Someone broke the embargo (shame on whomever it was) on a Congressional report detailing the substances used in hydraulic fracking to produce natural gas. So, we get the news a bit early. The press release on the report starts:
“Today Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman, Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Edward J. Markey, and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette released a new report that summarizes the types, volumes, and chemical contents of the hydraulic fracturing products used by the 14 leading oil and gas service companies. The report contains the first comprehensive national inventory of chemicals used by hydraulic fracturing companies during the drilling process.”
Among the findings, “Between 2005 and 2009, the oil and gas service companies used hydraulic fracturing products containing 29 chemicals that are known or possible human carcinogens, regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for their risks to human health, or listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.”
Now, I don’t have an ideological problem with fracking – in fact, it seems to make a great deal of sense to me. However, I do like my engineering to do things as safely as possible, and in cases where damage is done, the damage should be of a sort that can be fixed.
If this report is accurate (and I have no reason to believe it isn’t), the 14 companies involved in fracking need to change their ways. Methanol is one of the ingredients that I wonder about. Perhaps some engineer out there can explain to me why a product like this is used instead of water (which costs less, isn’t flammable and, by definition, doesn’t harm the local water).
The report also noted, “Many of the hydraulic fracturing fluids contain chemical components that are listed as ‘proprietary’ or ‘trade secret.’ … In many instances, the oil and gas service companies were unable to identify these ‘proprietary’ chemicals, suggesting that the companies are injecting fluids containing chemicals that they themselves cannot identify.”
I’m really looking forward to the industry’s response because if that last part is accurate, the companies involved are, to put it kindly, being irresponsible.
And this is in the United States where there are decent regulations in place. Lord knows what is being used for fracking in countries where there is little or no regulation.
