ABSTRACT: Addressing Environmental Angst: Baselines, Monitors, and Other Strategies
Public concern regarding the impact of shale gas drilling and hydraulic fracture operations on groundwater tapped by domestic water wells is driven by media hype supported by largely inaccurate reports. Such reports provide the public with erroneous information which at best represent a misunderstanding of well documented facts.
Relatively few water wells are ever impacted by drilling operations; most water well complaints arise as a result of either mechanical problems or impacts from naturally occurring bacteria. Of those documented groundwater contamination cases resulting directly from drilling and well completion activities, none have anything to do with hydraulic fracturing. Without exception, these cases are caused by inadequate sealing of the well bore environment. Failed casing cement jobs, un-cemented annuli, and compromised casing cement bonds are specific examples of circumstances that have allowed buoyant hydrocarbons to rise from depth and invade shallow aquifers.
There are several baseline sampling and monitoring risk-mitigation strategies that can be used to avert such circumstances. These include water resource sampling and mud logging. Their relevance for addressing potential impacts of gas well development will be presented in the panel discussion.
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