DEP to Study Radiation Related to Shale Development
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection plans to study the levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials associated with oil and gas drilling.
The DEP says it plans to study flowback water, drill cuttings drilling mud, extracted natural gas and waste trucks and trailers. At this time, the radioactivity isn’t believed to pose any risks to workers or the public.
Read it:
“Current industry practices are such that data do not indicate the public or workers face any health risk from exposure to radiation from these materials. This study will provide DEP and the industry with the data needed to ensure these naturally occurring radioactive materials effectively for the long term. The data will assist in determining the need with respect to any issues as they exist during extraction, transportation, treatment and disposal.”
The DEP expects the process to take 12 to 14 months.
We’ll have more coverage of this once the results are made public.
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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.