Pennsylvania drilling has minimal impact on hunting
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Hundreds of natural gas wells dot the Pennsylvania landscape, but this didn’t stop hunters from participating in their pastime this year.
The Bradford Era reports that some hunters fear that Marcellus Shale development will impact wildlife, and in turn, hunting. Some sportsman’s clubs fear that deer meat can be contaminated if the animals drank toxic flowback water.
However, game numbers are unlikely to be impacted by drilling development, and the hunting atmosphere hasn’t largely been affected by drilling either, although some hunting spots now have well pads on them, and water truck traffic has interrupted other hunters.
Via: The Bradford Era > Hunters: Shale drillers scarce, deer scarcer
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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.