Fracking companies bring lawsuits over drilling bans
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
State legislature determines whether or not fracking and associated activities related to the oil and gas field can occur in a city, but several Ohio cities have voted to ban drilling anyway.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that some fracking companies have filed lawsuits to overturn these decisions. In March, Bass Energy and Ohio Valley Energy will have their case brought to court over their lawsuit against Broadview Heights’ ban.
Currently, the cities of Oberlin, Broadview Heights, Mansfield, Athens and Yellow Springs have banned fracking. Cities that failed to achieve a fracking ban include Youngstown, Kent and Gates Mills.
Via: The Columbus Dispatch > Fracking industry suing over drilling bans
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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.