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.

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