Judge stops Mariner East 2 pipeline in eastern Pa.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
An administrative judge temporarily stopped work on Energy Transfer Partners LP’s Sunoco Mariner East 2 pipeline in eastern Pennsylvania, according to The Associated Press.
The judge asked that the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission hear and rule on whether Sunoco violated a 2015 settlement agreement with West Goshen Township. The Chester County township claims Sunoco jumped the gun on construction earlier this month and also disputes Sunoco’s decision to move a valve-control station.
The Mariner East 2 pipeline has been protested by Pennsylvania residents who blame it for contaminating their well water or spilling a clay lubricant at various sites.
Learn more: The Youngstown Vindicator > Judge halts pipeline work in eastern Pennsylvania
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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.