Study finds no evidence fracking waste has harmed streams in Pa.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
A new federal study concluded there’s no evidence that suggests oil and gas production in northern Pennsylvania has contaminated the state forest service’s rivers and streams, according to Kallanish Energy.
The study was published earlier this month in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It found no signs wastewater from fracked wells had entered any of more than two dozen streams running through the Marcellus.
The study’s authors included representatives from the Bureau of Forestry within the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Division of Water Quality at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Learn more: Kallanish Energy > Study finds no evidence fracking waste harms streams
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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.