Regulators approve drilling along Rover pipeline
Thursday, September 21, 2017
United States energy regulators gave Energy Transfer Partners LP approval to resume drilling along its $4.2 billion Rover pipeline project, according to Reuters.
Running from Pennsylvania to Ontario, the Rover pipeline is the biggest gas pipeline under construction in the U.S.
According to ETP, operations have been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at nine locations for horizontal directional drilling and are expected to resume activity this week. ETP was banned from starting new horizontal directional drilling under waterways and roads following the release of some 2 million gallons of drilling fluid into the Tuscarawas River wetlands in Ohio.
Learn more: Reuters > ETP says U.S. approves drilling along Rover gas pipeline
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
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.