Doddridge County leads oil, natural gas production in West Virginia
Monday, October 29, 2018
Doddridge County leads West Virginia in oil and natural gas production, according to The Exponent Telegram.
The county produced 380,461,677 million square feet of natural gas in 2017 and slightly less in 2016.
Becoming a hotbed for oil and gas activity, the county’s economy has benefitted. In 2017, the oil and gas industry was responsible for over $15 million in property taxes and $1.6 million in severance tax to Doddridge County alone.
Learn more: The Exponent Telegram > Doddridge County leads West Virginia’s oil and gas production
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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.