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EPA vs Fracking

A hearing was recently held in regards to EPA's findings regarding the Wyoming groundwater contamination case. The EPA holds firm it's findings in this case linking the contamination of ground to the fracking processes in the area. Further, the agency warns the use of this finding as a broader indictment of hydraulic fracturing noting that fracking in the Wyoming area occurred under conditions "different from those in many areas of the country". Evidence utilized in these findings by the EPA included a sampling from deep water monitor wells which detected levels of benzene, methane and synthetic chemicals, such as glycols and alcohols consistent with oil and gas production and hydraulic fluids. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission blasted these reports by the EPA stating incomplete data played a major role in their decision. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission concluded that limited sampling and inconclusive data leaves the hydraulic fracturing debate in question and the EPA's science in question.

It is my view that there has been no proof that hydraulic fracturing has ever contaminated a water table. The only possible impacts to the water table may have been from blowouts, failed casing due to corrosion over time or surface spills. I don't believe a company would waste millions of dollars on frac jobs only to have it travel through thousands of feet of solid rock to contaminate a water zone.

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Comment by charles s mallory on February 28, 2012 at 8:33pm: John:

Thanks for posting this article from my old alma mater. I read this on the Million Dollar Way site a few days ago and thought it was very interesting.

Comment by John Anderson "Andy" Davis on February 28, 2012 at 8:20pm: I just got a Twitter "tweet" from Chesapeake regarding a new story about work done at University of Texas on fracking and pollution. Here's the link to the article: http://t.co/IBToiYf4

Comment by Dillon on February 27, 2012 at 9:39pm: All energy production leaves a footprint on the planet -- even wind & solar production.

Relatively speaking, fraccing appears to be fairly clean..

But then you'll have someone who lives next to the pooled tract & they have a child come down with cancer or some other malady.

And of course they'll blame it on the well

If I had a conversation with them, it might go like this

----:

We had the water tested & there are carcinigens & toxins in the water?

So?

But It has Mercury, Radium, & Lead.

So? You've had these impurities in your water for years. And for how many years have you beem spraying pestisides & herbisides on your pasture & crops?

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IMHO you must test wells before production begins to get valid results

Pardon my spelling, but I've had more booze than sleep in the last 24.