Research collaborative forms to focus on industry’s impact in Marcellus and Utica regions
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Leaders at the Tri-State Shale Summit came together in October to focus on job training and natural gas industry group in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Now, the Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative has formed, and monitors economic development and how the energy industry affects communities in the Marcellus and Utica regions, Midwest Energy News reports.
The focus is on Carroll County, Ohio, Wetzel County, West Virginia and Tioga and Greene counties in Pennsylvania. The coalition is made up of various policy organizations and research groups with interest in how shale drilling is affecting the Marcellus and Utica region in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York.
Via: Midwest Energy News > Fracking research collaborative cuts across state lines
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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.