US Interior Dept. to weigh emissions of proposed 2022 oil lease sales
Thursday, November 4, 2021
The U.S Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management recently announced plans to analyze the climate impacts of proposed oil and gas lease sales that have been scheduled for early 2022 and seek public feedback, according to Reuters.
The BLM manages 245 million acres of public land in 12 western states. For the first time, its state offices will issue environmental assessments that factor in the social cost of greenhouse gases associated with the development of the land it manages.
These assessments could lead to some leases being removed from consideration or deferred depending on the public comments received.
Learn more: Reuters > U.S. Interior to weigh greenhouse gas emissions of proposed 2022 oil lease sales
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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.