Why Letting An Oil Company Frack In Your Backyard Is Actually An Awesome Idea (cha and ching)

Business Insider ^ | 10/15/2012 | Rob Wile

[BfloGuy]

So why is fracking relevant? When you remove oil/gas from an area, there is a reduction of pressure and support below. The land subsides and you get sinkholes. In the case of Bayou Corne, the methane and salt water incursion is going to erode away the salt domes and push that erosion north. The end point of that looks to be right about Quebec.

Interesting. You might have included your explanation along with what was otherwise just a photo of a lake. Now, in your opinion, does fracking for oil or gas reduce pressure and support below any more than traditional drilling methods?

I'm neither a geologist nor an engineer -- just interested.

[Myrddin]

By definition, fracking is "fracturing" using hydraulic pressure to crack rock and drive oil/gas out. What remains behind is fractured rock with the oil/gas removed. It is weakened compared to the state before fracking. Add seismic activity to apply external forces to compress or shear the area and it is more unstable than before.

In the case I was citing, the drilling/fracking is occurring around the salt domes of LA. Fracking and seismic activity are now causing those salt domes to disintegrate. Incursion of water is dissolving them. The consequence is large underground voids that were filled with salt are opening up as "sinkholes".

Sinkholes are problem enough for people on the surface. The larger problem is the salt caverns have been used as storage for oil, butane and radioactive waste on the expectation that they were geologically stable. That assumption is proving false.

This topic has captured my attention lately as an adjunct to my broader interest in increasing earthquake, volcanic and solar activity.

[kjam22]

Fracking is not a new concept. Wells have been fracked for 50 years. It's only a new environmental ploy to force our country into using more batteries from china.

[kjam22]

You have no clue what you’re talking about.

[kjam22]

The person who believes fracking is causing sink holes is just plain stupid. I mean really, there is no other way to represent it.

[taildragger]

I don’t really understand what “fracking” is, but I know it was enough of an issue that it prompted my nephew — born & raised in West Central PA — to declare a geology major in college.

Here is a very well written article on the subject, a great read that gets into the technology and how the industry is getting along w/ State regulators in PA....

www.nationalreview.com/articles/293086/truth-about-fracking-kevin-d-williamson#