ETP says Rover spill may have been sabotage
Monday, August 14, 2017
Energy Transfer Partners LP believes the Rover natural gas pipeline spill that polluted an Ohio wetland with diesel fuel and drilling fluid may have been the result of an accident or sabotage, according to Reuters. However, opponents of the project disagree with the theory.
ETP was banned from new horizontal directional drilling in May after it violated its permit when diesel contaminated 2 million gallons of drilling fluid that spilled into the Tuscarawas River wetland. The company believes the diesel concentrations could have been caused by an unreported spill, a leak from equipment operating during the cleanup or a deliberate attempt to sabotage the project by opponents.
Environmental agencies are determining whether ETP’s contractor used diesel as a catalyst to lubricate the drill, making it easier to cut through rock.
Learn more: Markets Insider > ETP says diesel at Ohio Rover natgas pipe spill may have been sabotage
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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.