Fayette County train derails, sends crude oil tanker cars into Kanawha River
Monday, February 16, 2015
A CSX train hauling crude oil derailed during the afternoon of Feb. 16 near Mount Carbon, West Virginia, causing an explosion and sending some tanker cars into the Kanawha River, WV MetroNews reports.
The cars in the river were reportedly on fire. A nearby home was destroyed from the explosion. Mount Carbon, Adena Village area residents were evacuated and Boomer residents were advised to leave their homes. Residents have been asked to conserve water, as water intakes have been shut off.
Via: WV MetroNews > Train derailment sends oil cars into Kanawha River; explosion, fire
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Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
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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.