Frack Off

[nathanm]

You sure it's not being shut in due to a stagnant economy?

Yeah, they're still producing, just at a much lower rate than last year. It's the same story when you frack a traditional well, it's just that there's not such a large initial flow in the shale gas plays.

[Teatownclown]

Yeah, they're still producing, just at a much lower rate than last year. It's the same story when you frack a traditional well, it's just that there's not such a large initial flow in the shale gas plays.

That was the point in many of those leaked anonymous documents. I spoke with a land man in ND last week and he was freaking about the rising flood waters in Minot. Got my head straight and life in perspective.

[Conan71]

You sure it's not being shut in due to a stagnant economy?

That's my take on it.

[Teatownclown]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/story/2011-12-08/epa-fracking-pollution/51745004/1
EPA: Fracking may cause groundwater pollution

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday for the first time that fracking — a controversial method of improving the productivity of oil and gas wells — may be to blame for causing groundwater pollution.
The draft finding could have significant implications while states try to determine how to regulate the process. Environmentalists characterized the report as a significant development though it met immediate criticism from the oil and gas industry and a U.S. senator.
The practice is called hydraulic fracturing and involves pumping pressurized water, sand and chemicals underground to open fissures and improve the flow of oil or gas to the surface.
The EPA's found that compounds likely associated with fracking chemicals had been detected in the groundwater beneath Pavillion, a small community in central Wyoming where residents say their well water reeks of chemicals. Health officials last year advised them not to drink their water after the EPA found low levels hydrocarbons in their wells.
The EPA announcement could add to the controversy over fracking, which has played a large role in opening up many gas reserves, including the Marcellus Shale in the eastern U.S. in recent years.
The industry has long contended that fracking is safe, but environmentalists and some residents who live near drilling sites say it has poisoned groundwater.
The EPA said its announcement is the first step in a process of opening up its findings for review by the public and other scientists.
"EPA's highest priority remains ensuring that Pavillion residents have access to safe drinking water," said Jim Martin, EPA regional administrator in Denver. "We look forward to having these findings in the draft report informed by a transparent and public review process."
The EPA also emphasized that the findings are specific to the Pavillion area. The agency said the fracking that occurred in Pavillion differed from fracking methods used elsewhere in regions with different geological characteristics.
The fracking occurred below the level of the drinking water aquifer and close to water wells, the EPA said. Elsewhere, drilling is more remote and fracking occurs much deeper than the level of groundwater that would normally be used.
Environmentalists welcomed the news of the EPA report, calling it an important turning point in the fracking debate.
"This is an important first indication there are potential problems with fracking that can impact domestic water wells. It's I think a clarion call to industry to make sure they take a great deal of care in their drilling practices," said Steve Jones with the Wyoming Outdoor Council.
Pavillion resident John Fenton, chairman of the group Pavillion Area Concerned Citizens, applauded the EPA for listening to the homeowners with contaminated water.
"Those of us who suffer the impacts from the unchecked development in our community are extremely happy the contamination source is being identified," Fenton said.
Calgary, Alberta-based Encana owns the Pavillion gas field. An announced $45 million sale to Midland, Texas-based Legacy Reserves fell through last month amid what Encana said were Legacy's concerns about the EPA investigation.
Encana spokesman Doug Hock said there was much to question about the draft study.
The compounds EPA said could be associated with fracking, he said, could have had other origins not related to gas development.
"Those could just have likely been brought about by contamination in their sampling process or construction of their well," Hock said.
The low levels of hydrocarbons found in local water wells likewise haven't been linked to gas development and substances such as methane itself are naturally occurring in the area.
"There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered. This is a probability and it is one we believe is incorrect," Hock said.
Sen. James Inhofe said the study was "not based on sound science but rather on political science."
"Its findings are premature, given that the Agency has not gone through the necessary peer-review process, and there are still serious outstanding questions regarding EPA's data and methodology," the Oklahoma Republican said in a statement.
Wyoming last year became one of the first states to require oil and gas companies to publicly disclose the chemicals used in fracking. Colorado regulators are considering doing the same.
The public and industry representatives packed an 11-hour hearing on the issue in Denver on Monday. They all generally supported the proposal but the sticking point is whether trade secrets would have to be disclosed and how quickly the information would have to be turned over.
And while the EPA emphasized the Wyoming findings we're highly localized, the report is likely to reverberate.
The issue has been highly contentious in New York, where some upstate residents and politicians argue that the gas industry will bring desperately needed jobs while others demand a ban on fracking to protect water supplies. New York regulators haven't issued permits for gas drilling with high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale since they began an extensive environmental review in 2008.
Kate Sinding, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York City, said in an e-mail Thursday that the EPA in Wyoming is now recognizing what other experts and families in fracking communities have known for some time: "Fracking poses serious threats to safe drinking water."

[patric]

Regulators:  Fracking Led to Earthquakes

http://www.usatoday.com/money/story/2012-03-09/fracking-gas-drilling-earthquakes/53435232/1

[dbacks fan]

Regulators:  Fracking Led to Earthquakes

http://www.usatoday.com/money/story/2012-03-09/fracking-gas-drilling-earthquakes/53435232/1

From the article....

The report's findings, the Ohio regulator said, show the earthquakes were based on "a number of coincidental circumstances." For one, investigators said, the well began operations just three months ahead of the first quake.

They also noted that the seismic activity was clustered around the well bore, and reported that a fault has since been identified in the Precambrian basement rock where water was being injected.

"Geologists believe it is very difficult for all conditions to be met to induce seismic events," the report states. "In fact, all the evidence indicates that properly located ... injection wells will not cause earthquakes."

The improper placement of the Youngstown well stemmed in part from inadequate geological data being available to regulators, the report states. New rules would require a complete roll of geophysical logs to be submitted to the state.

This is refering to one well for disposing of the waste water, not all fracking in general.

[AquaMan]

Regulators:  Fracking Led to Earthquakes

http://www.usatoday.com/money/story/2012-03-09/fracking-gas-drilling-earthquakes/53435232/1

Did you note the comments after the story? This may not be a very accurate reporting of how the quakes were triggered. The re-injection wells were actually the culprit.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Yeah, they're still producing, just at a much lower rate than last year. It's the same story when you frack a traditional well, it's just that there's not such a large initial flow in the shale gas plays.

When the price of natural gas drops, like it has over the last year, they close that valve (run the pumps less) so that not quite so much comes out.  So if you get half out at half price, your check is 1/4.

I know this is old reply to old note, but the economics still are the same today.

[Teatownclown]

Watching the Masters and seeing Exxon/Mobil ads depicting a well bore and the extolling the virtues of fracking makes me noxious. I do not have a great problem with certain frack jobs done free and clear of water tables despite the unknown hideous chemicals involved.

I do not approve of these ads which through their drawings are bold face lies as the water table illustrated are 1/4 size the well pipe illustrated. There're other "irregularities" with these constant misinforming ads. Why does a major oil and gas company find the need to deceive the public? And why do these seem to be the only commercials they are running?

Corporatehoods?

[heironymouspasparagus]

This is what happens when you remove all accountability and/or 'personal responsibility' from corporate activities. 

Earthquakes and contaminated water.

[Conan71]

Watching the Masters and seeing Exxon/Mobil ads depicting a well bore and the extolling the virtues of fracking makes me noxious. I do not have a great problem with certain frack jobs done free and clear of water tables despite the unknown hideous chemicals involved.

I do not approve of these ads which through their drawings are bold face lies as the water table illustrated are 1/4 size the well pipe illustrated. There're other "irregularities" with these constant misinforming ads. Why does a major oil and gas company find the need to deceive the public? And why do these seem to be the only commercials they are running?

Corporatehoods?

I get your point, loud and clear and do not disagree about unknown hazards as a result of fracking.  However, how many other ads during the masters weren't stretching the truth on extolling the virtues of the products they were selling?

[Teatownclown]

I get your point, loud and clear and do not disagree about unknown hazards as a result of fracking.  However, how many other ads during the masters weren't stretching the truth on extolling the virtues of the products they were selling?

try this on...it's short so you should grasp the message:

[Conan71]

try this on...it's short so you should grasp the message:

Silly clown, earthquakes are caused by global warming climate change eh, whatever they call it now. 

[Gaspar]

Silly clown, earthquakes are caused by global warming climate change eh, whatever they call it now.  

Global Climate Disturbance didn't pan out.  It's fracking now.

Algore is retooling his organization.  Soon, oil companies will be able to buy a bunch of frackin credits for their frackin oil and gas rigs.  

Seriously. . .

Having some geology knowledge and understanding the nature of earthquakes and the massive amounts of kinetic energy that builds up over time on moving rock formations.  And also understanding that like a stretched rubber band, this ultimately results in significant seismic effects.  it would actually be safe to speculate that if indeed we are responsible for the phenomenon, creating a series of smaller quakes by releasing that energy in several small insignificant events, across multiple fault lines, we may actually have stumbled on a way to prevent catastrophe.

The energy expended in the fracking process may indeed be enough to get the rock layers to release some of their force in the form of small quakes.  If so this would as important a discovery as learning to prevent tornados.  We may be able to save the lives of millions in California through controlled release, and solve our energy problems at the same time.

[nathanm]

The energy expended in the fracking process may indeed be enough to get the rock layers to release some of their force in the form of small quakes.  If so this would as important a discovery as learning to prevent tornados.  We may be able to save the lives of millions in California through controlled release, and solve our energy problems at the same time.

Wow, you've made it to the 70s! Maybe in another couple of years you'll join us in the 21st century!

Edited to add: Rather than solely snarking, I guess I should complete the thought: The earthquakes that injection wells cause are unrelated to the deeper earthquakes generated by long term geologic processes. Injection wells simply aren't deep enough to matter. An interesting possibility converse to your supposition is that small quakes in the upper part of the crust might trigger larger quakes along deep faults.

There was actually a bunch of research on this in Colorado in the 70s after there was a cluster of small earthquakes there.