Drilling lease possible at western Pennsylvania airport
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Another western Pennsylvania airport may see a shale gas lease, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
If approved, the Allegheny County Airport could be leased to Consol Energy Inc., the company that obtained a lease and is currently drilling on land at Pittsburgh International Airport. However, Consol isn’t looking to drill at the Allegheny location in the near future. When Pittsburgh International Airport was leased in early 2014, Consol included Allegheny in the deal, but lawmakers said they wanted to wait before making a decision.
So far, officials in West Mifflin are supportive of leasing the land . The lease at the Allegheny airport would total $2.28 million.
Related: Pittsburgh International Airport projected to reap benefits from shale drilling
Related: Pittsburgh International Airport to explore fracking opportunities
Via: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review > Gas drilling lease weighed at Allegheny County Airport
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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.