Akron wants to sell mineral rights for fracking of 475 acres of public land
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Akron City Council granted initial approval of a deal to allow horizontal drilling and fracking on 475 acres of public land at La Due Reservoir, situated upstream from the city’s main water supply, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
If approved again on Jan. 25 by all of the council, the deal would add another oil and gas well in Geauga County where the reservoir is located.
The deal would give the city a one-time payment of $500 an acre, or $237,500 total and 15% of the royalties for any producing wells.
Learn more: Akron Beacon Journal > Akron wants to sell mineral rights for the fracking of 475 acres of water shed land
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.