Biden administration announces new methane regulations
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Last week, the Biden administration announced plans to roll out some of the United States’ strongest regulations to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, according to NBC News. The plan is part of a broader effort to respond to climate change, which White House officials unveiled at the United Nations Climate Change Conference last week.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new rules to curb emissions for new and existing oil and gas infrastructure in an effort to reduce a significant source of fossil fuel pollution. The regulations are focused on methane leaks and instances when methane gas is purposefully flared during the production process.
An estimated 75 percent of the country’s methane emissions will be covered by the new EPA rules, according to senior administration officials.
Learn more: NBC News > White House announces new methane regulations, kicking off global pledge
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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.