EPA Finds Compound Used in Fracking in Wyoming Aquifer

http://www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/earthquake-natural-gas-hydraulic-fracturing-fracking/11/10/2011/id/37872?camp=syndication&medium=portals&from=yahoo ^

[chessplayer]

As the country awaits results from a nationwide safety study on the natural gas drilling process of fracking, a separate government investigation into contamination in a place where residents have long complained that drilling fouled their water has turned up alarming levels of underground pollution.

A pair of environmental monitoring wells drilled deep into an aquifer in Pavillion, Wyo., contain high levels of cancer-causing compounds and at least one chemical commonly used in hydraulic fracturing,

[Stingray51]

The Left is scared of and deathly opposed to fracking because fracking may be the technological breakthrough that would allow the American people to continue their energy-consuming lifestyle instead of transforming into a Utopian Gore-like (do as I say, not as I do) Amish lifestyle. The Left does not want energy independence or abundant, cheap energy. Instead, they want Americans to use a lot less energy.

[denydenydeny]

I wouldn’t put anything past a supremely politicized EPA.

For disciples of Saul Alinksy, there are no lies, only tactics.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Name the “you,” name the company, name the locale, name the “have to” for the ventilation. And name some other recognized authority than EPA supporting these assertions.

[McGruff]

I'm no rocket scientist but I have a hard time understanding how fracking can pollute the water supply.

And the fluid looks pretty safe.

[cuban leaf]

Your post reminds me of another aspect of this. If there was no human underground activity whatsoever, would those cancer causing chimicals (CCC) still show up? Is there any evidence to the contrary?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Unparsable

[stormer]

Who said anything about “the world's water supplies”? In this circumstance it appears that there is some issue with the application of the technology associated with this type of extraction. The evidence for this are chemical compounds found in groundwater that would apparently be otherwise absent. I hesitate to point out that technology sometimes fails to operate as intended, and when it does, the consequences can be very serious.

[Jeff Vader]

over exposure to it is one of the leading killers of children here in AZ

[Sacajaweau]

That’s been the problem with these results....No pre-testing. Fracking has been around for years.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Typically where people have complained about well problems near fracking, the frackers either repair the wells or pipe in clean water. Stormer sounds like it would kvetch no matter what they did to try to keep things right.

[B.O. Plenty]

....he had polluted his own well in an attempt to get the city to run a rural water line to his place.

...can we say "fast and furious" here.....the same kind of people who populate the Justice dept. also populate the EPA...

..the "finding" may be a damnable ruse just like F&F...or a damnable lie like "global warming".

....just be cautious before making judgements, esp where any government agency is involved.

[Explodo]

Ok...I must confess. In the late 80’s and early 90’s I was employed byHalliburton as a “Blender Tender” Which means I was responsible for mixing and maintaining frac fluids and for mixing the sand into the fluid.

To be honest, 99.9% of the fluids used by the frack process are combletely harmless. Essentialy they are using the same formula as jello. There are a couple of additives that can be ugly...but they are the same things used by water departments to keep bacteria out of water.

The other part of this equation is the fact that frac activity has a remarkable safety record in terms of cross contamination. The whole arguement in my opinion is baseless.

This is little more than our enemies trying to remove the ability of the United States to have a viable long term energy source.

When I see this arguement ( Kills minorities and women and kids). I quickly mark the person spouting it as either a useful idiot or a domestic/International enemy.

Any burning questions you want to know about the process?

[crusty old prospector]

A similar situation occurred about a decade ago to our company. Trial lawyers swoop in and stir all the locals up. File frivolous lawsuits. We spent millions providing for an alternative water source other than the “tainted” water wells. Turns out, it was all naturally-occurring. All they had to do was ask the old timers who would have told them that the water stunk and was full of nasties since the area was first settled. The lawyers all made out like bandits with suits and countersuits and appeals.

[SueRae]

Thank you for the perspective. Looks like it is WIDELY used and the source actually can’t be pinpointed exclusively to fracking use.

But will we hear that from the lamestream? (Do I really need to ask?)

[HiTech RedNeck]

Name, or leave in shame.

[cripplecreek]

Great Lakes Directional Drilling Ban Should Be Lifted

State geologists estimate that approximately 30 wells could be directionally drilled under the Great Lakes. Directional drilling, sometimes referred to as slant drilling, is performed at an angle, allowing placement of the well head onshore rather than on a drilling platform in the lake. While director of the Department of Environmental Quality in 1996, I was approached by companies interested in exploring for oil and gas under the Great Lakes. I asked the Michigan Environmental Science Board (a group of scientists, mostly from universities, with environmental and natural resource expertise) to study whether directional drilling under the Great Lakes posed any threat to natural resources.

The Board concluded: "[T]here is little to no risk of contamination to the Great Lakes bottom or waters through releases directly above the bottom hole portion of directionally drilled wells." The Board went on to say: "There is, however, a small risk of contamination at the well head." The board made recommendations on steps that could be taken to mitigate any impact to the Great Lakes from the well head, including locating the wells at least 1,000 feet from the shoreline and implementing proper waste disposal measures. Before the ban, eight wells had been directionally drilled under the Great Lakes without environmental harm.

Remember kids, we need your help to lift this idiotic ban so be sure to contact your congressman and tell them to lift the Great Lakes Directional drilling ban.

[huldah1776]

“The EPA’s research in Wyoming is separate from the agency’s ongoing national study of hydraulic fracturing’s effect on water supplies, and is being funded through the Superfund cleanup program.

The EPA says it will release a lengthy draft of the Pavillion findings, including a detailed interpretation of them, later this month.”

Who controls the Superfund program?

[IMR 4350]

Bunk!

[dblshot]

a primary ingredient include some whiteboard cleaners and soaps
So if I drink it I can pressue wash my toilet right?

[HiTech RedNeck]

People would freak out over the possibility of oil getting into the Great Lakes like it did the Gulf, but natural gas seems virtually harmless.