Showing posts with label gas migration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gas migration. Show all posts

Monday, September 13, 2010

Don't Drink the Water


News from The River Reporter, Narrowsburg, NY

In far away Pavilion, Wyoming, it is confirmed that the water is not fit for human consumption.  A few weeks ago, representatives of the EPA said that at least 20 wells in the Pavilion, WY, area were contaminated with an array of substances and that residents should not drink OR cook with the water.  Local residents have known this for more than two years and suspect that nearby gas drilling operations had fouled their drinking water.
LINK

Now travel east to New York State.  People are wondering:  Does frack fluid migrate to the surface? Industry supporters say it is impossible.  Opponents say that the vast majority of water wells near gas drilling operations have never been tested.  And fracking chemicals are proprietary, so how does anyone know what to test for anyway?  James Northrup, a native of Texas, and a summer resident of Upstate NY, says the very nature of the Marcellus Shale allows gas migration.  He says it is likely that frack fluids will migrate to the surface.  He says the shale contains many faults, some of which go from the bedrock to the surface.  To make matters worse, there is not a lot of seismic data in Upstate NY.  No one knows where these faults are located.  So how can any gas driller claim they have everything under control? 
To listen to James Northrup, click here.

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!
In memory of Karen Korell
SPLASHDOWN
1944-2010

Monday, September 6, 2010

Gas Bubbles in the Susquehanna River

Gas was seen bubbling in the Susquehanna River on Thursday, September 2nd near Sugar Run in Bradford County, PA.  The PA DEP came to take water samples Wednesday.  Chesapeake Energy has several gas wells nearby.

Video: David Keeler, The Rocket-Courier, Wyalusing, PA

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!
In memory of Karen Korell
1944-2010

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Cabot Energy Ordered To Plug Wells and Help Dimock, PA, Residents

The PA Department of Environmental Protection today issued a sweeping order requiring Cabot Oil & Gas Company to take extensive actions and help the residents of Dimock Township, Susquehanna County, who have been devastated by the water, soil, and air pollution caused by gas drilling.  The measures taken by DEP appear to be tough, at least in comparison with other anemic punishments that gas companies receive in general.  I hope the DEP continues to monitor and insist on complete compliance and make the fines and orders as severe as possible.  The bad part is that the original order and agreement with Cabot was done in November 2009 and was not carried out by Cabot, resulting in this further action.  Why didn't Cabot take action last fall?  For five months the problems have continued and gotten worse.  The fine of $240,000 is hardly damaging to Cabot's budget.

Click here to read the press release and the details of the order.  Perhaps there are some teeth in it.  However, many more such orders need to be given out and followed through before the public will begin to feel even remotely compensated.

For more information on oil and gas wells, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/, keyword: Oil and gas.
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!