Interior secretary to make oil and gas permit process more efficient
Monday, July 24, 2017
United States Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has pledged to streamline the permitting process for oil and natural gas drilling, as well as, hold more frequent sales of drilling rights on federal lands, according to the Associated Press.
ZInke recently signed an order to promote faster, more efficient oil and gas permitting to clear the backlog of federal drilling permits in the U.S. Bureau of Land Management offices. Although federal law requires permits to be decided within 30 days; however, the average wait for oil and gas companies has grown to 257 days.
Zinke promised not to sidestep the National Environmental Policy Act, the main law regulating development on federal lands, and said the order won’t open up national parks or other major federal holdings to drilling.
Learn more: PennEnergy > Interior secretary calls for quicker oil and gas permits
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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.