Upper Ohio Valley losing residents despite growth in shale industry
Monday, March 30, 2015
The Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register reports that the shale industry seems to have impacted the recent population decrease in the Upper Ohio Valley.
A total population loss of 0.5 percent, or about 1,600 residents, from 2013 estimates was noted for the following counties in 2014: Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler counties in West Virginia, as well as Jefferson, Belmont, Monroe and Harrison counties in Ohio. According to the United States Census Bureau, the Upper Ohio Valley had about 7,000 fewer people than county population numbers from the 2010 census.
Job growth has been noted in the region due to the oil and gas industry, but the growth may not be as big as expected. People may also be staying away from the region due to environmental impacts caused by drilling.
Via: The Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register > From Sistersville to Steubenville, Ohio Valley Losing Population
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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.