Environment

Report: Shale Fracking Not to Blame for Groundwater Pollution

While environmental groups have been spreading the word that hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — of shale rock for natural gas extraction causes a slew of environmental problems including groundwater contamination, a new study released during the first day of the American Association for Advancement in Science’s annual conference says the exact opposite.

(Related: ‘Fracking crazy’ or ‘fracking brilliant’? A look at the pro-fracting documentary ‘FrackNation’)

New Scientist reports that research from the Energy Institute at the University of Texas, which evaluated violations in fracking regulations in Texas, Michigan, New Mexico and Louisiana, found that environmental problems associated with this method of obtaining natural gas was not from the fracking itself but other issues like “ruptured well casings that also affect conventional gas production, or surface spills of chemicals or wastewater”:

“We found no direct evidence that hydraulic fracturing itself had contaminated groundwater,” says [Charles] Groat, [the lead author]. “We found that most of the violations were at or near the surface.”

Study Finds Fracking Not the Result of Groundwater Contamination

(Image: HydraulicFracturing.com)

Here are some of the main conclusions of the research:

  • Natural gas found in water wells within some shale gas areas (e.g., Marcellus) can be traced to natural sources and probably was present before the onset of shale gas operations.
  • Although some states have been proactive in overseeing shale gas development, most regulations were written before the widespread use of hydraulic fracturing.
  • Media coverage of hydraulic fracturing is decidedly negative, and few news reports mention scientific research related to the practice.
  • Overall, surface spills of fracturing fluids pose greater risks to groundwater sources than from hydraulic fracturing itself.
  • The lack of baseline studies in areas of shale gas development makes it difficult to evaluate the long-­‐ term, cumulative effects and risks associated with hydraulic fracturing.

“Our goal was to provide policymakers a foundation for developing sensible regulations that ensure responsible shale gas development,” Groat said in a statement. “What we’ve tried to do is separate fact from fiction.”

Listen to Groat speak about the study in an interview with BBC:

New Scientist points to the fact that it also reached a similar conclusion recently in piece stating that when fracking is conducted responsibly, the risks are small.

Comments (49)

  • goahead.makemyday
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:02am

    So we have been able to find evidence against, global warming and fracking. What is next? Maybe the line that Dems always fight for the lower class? If they really fought for the lower class they would be trying to find ways of lowering costs to make life easier on those who make less. I wish more scientists would step up and refute the idiotic and hateful claims the “eco-warriors” AKA eco-terrorists make. Remember the first American on the top 10 FBI terrorist wanted list wasn’t a militia or a conservative or even a disgruntled veteran. It was a born and bred eco-terrorist that had already blown up buildings and killed people, all in the name of the environment. Of course you hear of the violence at abortion clinics, people arrested for supposedly blocking entry and being violent. You never hear of the violence the green movement does, the property and personal damages, the crazies who chain them selves to trees and when the chains are cut attack the people who try to do their job. And before people claim I am an anti-environmentalist, or some other statement. I love our environment, I love nature, I love being able to get out and get away from people when I can. But that is no excuse to harm others by making it harder on people because they harm the environment when is most cases they are helping it. Most of these cases are the companies paying for more trees to be planted in clear cut ares, and much more that help the environment more than then these morons do.

    Report Post » goahead.makemyday  
  • Aloha Kaleiohi
    Posted on February 20, 2012 at 12:37am

    If we can get obama out ….we will be able to sustain on our own cheap, clean natural gas and not have to depend on our enemies….Not to mention all the jobs it will create ….But that won’t happen unless we get obama and his EPA out!…I’m sure not for nuclear (too scary if there is a earthquake) which I believe there will be more of….

    Report Post »  
  • ZABO
    Posted on February 19, 2012 at 8:52am

    read it and wheep! F-U enviro-douch-****!!!! but not to worry cause their truth is diffrent from the real truth.

    Report Post »  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on February 18, 2012 at 4:06pm

    Like always, environmentalist WHACKOS scream and hiss like the bunch of emotional wrecks they are in yet another vain attempt to undermine energy production. These crazy LEFTISTS want US riding around in horse drawn buggies with a destroyed American economy before they’d be happy. But wait, they wouldn’t be happy because horse manure produces methane. Oh, oh, now what?

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • RightPolitically
      Posted on February 18, 2012 at 4:08pm

      Now what? Walk, why don’t ya!

      Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • Cascadia
      Posted on February 18, 2012 at 7:01pm

      Born an Okie, w/ancestors Native American & land rush… How soon we forget his words: “The price of fuel will necessarily skyrocket.”?? Without our own supply, this will surely become reality. No pipeline or fracking brings us closer still. Drill, Baby, Drill & Frack It Up!

      Report Post »  
  • century
    Posted on February 18, 2012 at 3:44pm

    does anybody out there really think obama or the epa give a dam? I’ll answer this for you.HELL NO

    Report Post »  
  • ThePostman
    Posted on February 18, 2012 at 12:52pm

    The fracking fanatics are just an offshoot of the warming alarmists – they all have the same agenda – to choke off and kill mankind through starvation.

    Report Post »  
  • Hrothgar
    Posted on February 18, 2012 at 11:31am

    If you want to know what chemicals are in the fluids used in fracking or the mud used in drilling just ask Hallliburton. The info is on the package and if it isn’t call them and have them fax you the chemical data sheet.

    Report Post » Hrothgar  
  • maryanne3935
    Posted on February 18, 2012 at 1:40am

    any time the EPA is involved it is the death of something productive or working in the US. Now it is the bakken where oil and gas is abundant and montana and north dakota are doing so well that people want to move there to get in on it. So Jackson thinks hey let’s stop the fracking which has been around for over 40 years and has NOT had any type of accident. They are grasping at straws. Have they seen the price of gas and heating oil???? Let’s get this group out of office so america and americans can breathe again, they are too stifling. We will never be stifled by the likes of people who don’t know how to work, but think they know how to grab our wealth. Not going to happen.

    Report Post »  
  • garbagecanlogic
    Posted on February 18, 2012 at 12:36am

    Wonder what the green goblins are going to come up with now. Sometimes, they lie more than Barry.

    Pray For Obama. Psalm 109:8

    The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
    The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

    Report Post »  
    • goahead.makemyday
      Posted on February 20, 2012 at 8:42am

      Possibly a limit on how many trees you can cut down on your private property. Or maybe a limit on the square footage of your house, of course with Dem politicians, lib cronies, and Hollywood exempted. Or possibly forced rationing of heating oil and gasoline, with the standard exemptions of course. Trust me, you haven‘t seen nothin’ yet.

      Report Post » goahead.makemyday  
  • piper60
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 11:31pm

    The EPA has entirely too much power in the government. I won’t say our government, because it ceased to be that about 3 years ago.

    Report Post » piper60  
  • Chuck Stein
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 10:47pm

    Of course, if someone REALLY wanted clean, cheap and safe energy, then they would choose nuclear (look at http://www.energyfromthorium.com to see what I mean), but — like the unfrozen cave man, nuclear power “frightens and confuses” them.

    Report Post »  
  • bmel
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 9:11pm

    Also, all wells are well cemented and cased in steel pipe and concrete. They are way below ground water tables and are constantly checked for every possible problem. Here in the permian basin wells are over 10000 ft deep routinely, where most grnd water here is above 3000. So you have a depth of 7000 ft diffrence all encased in cement and steel pipe.

    Report Post »  
  • TexOkie
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 7:34pm

    Well darn! I was hoping my water well would start producing gas. Better yet, oil.

    Report Post »  
  • ColoradoMaverick
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 7:20pm

    Oh No! What will all of the muffin heads do now?

    Report Post » ColoradoMaverick  
    • RightThinking1
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 10:21pm

      That’s easy…, they will ignore the evidence.

      Report Post »  
    • Komponist-ZAH
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 11:05pm

      Same as always—not give a frack about real science.

      (…Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

      Report Post »  
    • cja23
      Posted on February 18, 2012 at 12:51pm

      The environmental whack jobs have too much clout and they are in the minority. They have gone to far off the cliff. America needs our own energy and Dictator Obama sucks right up to them.

      Report Post »  
  • MrMagoo
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 7:04pm

    More oil please.I love oil.So do Muslim women.

    Report Post » MrMagoo  
  • Osogrande
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:58pm

    What most all the anti oil posters hear fail to recognize is that this study came from the ULTRA LIBERAL University of Texas. Would a liberal lie to another liberal?

    Report Post » Osogrande  
  • scrapadapolis
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:50pm

    Ask the people in pennsylvanya about contaminated wells.even here in upstate NY.perfect drinking water till the fracking took place..And Hey by the way even if in fact the fracking does take place 1000 ft or better the drilling from the surface to the shale still runs through the water table..If it;s so safe how come the drilling companies WONT disclose the toxic compounds to the EPA? Every poster is paid by the oil companies in favor to fracking,we have the same post here on syracuse.com when it comes to fracking.were against and they keep trying to get posters to say how safe it is..YEA RIGHT..we even have a poster named NYGASRIGHTS..go figure..

    Report Post » scrapadapolis  
    • 338lapua
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 8:11pm

      And your point is?

      Report Post »  
    • bmel
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 9:17pm

      to scrapalos or who that was, No wells are anywhere near 1000 ft. Our oil companies don’t give $$$ to racial,radical lady haters or African tribal leaders who kill over the oil, as in the Sudan,congo and Angola as in the mid 80′s. So what ya gonna do? Now what’s fuel oil per gal in NY?

      Report Post »  
    • GclefGinger
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 9:27pm

      I’m sorry about your water. There are other problems with water but it doesn’t seem to be fracking if the scientific empirical evidence indicates. Notice I did not use the word, “Proof.” Research must continue. And strict safety precautions must be in place. But the incidents of which you speak are what the scientific community calls “anecdotal.” In order for cause to be attributed there must be randomized testing and control for other variables. There are problems with some wells in PA, but what has caused the wells to have produced problematic drinking water? What one can say in this situation is there may be a corollary but no causal significance can be attributed to fracking. Think of the poor tomato. People became sick centuries ago at the same time they ate tomatoes. Therefore they began to think the tomato was poisonous.

      Report Post »  
    • RightThinking1
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 10:31pm

      Scrapadapolis:

      Well, I have no ties of any kind to any gas/oil or drilling interests. I wish that I *could* get paid for posting something somewhere. But, to the point, I would like for you to provide the name and location of someone’s well that has been provably contaminated by the fracking process. Search as I might, I have unable to identify any such.

      Report Post »  
    • 2Amendment
      Posted on February 19, 2012 at 10:38am

      Fracking does not take place at 1000 feet as you suggest. It is normally in the range of one to two miles deep and separated by solid rock layers. You are just like the adherents of the AGW religion; you will believe any outlandish claim without examination. You take it to be true on faith!

      Report Post »  
  • MiCurmudgeon
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:06pm

    I retired from the oil and gas production industry and have personally frac’ed wells in Michigan. I also designed and built as well as monitored miles of pipelines. I have operated sour “poisonous” gas plants and plants which removed CO2 from natural gas. I remain proud of our record of protecting the environment while supplying America with domestic energy. Since I retired natural gas prices have been over $10 per 1000 cubic feet and now 1000 cf sells for $2.50. That is all because of fracing!!! Name one thing the Government has touched that is down 75% in price!!!

    Report Post »  
    • BBEV
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:20pm

      Thank you for your good work. Maybe you should start up again.

      Report Post »  
    • JP4JOY
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:41pm

      My House!!

      Report Post » JP4JOY  
    • 9111315
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 7:52pm

      Thank you for your service.

      Report Post »  
    • RightThinking1
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 10:33pm

      My Bank of America Stock

      Report Post »  
    • Harvey1
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 11:56pm

      How about the value of our used to be dollar! Our credit rating is down also due to Odumba’s frackin us.

      Report Post » Harvey1  
  • HTuttle
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:03pm

    Wut? I can’t protest THAT!

    WHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Espada
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 5:57pm

    TJexcite
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 5:41pm
    Just how much money did Big Oil give to American Association for Advancement in Science to say this. Pay no attention that they are in the bag for big environment AGW, they have to had give billions /s

    **************

    Fracking occurs at depths of 10,000 to 16,000 feet. Your water well that deep, Einstein ? Keep up your “Greenpeace” crap… maybe next winter you can freeze in the dark with all of your liberal Yankee buddies.

    Report Post »  
  • bitter clinger
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 5:56pm

    The libs cant stand the thought of americans basking in an abundance of cheep fossil fuel.

    Report Post » bitter clinger  
  • TJexcite
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 5:41pm

    Just how much money did Big Oil give to American Association for Advancement in Science to say this. Pay no attention that they are in the bag for big environment AGW, they have to had give billions /s

    Report Post » TJexcite  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 5:27pm

    Tell the socialist, communist America hating leftists…..To go Frack themselves !!!

    Report Post »  
  • Blackhawk1
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 5:17pm

    Environmentalists (liberals) never use Facts in their opposition to anything so why should this be any different.

    Report Post » Blackhawk1  
  • GoodStuff
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 5:08pm

    Frack away!

    Report Post »  
  • jhaydeng
    Posted on February 17, 2012 at 10:03pm

    If Obama gets elected again we are all FRACKED!

    Report Post »  

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