Gasland

[Sstashmoo]

From your article:

"There's never been a documented case of contaminated water supply."

This sounds like the EPA is taking some data and clutching at straws. If this is an hydraulic process, where water would be just as good as anything else [[considering water will not compress and is an adequate means of transferring force), why on earth would anyone use costly solvents that would do no better than water anyway? They found toxins in a nearby river and they are suspecting it could be from fraccing or fracking? How could they even know this, or better yet, prove it.

[maxx]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...lic-fracturing
In Dimock's case, Houston-based Cabot Oil and Gas has spilled fracturing fluid, diesel and other fluids, according to Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection. And elsewhere in the state fracturing fluid contamination has been detected in the Monongahela River, which is a source of drinking water. In more common practice, companies dump used fracking fluid back beneath the surface, usually injecting it into other formations beneath the shale. For example, in the case of the Barnett Shale, disposal wells send that water into the deeper Ellenburger Formation.

But there's also the problem of what's actually in the fracking fluid. EPA tests in Wyoming have found suspected fracking fluid chemicals in drinking water wells, and a study by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation identified 260 chemicals used in the process—a review undertaken as the state decides whether to allow such drilling on lands comprising the watershed providing New York City with its drinking water. And Dow Chemical notes that it sells biocides—antimicrobial poisons—to be included in the mix. But companies zealously guard the secret of what exactly makes up their individual "special sauce." It is one of the ways the companies distinguish themselves.

[Retroit]

This city boy has a stupid question for those of you that rely on well water: what type of filtration do you have and how would you know if there were any colorless, odorless, tasteless contaminants in your water?

[[Too lazy to do a Google search if someone can provide a quick answer.)

[3WC]

There are some interesting comments on here.

I started in the oil business in 1963 in MI. I primarily drilled in St. Clair County, which has many gas wells, many, producing more gas than the biggest TX wells.

Long before there were gas wells in St. Clair, farmers experienced natural gas in their drinking water. I stood in a farmer's kitchen once and turned on the tap and the gas almost blew the glass out of my hand. Gas, and oil, seep to the surface in many areas of the world. Across the river in Canada, in Petrolia, there continue to be oil seeps that cover the surface with small balls of crude oil. The Indians used it for centuries for medicinal and other purposes.

The northern edge of the Barnett Shale play in north TX is about 20 miles sourth of my leases. I've flown over it many, many times. I know many who have drilled down there. It has been a bonanza to the economy. There are probably a 1000 wells within the city limits of Ft. Worth. Chesapeake paid the DFW airport $276,000,000 for its 17,000 acre lease and drilled 300 wells on the airport property during the past 4 years, wells that cost an average of $4-5 million each.

I subscribe to a trade paper called the Ft. Worth Basin News which focusses on the Barnett Shale play, and recently, on a potentially larger field called the Haynesville Shale in LA. It is true that people have complained about odors and so forth and the State has set up air monitering stations all over the place. There is now a very rigorous inspection program focusing on compressor stations, the facilities that compress the natural gas before it goes in the pipeline. There have been documented cases of pollution from the operation of the comprsssors [[not the natural gas) nad they are shut down immediately until fixed.

It's true as somebody said, that water extracted from the wells is injected deep into the earth into, among others, the Ellenberger formation. That's a thick, vertically fractured limestone formation that will take lots of water. These injection wells have generated much litigation, zoning fights, and so forth. The issue? Way too much truck traffic bringing in the water to the injection wells. Many municipalities restrict the hours during which injection may take place. That's the biggest environmental issue in the Barnett Shale play.

Gibran, I understand your concerns. I've been a Sierra Club member for many years and love and respect the outdoors. However, there must be a balancing of interests. Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. I've camped on, hiked across and flown over [[@ 500 feet) the tundra in south Alaska. It's beautiful in its own stark, lonely way. However, the three major Alaskan carribou herds have crossed the tundra for 1000s of years and have worn away millions of acres; they look like depressed superhighways. They do far more damage than a few oil rigs moving about. The environmentalists never show people what vast areas of the tundra actually looks like. And, although I know you won't agree, not one person in 10,000,000 will actually visit the tundra, especially north of Fairbanks where all the oil is, so what's the big deal? Those that do populate that area are probably working for the oil companies. There are very few visitors up there who are tourists but they go up to see the oil operations.

[mjs]

This city boy has a stupid question for those of you that rely on well water: what type of filtration do you have and how would you know if there were any colorless, odorless, tasteless contaminants in your water?

[[Too lazy to do a Google search if someone can provide a quick answer.)

Generally, sand and plants. Nature does an excellent job of filtering water on its own. Its why springs are so pure. The water is filtered as it soaked into the earth and then it sprouts up from the spring.

New home plans built in well communities require perk testing which is an analysis of the soil layers to see if a septic and well can be placed there. Larger developments in those communities, such as big box stores and condo developments, have requirements for unpaved surface area and drain basins so the land can treat the rain water. Many are also adding tree requirements. If a property can not meet the community standards, its either filled with the deficient soils or more likely remains marginally developed until city water and sewage arrives.

Odorless, colorless, tasteless contaminants are extremely rare so its not a large worry. Country water varies greatly as it sometimes tastes like bottled water and sometimes tastes metallic as metals are found in the ground, but never has the chemical taste found in artifically treated water. Areas such as Kentucky have high lime concentrations which can be beneficial for things such as making bourban. However, communities share water tables, often over several counties, so finding contamination in one home leads the county drain commission to test other homes.

[Thames]

This city boy has a stupid question for those of you that rely on well water: what type of filtration do you have and how would you know if there were any colorless, odorless, tasteless contaminants in your water?

[[Too lazy to do a Google search if someone can provide a quick answer.)

Where I'm at, there is a lot of iron in the water. I use a water softener to remove the iron and an R.O. system to remove the salt.

There's a water place up the road where you can take your water to have it tested. Also, when we bought the house, by law, the water had to be tested for contaminants. We haven't had any problems with our water so far...