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__**The Marcellus Shale-**__ an expansive formation of shale rock rich in natural gas extending through areas of **New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio**. Along with the recent rapid expansion of drilling in this region there has been much discussion as to the environmental impact of activities associated with Natural Gas drilling, primarily hydraulic fracturing.


 * Hydraulic Fracturing**- (AKA Fracking/Fracing) This is the process by which the shale rock is fractured and held open allowing for gas to escape through through to the vertical well bore for collection.


 * This is the main source for natural gas drilling controversy due to the presence of hundreds of chemicals in the fracturing fluid.

This video does a nice job of explaining the drilling and fracturing process.


 * Main steps:**


 * 1) Drilling of the vertical bore (2-5,000 ft. below the surface)
 * 2) Drilling of the horizontal bore through the center of the shale to increase well bore contact with the shale
 * 3) Hydraulic Fracturing- Proppant containing fracking fluid is pumped into the well bore at high pressures followed by explosive charges which fracture the shale.
 * 4) Removal of the fracking fluid from the well bore.

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Due to the **Halliburton Loophole** of several previous EPA laws (Safe Water Drinking Act), Gas companies are not required to release the exact chemical formulas of their fracking fluids.

Natural Gas companies are exempted from the Safe Water Drinking Act due to the actions of Congress in 2005.

The **FRAC Act of 2009 (Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act)**, however, required the release of general formulas from which we have learned that approximately **99.51%** of the fluid is composed of water and sand and **.49%** of hundreds of chemical additives.

The main concern- upwards of 1 million gallons of this chemical solution is used per well site. Also, each well site can be RE-fracked up to 8 times.

Some of these chemicals include:


 * Guar Gum || Glutaraldehyde || Borate Salts || Ethylene Glycol || Isopropyl Alcohol ||
 * Citric Acid || Hydrochloric Acid || Sodium Chloride || Sodium or Potassium Carbonate || Ammonium Bisulfate ||
 * Petroleum Distillates || Polyacrylamide || N, n-Dimethyl Formamide || benzene || formic acid ||
 * methanol || ethanol || Potassium Hydroxide || Boric Acid || Fluorenes ||
 * Napthalene || Sodium Hydroxide || Xylene || Fumaric Acid || Glycol Ethers ||

__Fracking in the News:__
Cabot Oil and Gas well bursts and 8,000 gallons of fracking fluid contaminates the surrounding area.
 * Dimmock, PA** September 23, 2009-

Fish in a nearby stream were reported to have been "swimming erratically" by the DEP following the spill.


 * Bradford County, PA** April 20, 2011-
 * Chesapeake Energy well failure resulted in a fracking fluid spill which contaiminated a nearby stream. **

[|Effects of direct fracking fluid exposure]

__About Natural Gas:__

 * Accounts for 22% of US electricity generation
 * Cleanest burning fossil fuel- HALF the carbon dioxide emissions of coal per unit of energy

__Other Potential Issues with Natural Gas Extraction:__

 * High levels of Methane found in well water close in proximity to Natural Gas wells w/ hydrofracking (Study done by researchers at Duke University)
 * Levels were found to be 17x higher in areas located within a kilometer of a hydrofracking site
 * Able to distinguish between thermogenic and biogenic methane using carbon and hydrogen isotope tracer

__**GASLAND movie trailer (2010)**__

 * Documentary about Hydrofracking and its potential environmental effects
 * **The film seems to be a combination of truth and emotional hype**
 * **2:14** - Flammable methane water described in the above Duke University study

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Do the global advantages of natural gas extraction outweigh the potential local effects on aquifers?
A more balanced public forum debating the issue at **Syracuse University**:

[|"Some Scientists Say Hydrofracking Benefits Outweigh Risks"]

__Initiatives to reduce environmental damage:__

 * [|GreenFrac- Chesapeake Energy]
 * Not a replacement fluid, but a program to asses the environmental friendliness of current components and remove unnecessary/harmful ones
 * This program has resulted in Chesapeake's elimination of 25% of the additives used in frack fluids


 * [|CleanStim- Halliburton]
 * Hydraulic fracturing fluid composed entirely of ingredients used in the food industry (not edible)
 * Part of Halliburton's new CleanSuite product line


 * [|EPA Fracking Study]
 * Study plan currently being drafted and submitted to the Science Advisory Board
 * Study to be initiated in early 2011 with initial results available by late 2012
 * Sent out voluntary fracking info requests to Halliburton and other gas companies
 * Halliburton has agreed to provide rolling info through Jan. 31, 2011

__Horizontal Drilling:__

 * Method of drilling which allows for more well-bore contact with the shale
 * Also allows for multiple wells to be drilled from a single site
 * Horizontal bores extend out in different directions

An interesting story about the first investigation of hydraulic fracturing methods in the industry done in 1987: [|essay writing service]

[|Pressure LImits Efforts to Police Drilling for Gas]