WVU-tested drilling fluid reduces toxicity of waste
Friday, August 12, 2016
Findings from the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environmental Lab show that “greener” drilling fluid reduced toxicity of drilling waste — cuttings, mud and water — at Marcellus shale test wells, according to The West Virginia Record.
West Virginia University researchers have been studying drilling waste at one of three labs. Samples of the new drilling mud, called BioBase 265, passed EPA tests, thus classifying it as non-hazardous and non-radioactive.
Read more: The West Virginia Record > WVU shale gas researchers test new drilling fluid
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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.