Fracking can Pollute Water .... Or Maybe Not

photo by Frank Finan

According to one media report, the newest study by Duke scientists (published on Monday) shows that gas drilling in northeastern Pennsylvania did not contaminate nearby drinking water wells with salty water.

But flip to a different paper and you learn that same study concludes that fracking does indeed put drinking water at risk from fluid migration.

The "truth" is more complex, and the study more nuanced. Introducing their paper, the Duke researchers mention that the drilling debate raises concerns about the potential for  methane, metal-containing brines and hydraulic fracturing fluids to migrate into drinking water aquifers. A critical question, they say, is whether there is any "hydraulic connectivity" between the deep shale gas formations and the overlying drinking water aquifers - and if so, to what extent.

Introducing their study the scientists say, "We present geochemical evidence from northeastern Pennsylvania showing that pathways, unrelated to recent drilling activities, exist in some locations between deep underlying formations and shallow drinking water aquifers." They show that salty water (brine) does indeed migrate, but is not correlated to the location of shale-gas wells.

"However," they add, "the presence of these fluids suggest conductive pathways and specific geostructural and/or hydrodynamic regimes in northeastern PA that are at increased risk for contamination, particularly by fugitive gases" because of the natural connections to deeper formations.So, yeah, the possibility of migration is there because the geology surrounding the Marcellus Shale is already fractured with pathways that could allow contaminants to move more freely than expected. You can read the study here.

Fortunately, the Department of Energy is conducting research that may provide some answers to the question of whether drilling fluids migrate and how far they travel. DOE researchers are working with a drilling company at a commercial well site in southwestern PA. The are adding tracing elements to hydro-fracking fluids and will conduct follow-up monitoring. They hope to see whether drilling fluids move upwards and/or sideways through the shale.



Using tracers isn't new - they're routinely used in hydrologic studies. Like the Duke study, the DOE tracer study will help researchers learn more about the geology surrounding the Marcellus shale. And like the Duke scientists, the DOE researchers caution that Marcellus geology is variable, changing from place to place.

Free Bus Ride to Washington (some restrictions may apply)

Monday, June 13 will be a busy day in Washington – Pennsylvania, that is; not DC. That evening the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) Natural Gas Subcommittee will hold a public meeting to “allow subcommittee members to hear directly from community members interested in the safety and environmental performance of hydraulic fracturing”.

President Obama directed US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu to form the Natural Gas Subcommittee as part of the President’s “Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future” - a “comprehensive plan to reduce America's oil dependence, save consumers money, and make our country the leader in clean energy industries”. So back in May, Sec. Chu announced the establishment of the Energy Advisory Board Natural Gas Subcommittee on Fracking Issues. Their job is, he said, is to make recommendations on improving the “safety and environmental performance” of hydraulic fracturing in shale formations.

There were only a few problems:

1. Many of the Subcommittee’s members are closely tied to the oil and gas industry;
2. No one directly impacted by shale gas development was included in the subcommittee; and
3. The meetings were only being held in Washington, DC, far from the areas already damaged by drilling.

After lots of public outcry, the Subcommittee announced it will hold a meeting in Washington, PA so its members can hear from people who live in areas where actual drilling occurs. As one activist said, “They need to hear from people whose water, property, and health have been impacted by gas drilling. They need to be told why current industry practices and regulations are not nearly enough to protect our communities.”

Besides the SEAB Natural Gas Subcommittee, lots of other people plan to head for Washington Jefferson on Monday. And some of them will have a sweet ride. On Thursday, June 9 Thomas Shepstone, from Energy in Depth, offered free bus rides for those wishing to attend the DOE meeting.

In an e-mail to “undisclosed recipients” Shepstone wrote, “… this is an extremely important
event.  We need as many of you from our region there as possible …” and he offered the following incentives to entice people to attend:

1.  Bus transportation (pickups in Binghamton, Scranton and the Williamsport area)
2. A hotel room for the night of June 13^th
3. Your meals
4.  Tickets for the Pittsburgh Pirates game (though media reports mentioned this got nixed)
5.  Airfare (for older folks, especially..and for heads of landowner groups.

I am bummed that I haven’t made it onto his invitation list….

IF you go to the meeting intending to give comments, arrive early to register. The DOE is allowing 105 minutes for public comment and limiting each person to 2 minutes of oral testimony. They will also accept written testimony (see below).

And, for those who cannot make it to the little town 40 minutes south-west of Pittsburgh, the DOE will broadcast the meeting live via webcast. The link to the webcast will be made available on this site on the day of the event. Go to www.shalegas.energy.gov for more information.

If you go:

US Department of Energy meeting on Hydro-Fracking Safety & Environment

Monday, June 13, 2011                      

7 -  9 pm (sign up to speak begins at 6:30 pm)

Washington Jefferson College

60 South Lincoln Street, Washington PA

You may submit a written statement and other documentation to:

Renee Stone

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington D.C. 20585

 by email to: shalegas@hq.doe.gov