WOW!!! Who knew Shale Gas/fracking was causing so much environmental damage...

[Lemon law]

Well we see how effective regulations are here. :\

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not to disagree with Bamacre, but it somewhat proves the opposite. Until Dick Cheney and his friends persuaded certain regulatory changes in 2005, the EPA was the agency that could have stopped this hydraulic fracturing on ground water contamination grounds.

But this 2005 regulatory change stripped the EPA of all authority in this area, so what it really proves is that dismantling existing regulations are very effective, but sadly, IMHO, in a very negative way.

 

[brencat]

Ha. Nice discussion you guys know nothing about. It is an environmentally safe process throughout the whole process. I work in the shit everyday. These people not only respect the environment they also are very respectful of the citizens of the towns they drill in. They have kept the economy in Texas in great shape while the rest of the country falls apart. You guys know nothing more than some Michael Moore type PBS news story. These companies have whole departments of engineers and scientists regulating themselves on top of the Railroad Commision checking to make sure things are done right.

There is definite merit to reports of possible poisoning of drinking water. Check out the drama being played out in upstate NY right now. Some residents have "hit the bid" of these gas companies which are paying top dollar for their land under which shale gas is reportedly abundant, and getting the fvck out before their land turns to sh&t. The residents who don't want to move are worried about the quality of drinking water and property values if they too don't leave.

While they are fracking at pretty deep ground levels, there is legitimate concern that the millions of gallons of drilling fluids and water being forced into the shale will contaminate nearby water sources -- aquafers and wells -- especially since no one knows just how deep these companies are actually drilling. Much of the drilling is also horizontal as well, IIRC.

Much of NYC's water comes from upstate NY so I have a vested interest in what's going on up there.

 

[dahunan]

Ha. Nice discussion you guys know nothing about. It is an environmentally safe process throughout the whole process. I work in the shit everyday. These people not only respect the environment they also are very respectful of the citizens of the towns they drill in. They have kept the economy in Texas in great shape while the rest of the country falls apart. You guys know nothing more than some Michael Moore type PBS news story. These companies have whole departments of engineers and scientists regulating themselves on top of the Railroad Commision checking to make sure things are done right.

I am sure you are correct that some of the companies are as you say... but never trust that all of them are and if you see that video and still think every thing is ok.. / our planet is in trouble

 

[dahunan]

another thing.. why do we seek to deplete our finite resources instead of doing all we can to manage our infinite ones?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

As far as water being contaminated it's highly unlikely as they are pumping the wastes 10,000 feet into the earth and your water is a couple hundred feet down at the most.
Nowadays all drilling is horizontal. That's the only way to make the drilling worth while. They will get to the shale and then direct the drill horizontally into the shale and it opens up more of the formation. Most of the fluids, mud, sand come back up through the well. And is disposed of properly. And the little that doesn't won't reach your drinking water plus it's biodegradable.
We need energy sources and I believe natural gas is the lesser of two evils.

 

[herm0016]

fracturing is pretty safe. all the fluid goes 1000's of feet below any aquifer that you are able to tap into. the gas is probably a result of bad casing or cement in the wells. good well owners will check these things periodically to make sure their well is safe. ( which is one of the services i perform, cement bond logs and production logs)