Gulf of Mexico offshore drilling proposal announced
Monday, March 13, 2017
The U.S. Interior Department announced an offshore drilling proposal in the Gulf of Mexico, offering 73 million acres for oil and gas exploration and development, according to The Washington Post.
The proposal includes more than 13,700 lease blocks extending three miles to 230 miles off Florida, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The lease sale is scheduled for August 16.
The five-year plan is similar to one proposed by the Obama administration, which included 66 million acres in the same location of the gulf.
Learn more: The Washington Post > Trump’s new Gulf of Mexico oil and gas drilling proposal looks a lot like Obama’s
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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.