Report: Marcellus Shale takes over as most active fracking location
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
A recent report from Tudor Pickering Holt revealed the Marcellus Shale has dethroned the Permian Basin as the U.S. shale play with the most active fracking crews in the field, according to Seeking Alpha.
The Marcellus Shale currently holds 31% total U.S. active frack crews in the field in May, followed by the oil-rich Permian with 30% and the Eagle Ford and Haynesville shale plays with 14% each.
Only 70 of 450 available hydraulic fracturing fleets in the U.S. and Canada are in the field. additionally, total U.S. fracking activity dropped 55% in April and an additional 33% by mid-May, according to the report.
Learn more: Seeking Alpha > Marcellus tops Permian as new frack king, Tudor Pickering says
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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.