Gasland's Josh Fox on Three Big Lies of Natural Gas (VIDEO) : TreeHugger
As for the panel and conversation with the audience, it was interesting, although not entirely surprising, to see that the majority of the questions were about the recent surge of earthquakes that have rattled Arkansas.
Since last fall there have been thousands of earthquakes in Arkansas - 30+ this week alone - many citizens were wondering if the earthquakes were connected to the hydraulic fracturing. According to the Arkansas Geological Survey as quoted in the New York Times, "while there is no discernible link between earthquakes and gas production, there is "strong temporal and spatial" evidence for a relationship between these quakes and the injection wells." However, that was enough of a connection for the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission to request on Wednesday that two companies shut down 2 injection wells thought to be connected to the earthquakes.
The companies agreed to halt operations:
Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy and Clarita Operating of Little Rock told the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission on Friday that they have halted operation of the wells near Greenbrier and Guy pending the panel's next regular meeting on March 29.
While this temporary halt to operations is a small step in the right direction, it will only affect two injection wells, which means there are still other wells operating and more toxic chemicals being pumped into the ground across Arkansas.
Asked what TreeHugger readers and other people moved to action should do to make a difference, Fox laid out the big picture and the steps people should take to help get there:
Showing posts with label Arkansas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arkansas. Show all posts
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Fracking the life out of Arkansas and beyond | Food Freedom
Fracking the life out of Arkansas and beyond | Food Freedom
7 UPDATE: Missing from this report is the information that the US military apparently drilled 500 deep wells in Central Arkansas to dispose of phosgene, a highly toxic gas that causes the respiratory system to explode. (As reported below, deep well drilling causes earthquakes.) According to the EU Times, Russia’s spy agency, GRU, reported that the US relocated 63,000 metric tons of phosgene from Iraq to the Arkansas’ Pine Bluff Arsenal, the nation’s premier chemical and bio weapons lab. Some or most of this material was and continues to be relocated to Afghanistan.
The GRU report claims that while transporting the gas via a US Air Force KC-767 tanker aircraft, a “malfunction” occurred in the aerial spraying system on December 30, killing 100,000 fish along a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River near Roseville. The next day, on another KC-767, again the aerial spraying system “malfunctioned” killing 5,000 blackbirds near Beebe.
7 UPDATE: Missing from this report is the information that the US military apparently drilled 500 deep wells in Central Arkansas to dispose of phosgene, a highly toxic gas that causes the respiratory system to explode. (As reported below, deep well drilling causes earthquakes.) According to the EU Times, Russia’s spy agency, GRU, reported that the US relocated 63,000 metric tons of phosgene from Iraq to the Arkansas’ Pine Bluff Arsenal, the nation’s premier chemical and bio weapons lab. Some or most of this material was and continues to be relocated to Afghanistan.
The GRU report claims that while transporting the gas via a US Air Force KC-767 tanker aircraft, a “malfunction” occurred in the aerial spraying system on December 30, killing 100,000 fish along a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River near Roseville. The next day, on another KC-767, again the aerial spraying system “malfunctioned” killing 5,000 blackbirds near Beebe.
Oil and Gas Collection: Hydraulic Fracturing, Toxic Chemicals and the Surge of Earthquake Activity in Arkansas
Oil and Gas Collection: Hydraulic Fracturing, Toxic Chemicals and the Surge of Earthquake Activity in Arkansas
The last four months of 2010, nearly 500 earthquakes rattled Guy, Arkansas. [1] The entire state experienced 38 quakes in 2009. [2] The spike in quake frequency precedes and coincides with the 100,000 dead fish on a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River that included Roseville Township on December 30. The next night, 5,000 red-winged blackbirds and starlings dropped dead out of the sky in Beebe. [3] Hydraulic fracturing is the most likely culprit for all three events, as it causes earthquakes with a resultant release of toxins into the environment. [4]
A close look at Arkansas’ history of earthquakes and drilling reveals a shocking surge in quake frequency following advanced drilling. The number of quakes in 2010 nearly equals all of Arkansas’ quakes for the entire 20th century. The oil and gas industry denies any correlation, but the advent of hydrofracking followed by earthquakes is a story repeated across the nation. It isn’t going to stop any time soon, either. Fracking has gone global.
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) pumps water and chemicals into the ground at a pressurized rate exceeding what the bedrock can withstand, resulting in a microquake that produces rock fractures. Though initiated in 1947, technological advances now allow horizontal fracturing, vastly increasing oil and gas collection. [5] In 1996, shale-gas production in the U.S. accounted for 2 percent of all domestic natural gas production, reports Christopher Bateman in Vanity Fair. “Some industry analysts predict shale gas will represent a full half of total domestic gas production within 10 years.” [6] In 2000, U.S. gas reserve estimates stood at 177 trillion cubic feet, but ramped up to 245 tcf in 2008. These new technologies prompt experts to increase global gas reserve estimates ninefold. [7]
The grid below shows a section of the Arkansas River, with Roseville Township at bottom, where the first reports of the fish kill originated. The green lines surrounding and crossing the river indicate gas pipes, ranging from 8-20” in diameter. Any number of leaks in the pipes can explain the fish kill. Gas wells are shown by yellow ‘suns’ (see red arrows) and range from 1,500 to 6,500 feet deep. (Disposal wells, where drilling waste products are injected at high pressures, go as deep as 12,000 feet.) The red numbers next to the ‘suns’ give the number of gas wells in that spot, numbering close to 50 in this small area. [8]
The last four months of 2010, nearly 500 earthquakes rattled Guy, Arkansas. [1] The entire state experienced 38 quakes in 2009. [2] The spike in quake frequency precedes and coincides with the 100,000 dead fish on a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River that included Roseville Township on December 30. The next night, 5,000 red-winged blackbirds and starlings dropped dead out of the sky in Beebe. [3] Hydraulic fracturing is the most likely culprit for all three events, as it causes earthquakes with a resultant release of toxins into the environment. [4]
A close look at Arkansas’ history of earthquakes and drilling reveals a shocking surge in quake frequency following advanced drilling. The number of quakes in 2010 nearly equals all of Arkansas’ quakes for the entire 20th century. The oil and gas industry denies any correlation, but the advent of hydrofracking followed by earthquakes is a story repeated across the nation. It isn’t going to stop any time soon, either. Fracking has gone global.
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) pumps water and chemicals into the ground at a pressurized rate exceeding what the bedrock can withstand, resulting in a microquake that produces rock fractures. Though initiated in 1947, technological advances now allow horizontal fracturing, vastly increasing oil and gas collection. [5] In 1996, shale-gas production in the U.S. accounted for 2 percent of all domestic natural gas production, reports Christopher Bateman in Vanity Fair. “Some industry analysts predict shale gas will represent a full half of total domestic gas production within 10 years.” [6] In 2000, U.S. gas reserve estimates stood at 177 trillion cubic feet, but ramped up to 245 tcf in 2008. These new technologies prompt experts to increase global gas reserve estimates ninefold. [7]
The grid below shows a section of the Arkansas River, with Roseville Township at bottom, where the first reports of the fish kill originated. The green lines surrounding and crossing the river indicate gas pipes, ranging from 8-20” in diameter. Any number of leaks in the pipes can explain the fish kill. Gas wells are shown by yellow ‘suns’ (see red arrows) and range from 1,500 to 6,500 feet deep. (Disposal wells, where drilling waste products are injected at high pressures, go as deep as 12,000 feet.) The red numbers next to the ‘suns’ give the number of gas wells in that spot, numbering close to 50 in this small area. [8]
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