ShaleBlog.com » Hydrofracturing

First Horizontal Shale Gas Well in South America

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:59:11 +0000

Halliburton recently completed a horizontal well with multistage hydraulic fracturing at a depth of 4400 meters in the Neuquén Basin of Argentina. According to their press release it was the first horizontal gas shale well and the deepest shale gas well in South America. The well was drilled for Apache Corporation.

More at the Halliburton.com website.

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.

New York Sues Federal Government Over Hydraulic Fracturing

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:10:28 +0000

An article in the New York Times reports that the State of New York has sued the federal government to force an environmental assessment of the potential risks of hydraulic fracturing, a widely used method for enhancing natural gas and oil production from tight reservoirs.

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.

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.

Tuscaloosa Marine Shale: Hydraulic Fracturing Hearings

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:44:44 +0000

Public hearings are being scheduled related to the use of hydraulic fracturing to tap natural gas in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. More in an article on TimesUnion.com.

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.

Buffalo Common Council Bans Hydraulic Fracturing

admin — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Hydraulic fracturing was banned within the city limits of Buffalo, New York as the Buffalo Common Council passed the “Buffalo Community Protection from Natural Gas Extraction Ordinance”. An article on the EPOnline.com website reports on the vote and includes a video showing some of the public testimony that was received before passing.

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.

FracFocus.org: Information About Hydraulic Fracturing

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:32:56 +0000

The FracFocus website is all about hydraulic fracturing. It contains information about the process, the chemicals that are used and contact agencies in states were oil and gas drilling is active. It also has a “Find A Well” feature that allows you to look-up wells and view the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. The site is provided by the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.

Manufacturing Oil and Gas Reservoirs in the Niobrara Shale

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:11:31 +0000

Mark Northam, director of the School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming says that horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing allow drillers to “manufacture a reservoir” in the Niobrara Shale. More in the Billings Gazette.

Impact of Barnett Shale Development on Groundwater Resources

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:02:32 +0000

The impact of hydraulic fracturing on ground water supplies is a concern in almost every area where the well stimulation method is employed. The Texas Water Development Board has published an informative study: Northern Trinity/Woodbine GAM Assessment of Groundwater Use in the Northern Trinity Aquifer Due To Urban Growth and Barnett Shale Development. Get the report here.