Fewer water contamination cases in 2014 so far
Friday, September 12, 2014
While water contamination is still a problem that can result from shale oil and gas drilling, fewer cases of pollution have been reported so far in 2014, according to WTAE-TV Pittsburgh.
Both conventional and unconventional drilling practices have been known to contaminate water supplies. Only a handful of water contamination cases have been confirmed this year, compared with 43 cases that were reported in 2010.
However, officials are unsure of the total number of contamination cases because of how records were kept. Also, in the early years of the shale boom, pre-drilling water testing wasn’t common, so it is possible that some reports of contamination were pre-existing and not caused by drillers.
Via: WTAE-TV Pittsburgh > 5 things to know about gas boom and polluted water
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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.