Interesting natural gas drilling information about the chemicals used in the fracking process is coming out of Pennsylvania.The upper Delaware region has a natural gas drilling operation underway, drilling into what is called the Marcellus Shale. Here in Fort Worth we call ours the Barnett Shale.
I don't know if Chesapeake Energy is drilling in the upper Delaware region, along with their patented over the top propaganda operation.
While the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection acknowledges that gas drillers may keep their fracking formulas secret, the individual ingredients are public record in Pennsylvania .
So, the Pennsylvania agency supplied a New York newspaper, The River Reporter, with a list of the chemicals used in the fracking process.
The River Reporter asked researchers at The Endocrine Disruption Exchange to analyze the chemicals for their effects on humans and animals.
The results are startling. There are 54 different chemicals used in the fracking process. The researchers broke it all down into charts and graphs representing the degree of health effects.
You can view that information here.
Marcellus Shale drillers claim the fracking process is safe in the Marcellus Shale because the fracking takes place below the water table.
Others say the lined wells have failed in the past, contaminating drinking water.
Here in the Barnett Shale zone, just recently, there were reports of a nursery in Parker County seeing its plants die due to their water being contaminated by a nearby drilling operation. Before that there were reports of a farm family, somewhere west of Fort Worth, the exact location of which I can't remember, having their water supply turn undrinkable, soon after a Barnett Shale natural gas drilling operation's fracking process took place.
I fear there is an environmental disaster of historical proportions in the future for those living above the Barnett and Marcellus and other Shales being drilled and fracked with dangerous chemicals.
I've been watching the new Battlestar Galactica. And this particular post made me laugh a lot. Mainly because of all the fracking.
ReplyDeleteMore fracking fodder for your TV blog.
To Frack.
I guess you didn't take chemistry classes. Most of those chemicals are present in gasoline or motor oil. Boric acid is used as a "safe" roach repellent in many homes. Sodium bicarbonate is used in baking and is in many foods you eat. Dangerous stuff indeed!
ReplyDeleteTony, I think maybe you should have taken fewer chemistry classes and replaced them with a reading comprehension class or two.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is chemicals and toxins being used in the fracking process, potentially contaminating drinking supplies. No one drinks boric acid that is under a sink killing cockroaches. But you'd likely object if someone put some 'harmless' boric acid in your gin and tonic.