Groundwater Fouled by Fracking

reply to post by smyleegrl

So, if I understand correctly, fracking is polluting the groundwater and causing earthquakes. How long until we start to see cancers and other problems associated with the contaminated groundwater?

I live in Southern Ohio, and we are not hearing anything about this, except for those who do not wish to have us get the gas up out of the ground. Our groundwater is already contaminated. to me anyway, we obtain our drinking water from a natural spring near here. I will withhold all judgment until the scientists have their say on the matter.

reply to post by AnonymousCitizen


Really sick of people using this video. Most untreated well water can be lit. Especially if there is a high iron content. You can get the rotten egg smell. It's called Hydrogen Sulfide, and will readily burn. I can do this on my own well before I treat the water.

Reports of contaminated water wells in Fort Worth in close proximity to fracking operations were investigated and found to be without merit by TRRC officials. However, inspectors from the regional office of EPA came to a different conclusion; i.e., their tests indicated that water samples contained contaminants that could be traced to nearby drilling operators. The TRCC findings were subsequently overruled (Rahm, 2011). And increases in air pollution can be traced to an array of drilling activities such as exhaust from internal combustion compressor engines, gas leaks from loose pipe fittings, and vapors escaping from oil tanks. Nguyen (2010) reveals that 50 of the 300 air samples tested from company operations in North Texas by state regulators exceeded clean air health standards established by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Incredibly, this research also indicates that the amount of pollution generated by natural gas companies in Fort Worth now equals the amount emitted from motor vehicles (Nuyen, 2011).

...

Gas industry officials contend that the relationship between drilling activities and declining water quality is coincidental at best since fracs occur well below aquifers or water wells and the likelihood of frack fluids or brine migrating long distances to sources of drinking water is practically nil – a view shared by COGC officials. However, a three year study of over 700 methane samples from 292 locations that was conducted for Garfield County concluded that gas drilling adversely affected water quality in dozens of water wells (cited in Lustgarten, 2009b).

emphases mine

The Politics of “Fracking”: Regulating Natural Gas Drilling Practices in Colorado and Texas(direct link to PDF)

It would seem as though there is indeed scientific evidence of groundwater contamination from the fracking process in both Texas and Colorado.

Meanwhile fracking is expected to experience a huge growth over already existing levels:

According to the International Energy Agency, the global use of natural gas will rise by more than 50% compared to 2010 levels, and account for over 25% of world energy demand in 2035.[4]

WIKI

This being the case, the EPA is expected to release a study later this year which analyzes the potential impacts of the process:

A first report on the study will be released for peer review in late 2012. Certain portions of the research will be released for peer review in 2014.

EPA's Study of Hydraulic Fracturing and Its Potential Impact on Drinking Water Resources

In the meantime, drill baby drill!

Originally posted by Flatfish

Originally posted by rebellender
reply to post by Flatfish

 

how does the fracking process a mile deep into the earth effect ground water at even a depth of 300 ft.

we are all being sold a bill of goods none of us understand.

The money maker Bottled water....laugh if you want but think very big on this one.

tell me something, why do I have to search long and hard to find a youtube video with exploding tap water. With all the tree hugger agencies in place it should be all over the evening news, The Gulf Oil Crisis was.

you claim to be educated,,research Edward Bernays
keep bottling water though..the price of a once running free resource is the next Blue Gold.

edit on 9-5-2012 by rebellender because: (no reason given)

Once the hydraulic fracturing process has been completed, the natural gas begins to flow upwards pushing the fracking fluids back out of the well. At this point, the fluids are re-captured and disposed of on the surface which in many cases leads to the contamination ground and surface water. Here in Texas, they utilized old abandoned wells for storage of these fluids and only time will tell if this method has it's own set of hazards.

what you dont know about me is I was in the Baaken of N.Dakota ...I know all about it,,,all the safety all the precautions how clean it really is....dirtiest place in Williston was Walmart parking lot until they shut it down and the Laundr-o-matte

I am thinking all this "fracking" propaganda is coming from Big Oil, who, no way, no how want Americans converting to Compressed Natural Gas. Here where I live CNG sells for $0.77 a gallon. Let's see you buy a gallon of gasoline for that.

reply to post by autowrench


Your argument is invalid, most energy companies produce much more natural gas than oil. There's not really any difference between "big oil" companies and natural gas companies:



PetroStrategies, Inc.

You have to scroll way down to number 16 on the list to find the only one there that only produces natural gas, Williams Companies, Inc.