Proposed regulations could restrict methane emissions from oil and gas industry
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Methane and carbon dioxide are known to contribute to global warming.
According to Boulder Weekly, a reduction in the amount of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry — estimated to account for 30 percent of U.S. methane emissions resulting from human activity — could be coming by next year if proposed regulations are accepted.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed regulations to cut methane emissions from oil and gas operations by 40 to 45 percent by 2025. Proposed emission standards would be for all stages of oil and gas development: production, processing, transmission and storage.
Both oil and gas industry and methane experts question the EPA’s proposed regulations.
Via: Boulder Weekly > Sensing trouble
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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.