3 ms·

This Is What Fracking Really Looks Like

26 points by sheri 13y ago

sl1e 13y ago
False,
- ancarda 13y ago
  Can you expand on that point or is that all you have to say?
  - icebraining 13y ago
    Parent may be referring to this: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/19/doe-study-fracking-didnt-taint/2567721/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/19/doe-...
  - sl1e 13y ago
    I was a fluid pump operator for a coiled tubing company and we went in and cleaned up after fracking. First hand saw the chemicals. each little spot too.
cliveowen 13y ago
Two days ago I watched "Promised Land" which deals with this issue, but I thought it was just hyperbole when they were talking about dying animals and people setting water on fire.
locusm 13y ago
Whats happened to good regulatory frameworks in America? Was the breakdown of industry regulation a Bush thing or does it pre-date that? Seems to be a similar theme across Health, Food, Petroleum.
- Steko 13y ago
  Industries are always working to capture their regulators regardless of administrations. The massive push for deregulation since Reagan has certainly helped destroy it though. The other side of the problem is the explosion in global energy demand (and hence prices).
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
tls 13y ago
Wait a damn minute here. The EPA came down and even tested the damn waters (*wells) in these areas. Methane had been coming out of the ground before these people were born and now they are saying something? Are these the very people that don't own the land that fracking is leased on?
- anon1385 13y ago
  Perhaps you should give these people the benefit of the doubt before attacking them? "Methane existed before" is very simplistic. Has the amount increased? Has the affected area increased? Is there a change in prevalent isotopes that might give a clue as to the origin of the methane? Is the change enough to put the level over EPA standards? There isn't really any question that some people have seen an increase in methane in their water supply (unless you believe these people have been living without usable water for decades but only cared to do anything about it once fracking came to town). Working out why is more difficult. Here is one study (insert usual disclaimer about relying too much on a single paper) http://www.pnas.org/content/108/20/8172.long http://www.pnas.org/content/108/20/8172.long Our results show evidence for methane contamination of shallow drinking-water systems in at least three areas of the region and suggest important environmental risks accompanying shale-gas exploration worldwide.
clarkm 13y ago
This article isn't anything more than a collection of NIMBY quotes and emotive pictures. It doesn't really have any substance. There are fair criticisms of hydraulic fracturing, but I've found that most content outside of scientific journals / EPA reports to be incredibly overblown and very inaccurate.
Nux 13y ago
I recommend this BBC documentary which tries to shed some light on the matter. Fracking: The New Energy Rush - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjgzrmoLc7g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjgzrmoLc7g
Steko 13y ago
This article should be #1 on HN right now but has been disappeared. Shenanigans has been called.

26 points by sheri 13y ago

sl1e 13y ago

False,

ancarda 13y ago
Can you expand on that point or is that all you have to say?
- icebraining 13y ago
  Parent may be referring to this: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/19/doe-study-fracking-didnt-taint/2567721/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/19/doe-...
- sl1e 13y ago
  I was a fluid pump operator for a coiled tubing company and we went in and cleaned up after fracking. First hand saw the chemicals. each little spot too.

cliveowen 13y ago

Two days ago I watched "Promised Land" which deals with this issue, but I thought it was just hyperbole when they were talking about dying animals and people setting water on fire.

locusm 13y ago

Whats happened to good regulatory frameworks in America? Was the breakdown of industry regulation a Bush thing or does it pre-date that? Seems to be a similar theme across Health, Food, Petroleum.

Steko 13y ago
Industries are always working to capture their regulators regardless of administrations. The massive push for deregulation since Reagan has certainly helped destroy it though. The other side of the problem is the explosion in global energy demand (and hence prices).
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

tls 13y ago

Wait a damn minute here. The EPA came down and even tested the damn waters (*wells) in these areas. Methane had been coming out of the ground before these people were born and now they are saying something? Are these the very people that don't own the land that fracking is leased on?

anon1385 13y ago
Perhaps you should give these people the benefit of the doubt before attacking them? "Methane existed before" is very simplistic. Has the amount increased? Has the affected area increased? Is there a change in prevalent isotopes that might give a clue as to the origin of the methane? Is the change enough to put the level over EPA standards? There isn't really any question that some people have seen an increase in methane in their water supply (unless you believe these people have been living without usable water for decades but only cared to do anything about it once fracking came to town). Working out why is more difficult. Here is one study (insert usual disclaimer about relying too much on a single paper) http://www.pnas.org/content/108/20/8172.long http://www.pnas.org/content/108/20/8172.long Our results show evidence for methane contamination of shallow drinking-water systems in at least three areas of the region and suggest important environmental risks accompanying shale-gas exploration worldwide.

clarkm 13y ago

This article isn't anything more than a collection of NIMBY quotes and emotive pictures. It doesn't really have any substance. There are fair criticisms of hydraulic fracturing, but I've found that most content outside of scientific journals / EPA reports to be incredibly overblown and very inaccurate.

Nux 13y ago

I recommend this BBC documentary which tries to shed some light on the matter. Fracking: The New Energy Rush - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjgzrmoLc7g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjgzrmoLc7g

Steko 13y ago

This article should be #1 on HN right now but has been disappeared. Shenanigans has been called.