Carroll County has its share of positives and negatives with Utica Shale boom
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Carroll County, Ohio, has seen its share of changes with the onslaught of the shale industry.
The Canton Repository reports that Carroll County, the “epicenter” of the Utica Shale, has seen both positive and negative impacts from shale drilling. On the plus side, the county’s employment rate has dropped from 15 percent in early 2010 to under five percent. However, truck traffic has increased significantly, adding stress to roads that were not intended to be used for high volumes of traffic, and low to moderate-income housing is scarce.
Overall, U.S. Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, says he prefers to experience challenges during this time of growth.
Via: The Canton Repository > Portman visits Carroll County, says oil, gas ‘put Ohio on the map’
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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.