Pittsburgh International Airport to explore fracking opportunities
Saturday, August 16, 2014
The New York Times reports that Pittsburgh International Airport will soon see its first natural gas well drilled on its property.
Consol Energy plans to drill the first well in August outside of the airport’s fence, but the horizontal well will reach the natural gas that lies beneath runways and terminals.
Natural gas royalties from fracking will contribute to the airport’s budget. The airport faces debt from expanding the number of its gates, some of which are no longer in use due to decreased passenger numbers each year.
From The New York Times:
“The airport offers conditions just about ideal for fracking. For example, the airport sits above four separate layers of shale, each containing natural gas and related liquids. All of it can be reached by a single set of drilling pads, delivering their gas to the same pipelines, using a single set of roads.”
Via: The New York Times > Now arriving at Pittsburgh International Airport: Fracking
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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.