Study Finds Link Between Fracking and Methane in Well Water
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that methane and other gases can contaminate drinking-water wells near natural gas drilling, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
The study found that water wells in northeastern Pennsylvania within a kilometer of fracking wells had methane concentrations six times greater, on average, than wells farther away.
Read it:
“The study suggested that the methane and other gases associated with fossil fuels ended up in well water because of faulty metal casings inside a well that allow gas to seep out as it travels to the surface. Alternatively, the leaks could be linked to faulty cement jobs that are supposed to keep gas and water from moving in the space between the well casings and the rock.”
Methane gas does occur naturally in aquifers, but the chemical composition of methane near the drilling sites is the same as the gas extracted in the area.
- The United States Environmental Protection Agency is currently studying the possible threat fracking poses to drinking water, but the study isn’t expected to be finished until 2016.
» Via: The Columbus Dispatch › Fracking can pollute well water, study finds
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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.