Pittsburgh-area plant that makes chemicals for Marcellus industry caught fire Nov. 17
Friday, November 20, 2015
The Lubrizol Corp. plant in Leetsdale, outside of Pittsburgh, caught fire Tuesday, November 17.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the plant makes chemical treatments for wells as well as additives used for drilling and fracking in the Marcellus shale industry. The chemicals are used to make water and gas move more smoothly.
Lubrizol Corp, an oil and gas chemical processor, has 9,000 employees worldwide. Forty-one people are employed at the Leetsdale plant.
Via: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review > Plant in Leetsdale blaze blends chemicals for Marcellus shale industry
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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.