104 Third Street NW.
  2. The landowner's meeting on the 14th will be held from 7pm until 9pm, at the Jr. Fair Building located on the County Fairgrounds at 13800 West Poe Road in Bowling Green, OH.
  3. The third meeting will be held on the 16th from 11:30am until 1:30pm at Romer's Catering & Entertainment, located at 118 East Main Street in Greenville, OH.
The OFB frequently holds landowner's meetings to share information about land leasing. If you need more information about the events listed above or would like to see if you can find a meeting closer to your area of Ohio by waiting until a later date, visit the Farm Bureau's site by clicking here.

Ohio's New Fracking Regulations

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has announced a new set of rules for hydraulic fracturing (frac) disposal, spurred in part by the recent decision and announcement that fracking brine injection at waste water disposal sites caused a series of earthquakes near Youngstown, Ohio.

According to the ODNR, the new rules are among the toughest brine dumping rules in the nation. The new rules apply to new injection well sites as well as existing waste water injection sites.

A Brief Summary of Ohio's New Brine Injection Rules
  • No new wells will be permitted to be drilled into the Precambrian basement rock formation.
  • Existing wells going into the Precambrian basement rock formation will have to be capped with cement - or more accurately - the ODNR will have the authority to require their capping.
  • Operators (drillers) will be required to submit extensive geological data before drilling under the new rules.
  • The new regulations require up to date, effective pressure and volume monitoring devices; to include automatic shut-off switches and electronic data recorders.
  • Under the new rules, brine haulers will be required to install electronic transponders, thereby ensuring “cradle to grave” monitoring of all shipments.
The full report is available on the ODNR website.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Report Describes Fracking as Source of New Global Water Crisis

Food & Water Watch, citing current US examples, urges countries around the world to enact national bans on fracking. They also ask countries to aggressively invest in deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to help avert a global water crisis and to protect citizens.

To visit the Food & Water Watch site and learn more about their studies, click here or do an Internet search for Food & Water Watch.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Fracking Brine and Niagara Falls

While not Ohio-centric, I was surprised to learn that the Niagara Falls had considered accepting fracking brine. The board opted to pass on the "frackertunity" based on the fact that they have already experiences Love Canal and don't want to revisit the experience.

The city recently banned storing and transporting waste-water, in a sense blocking frac truck's access to the Niagara Falls Water Board.

Council Chairman Sam Fruscione recently provided an excellent quote in a Wall Street Journal/Associated Press article, "We're not selling out future generations of our children for corporate greed." Kudos Mr. Fruscione, for looking out for your constituents.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Tuesday March 6, 2012 is Election Day

Just a friendly reminder to registered voters that the polls are oprn today. If you're a registered voter, take a few moments to cast your ballot.

Sorry this post wasn't frac-related, but remember, some candidates are fracking-friendly while others are working, not to stop the progress, but to make sure the practice moves forward safely and in an environmentally-friendlymanner.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Does it Really Have to Be a Choice Between Jobs and Safe Drinking Water????

This post is just to share a link to a Bloomberg article about the controversy of job creation versus safe water in Ohio's fracking debate.

Image of men working courtesy of Duboix and MorgueFile.
Water or Jobs?

Ohio Fracking Foes Push Water Safety, Republicans Tout Jobs discusses the contaminated water from fracked wells, earthquakes, and also cited numbers for potential jobs from fracking ranging from 65,800 up to 200,000 jobs.

So, you're here, interested enough to read this blog.
  • What do you think?
  • Is it really just a choice between safe drinking water and jobs?
  • Is there more to consider?
  • Why can't we have both jobs and safe environmental practices?
  • What questions do you have?
Feel free to respond in the comments section below, or pop over to the forum and say whatever you feel like saying about this practice. Even if you are pro-fracking, your right to express your opinions will be considered and respected, so if anyone wants to say anything here, now is your chance.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Dryden, New York Wins Court Ruling Against Fracking

A small town in New York, Dryden, recently won a court order banning fracking. In simplest terms, the court upheld the town's right to enforce their zoning ordinance.

Image of goose and river courtesy of seriousfun and MorgueFile.
The More the Merrier?

According to a report on Discovery News, a number of other New York towns have been waiting to see how Dryden fared in the courts, and can be expected to proceed with similar suits to block hydraulic fracturing in their towns as well.

As expected, environmentalists view this as a victory while oil company representatives simply plan to go to a higher court in the hope of having the ruling overturned.

What can this mean for Ohioans?

Ohio towns fighting to ban fracking in order to protect residents, such as Mansfield or rural communities that have zoning ordinances in place, can potentially build upon the legal precedent created by this case, assuming of course, the ruling is upheld as it moves to a higher court.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Pending Federal Rules for Fracking on Public Land

A new set of federal rules regarding fracking on public lands are due to be released in the next few weeks. The rules are expected by some to serve as a model states can use to require disclosure of hydro-fracture drilling brine, though exemptions still stand for trade secrets. Not sure how to take that since true  disclosure and supporting trade secret are wholly opposite concepts.
If you would like to read more, this link, Fracking Rules on U.S. Lands Seen by Interior as State Model, goes to an article offering more details about the new federal rules.

Monday, February 6, 2012

February 2012 Ohio EPA Info

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has released a few new documents about Fracking this month.

Tonight, rather than stick my opinion along with the links, I'm just going to provide the links. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of this article or in the forum if you would like to add your opinion and thoughts about any of these new documents.

Fact Sheet: Drill Cuttings from Oil and Gas Exploration in the 
Marcellus and Utica Shale Regions of Ohio

Final Air General Permit Announcement

 Air General Permit for Shale Gas Well Site Fact Sheet

Other Ohio Fracking Information (to avoid placing a long list of links here)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Fracking Cemeteries?

According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch, a Texas-based driller is seeking to frack a Lowellville/Poland, Ohio (near Youngstown) cemetery. In a way it makes sense - it's the one place toxic chemicals can't hurt the residents.

It will be interesting to hear how this develops, they're trying to decide if the township gets the mineral rights or if each plot owner's family owns the mineral rights.

College campuses, inner-city industrial parks, places where our food is grown, fresh water tributaries, cemeteries - what's next? elementary schools? nursing home patios?

I'm going to leave my personal commentary out of this one before I go too far (except for my sarcastic comment and question above), but I will provide a link to the Dispatch article so you can check it out on your own if you want to read it.

Do you think fracking a cemetery is going too far? Feel free to share your opinion by leaving a comment or visiting the forum.

Ohio, Frac, and the Environment's New Bulletin Board Forum

New today on this site, the OFE (Ohio, Frac, and the Environment) bulletin-board style forum.

Feel free to leave a comment, ask a question, or just share your thoughts by starting a new thread or joining an existing thread in the forum. (Lurkers are welcome, too, so feel free to just browse.)

The link to the forum is over at the side of the page, or you can click here to join the conversation and make your opinion heard.