PennEast Pipeline accused of drilling test wells without permit in New Jersey
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
In a statement released July 22, environmentalist group Delaware Riverkeeper Network accused PennEast Pipeline of drilling test wells along the natural gas pipeline’s proposed route through two New Jersey counties, NJ Spotlight reports.
Delaware Riverkeeper Network also accused PennEast of taking water from a springfed pond and allowed polluted water to enter the pond. A spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection stated that the company did obtain a permit in order to drill to a depth of more than 50 feet and that the company got potable water from a local fire department before drilling the test wells.
The PennEast Pipeline will originate in Luzerne County in eastern Pennsylvania and span to Pennington, New Jersey.
Via: NJ Spotlight > Environmentalists accuse PennEast of test drilling without permit
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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.