Background:

Hydraulic fracturing is a technology used to extract natural gas from shale rock formation underneath the earth. Used to maximize the extraction of underground resources:

• oil
• natural gas
• geothermal energy
• water

The process begins with building a necessary site infrastructure and well construction. Drills into the ground vertically; drilled hundreds to thousands of feet below the ground. Fluids are pumped into a geologic formation at high pressure during hydraulic fracturing. When hydraulic fracturing is completed, internal pressure of the geologic formation cause the fluids to rise to the surface where it is stored into tanks. Recovered fracturing fluids are known as “flowback”.

Contamination?

This process could raise many health issues for town and cities:

• Water Contamination
• Pollution – noise, dust, truck traffic, and minor earthquakes.

There was a study in 1999 by the EPA on hydraulic fracturing in coalbed methane reservoirs to see if there are any potential risks to Underground Source of Drinking Water (USDW). This study focused on the reservoirs because they are close to USDW. The EPA published the study indicating there was little to no risk of fracturing fluid contaminating underground resources of drinking water during the process of hydraulic fracturing.

Suspicion of Contamination:

Arkansas:

In 2007, a family reported that their drinking water was contaminated by a nearby natural gas well owned by Southwestern Energy Company. Their water became muddy; looked like leather.

In 2008, someone reported contamination of drinking water during hydraulic fracturing from a nearby natural gas well. Her water smelled bad, turned yellow, and filled with sit. Owned by the same company.

In 2009, another family reported that their water turned gray and cloudy and had a noxious odor after hydraulic fracturing from the same company.

Other places of contamination are:

• Colorado
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• And many more – check the third reference

Resources:

• http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/class2/hydraulicfracturing/wells_hydrowhat.cfm
• http://0-web.ebscohost.com.library.law.suffolk.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=11&sid=43544eed-e79f-4770-977b-56d620a0f46f%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=8gh&AN=76274357
• http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/amall/incidents_where_hydraulic_frac.html