ShaleBlog.com » Environmental Issues

Recycling Fayetteville Shale Frack Water

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:15:34 +0000

Dealing with the waste water from hydraulic fracturing is a problem. A Canadian company working in Arkansas has plans to treat Fayetteville Shale waste water and recycle it for continued drilling.

Methane Emissions Disagreement

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:40:40 +0000

Methane has 25 times the greenhouse gas impact of carbon dioxide. Industry and government disagreements over how much methane is released into the atmosphere during drilling has been reported in an article on the Platts.com website.

Burning Natural Gas Instead of Coal Can Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:02:56 +0000

A Carnegie Mellon University study reports that the generation of electricity by burning Marcellus Shale gas instead of coal could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 to 50 percent.

Shale Gas Advisory Board Recommendations

admin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:33:59 +0000

The Shale Gas Advisory Board called for “making information about shale gas production operations more accessible to the public; taking immediate and long-term actions to reduce the environmental and safety risks of shale gas operations, with a particular focus on protecting air and water quality; creating a Shale Gas Industry Operation organization committed to improving operating practices; and continuing research and development to improve safety and environmental performance.”

More at UPI.com.

EPA’s 1987 Report of Contamination Caused by Hydraulic Fracturing

admin — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:28:32 +0000

Representatives of industry and government agencies often state that there has not been one documented case of hydraulic fracturing contaminating a private water supply well. However, an EPA report from 1987 links hydraulic fracturing with a contaminated water supply in Jackson County, West Virginia. Those opposed to hydraulic fracturing hope to get a lot of mileage out of that report. More in the New York Times.

Earthquakes and Hydraulic Fracturing in the UK

admin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:12:16 +0000

Cuadrilla Resources was using hydraulic fracturing to develop a shale gas reservoir off the UK coast when small earthquakes occurred in the area. More at the Reuters.com website.

ExxonMobil and Chevron Shareholders Address Hydraulic Fracturing

admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:40:37 +0000

Much of the discussion at ExxonMobil’s annual shareholder meeting was on the subject of hydraulic fracturing.

The topic was also on the agenda at Chevron’s annual shareholder meeting.

Brine Contamination Associated with Oil and Gas Production in the Williston Basin

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:21:58 +0000

“U.S. Geological Survey scientists and cooperating partners are examining the potential risk to aquatic resources by contamination from saline waters produced by petroleum development in the Williston Basin of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.” Quoted from the USGS publication release.

Shareholder Resolutions: Hydraulic Fracturing Disclosure

admin — Tue, 24 May 2011 16:18:43 +0000

An article on Platts.com reports on shareholder resolutions at ExxonMobil, Chevron and Ultra Petroleum calling for those companies to disclose information about the environmental and financial risks of hydraulic fracturing in the production of natural gas.

Over 100 Injection Wells and 1000 Water Trucks

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:37:32 +0000

An article on the ShreveportTimes.com website considers the industry activity and environmental impact associated with the injection of salt water waste produced by drilling for natural gas in the Haynesville Shale.

Arkansas Governor Beebe Addresses Natural Gas Issues

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:19:50 +0000

Governor Mike Beebe of Arkansas answers questions related to natural gas drilling causing earthquakes, environmental problems and economic damage within the State of Arkansas.

Linking Methane in Drinking Water to Gas Extraction

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:11:53 +0000

The NPR Talk of the Nation program for May 13 investigates the occurrence of natural gas in household water supply wells in Pennsylvania. In a study of 68 wells, those within one kilometer of a natural gas well had 17 times the amount of methane in the water.

Expert Panel has 90 Days to Make Fracking Cleaner and Safer

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 13:33:31 +0000

Natural gas is a key factor in our long-term energy strategy. A panel of experts has been tasked with finding immediate steps to make hydraulic fracturing cleaner and safer. More in the New York Times.

Water Treatment Experiment at Marcellus Shale Production Site

admin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:37:56 +0000

“The Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE) announced favorable results from a demonstration project turning wastewater from drilling sites into clean water.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration’s Natural Gas Update.

Should France Ban Shale Gas Development?

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:35:22 +0000

People in France are concerned about the potential environmental and social impact of developing their natural gas shale but at the same time they are concerned about their energy security. More at WorldOil.com.