Marcellus Shale Drilling at Pittsburgh International Airport is Approved
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Airplane passengers may see more than Pittsburgh’s skyline when landing at the Pittsburgh International Airport, they may also be seeing drilling rigs, according to the Tribune Review.
The Allegheny County Council voted Tuesday to allow Consol Energy the rights to drill on airport property no earlier than late 2014. Consol will pay the county $50 million, which includes $5,000 per acre and a $3.7 million surface rent payment for well pads.
The county will receive 18 percent royalty payments when production begins.
» Via: The Tribune Review › Council votes to allow gas drilling at 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.