Rail meets the shale oil industry
Friday, July 18, 2014
Pipelines stretch across the country, bringing crude oil from one region to another, but trains are now being used to move oil, too.
Fuel Fix reports that rail transport can help refineries get less expensive oil from producers, while pipelines limit the areas to which oil is taken.
Trains are efficient for hauling crude oil from Canada to the U.S., especially since the oil has to be thinned before moving through pipelines. With rail, the oil can be thinned as it travels from one place to another.
As more oil companies consider adding rail transport, concerns arise. If an accident occurred, the volume of oil spilled from railcars would be much less than if a pipeline leaked. Conversely, rail accidents can be much more detrimental to people than a pipeline leak.
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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.