Fracking and the Environment: Exploration licenses granted to search for shale gas in Lough Allen area

[barrym]

Here -

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/89/i20/8920notw1.html

There is an article based on research at Duke U and published in the Proceedings of the (US) National Academy of Sciences which links natural gas drilling in organic rich shale deposits and methane contaminated residential well water.

They found that the chemicals used for fracking didn't percolate but the methane they were extracting appeared to. The level of methane in wells was almost twice the permitted amount - not that there is any actual permitted amount, the federal regulation is a safety one, recommending that there be ventilation of the water containers!! Water containing methane is not harmful, but it can explode!!

They eliminated biological decay as a reason for the presence of the methane.

The article reports that the US Dept of Energy has set up a committee to report in 90 days on safety and environmental effects of fracking.

The industry associations have criticised the study saying there was no baseline of the amount of methane in the water before the drilling started.

B

[Rich]

Here -

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/89/i20/8920notw1.html

There is an article based on research at Duke U and published in the Proceedings of the (US) National Academy of Sciences which links natural gas drilling in organic rich shale deposits and methane contaminated residential well water.

They found that the chemicals used for fracking didn't percolate but the methane they were extracting appeared to. The level of methane in wells was almost twice the permitted amount - not that there is any actual permitted amount, the federal regulation is a safety one, recommending that there be ventilation of the water containers!! Water containing methane is not harmful, but it can explode!!

They eliminated biological decay as a reason for the presence of the methane.

The article reports that the US Dept of Energy has set up a committee to report in 90 days on safety and environmental effects of fracking.

The industry associations have criticised the study saying there was no baseline of the amount of methane in the water before the drilling started.

B

Explosions can be harmful :-)

[morticia]

The industry associations have criticised the study saying there was no baseline of the amount of methane in the water before the drilling started.

B

Well, the Brits are starting near Blackpool, so maybe they could run that control??

[barrym]

UK parliament says its ok, IF properly regulated. Of course, but would fracturing
be properly regulated here? An EU directive, 20 years agreed, on water quality, has yet to be implemented.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Looks like we've passed the peak oil scenario alright. Desperation is setting in.

[simonj]

Frac drilling is one of the most destructive, damaging things I know.
The chemicals damage ground water and air in the surrounding area to the point water will catch fire coming out of a tap! I **** you not

States like Montana and Minnesota are being very badly damaged by this.

[C. Flower]

Fracking horror stories from Texas...

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/05/23/f...ergy-industry/

[morticia]

It will be interesting to see how they get on with it in the UK...

[pleaseenter]

Having watched that vid Gasland, I understand the fracking process to differ from oil drilling in that oil drilling usually relies on a single point of extraction. Fracking would involve a large network of collection points.
And in addition to the obvious concerns of the water table being contaminated by non-biodegradable cancerogens, the same substances allegedly find their way to the surface and become airborne.

The fracking process is not a one-off process either: it's repeated a number of times over the lifetime of the wells.


As a comical aside. There's a dude by the name of Mr Boren who appears at one of the hearings regarding the safety or other complications involving this hydraulic fracturing process. He's clearly defending the process.
He asks, "If you weren't able to do this hydraulic fracturing, how much more would we be dependent on foreign oil........and terrorism ?"

I'm glad you mention what is one of my concerns: That this type of gas drilling, because the gas is spread over a large area and difficult to get at, hence fracking, involves various points of access, and this is something I'd like to hear about from these companies. It is not clear as yet what this might involve. Also what would be needed to process the gas and transport it?

I haven't seen Gasland yet. Anything about this in it?

It is also not mentioned in the articles that I have read that there were explorations in the area not only in the eighties, but 10 years ago. An American company called Evergreen had the licence. No one would have known about it, had not a couple who had moved to the area found out via internet, not commonly used here at the time. They organised apublic meeting, which was not wellcomed by all and not all public representatives.

One of the exploration sites was on Sean Quinn's mountain. I went to see it, and if all exploration, and later, extraction sites, would be as complex and heavy an undertaking as this...

Evergren decided the gas was not worth extraction. Then some years ago another company, Irish I think, announced their plans to get at the gas.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=29354

Don't know how it comes that we have now two other companies at it.

I'm quite worried about the consequences of this for the people and the environment of the area.

[PaddyJoe]

I'm glad you mention what is one of my concerns: That this type of gas drilling, because the gas is spread over a large area and difficult to get at, hence fracking, involves various points of access, and this is something I'd like to hear about from these companies. It is not clear as yet what this might involve. Also what would be needed to process the gas and transport it?

I haven't seen Gasland yet. Anything about this in it?

It is also not mentioned in the articles that I have read that there were explorations in the area not only in the eighties, but 10 years ago. An American company called Evergreen had the licence. No one would have known about it, had not a couple who had moved to the area found out via internet, not commonly used here at the time. They organised apublic meeting, which was not wellcomed by all and not all public representatives.

One of the exploration sites was on Sean Quinn's mountain. I went to see it, and if all exploration, and later, extraction sites, would be as complex and heavy an undertaking as this...

Evergren decided the gas was not worth extraction. Then some years ago another company, Irish I think, announced their plans to get at the gas.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=29354

Don't know how it comes that we have now two other companies at it.

I'm quite worried about the consequences of this for the people and the environment of the area.

Welcome pleaseenter, and thanks for the info on earlier exploration of the area
I suspect that these deposits are being examined again because of rising oil prices which might make it economically viable to extract the gas.
Its not a coincidence that the exploration licenses were granted in February: there was probably no chance of a government which included the Green Party giving the go ahead.
The extraction techniques involved are a disaster for the areas involved and I'm sure local people will vigourously oppose any moves in that direction.

[Count Bobulescu]

I assume the proposed Leitrim exploration is in the same general area as the old Arigna Coal Mines. Here’s a piece on new emerging but still unproven tech that “might” mitigate the downside of fracking. But you would likely still have to endure fracking in the first place. If the tech is proven, there could be cheap gas for a long time???

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/25/136656...owners-worried

A more expansive discussion.

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/20...ards-and-risks

[pleaseenter]

I assume the proposed Leitrim exploration is in the same general area as the old Arigna Coal Mines. Here’s a piece on new emerging but still unproven tech that “might” mitigate the downside of fracking. But you would likely still have to endure fracking in the first place. If the tech is proven, there could be cheap gas for a long time???

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/25/136656...owners-worried

A more expansive discussion.

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/20...ards-and-risks

Thanks for these links.

Re your assumption in your first sentence: While formally the area under consideration is called by the industry or geologically the "Lough Allen Basin", this area is much larger than what one might espect as a lay person. It's not just an area around or near Lough Allen, but includes large areas of counties Sligo, Cavan, Leitrim, Roscommon and Farmanagh. I think I read they are going to start exploration in Farmanagh first.

[C. Flower]

Why the French have banned fracking - and why shale gas is high in greenhouse emissions -

http://ni.wwf.org.uk/wwf_articles.cfm?unewsid=4938

[simonj]

I have not posted in recent times on political issues, I am disheartend after the last election, nothing has - or is likely to - change.

The article recently in Hotpress puts it simply.

We have an economic crisis, and unlike Icelanders we believe the Government, or accept what they say.

We have accepted an IMF bailout.

The IMF, in co-operation with corporate interests, aim to exploit their oil, gas, minerals and resources that just happen to be on or under our territory

In return for a bailout to help speculators and banks, our elected representitives will accept terms and conditions to allow the corporates to maximise their profits exploiting our resources - as there is already a precident in the Shell deal.

Working in oil and gas I know a little about the field, and frac drilling in populated areas is horendous, with the effects on people, livestock and wildlife being clear and present. FFS - it makes your tap water catch fire!

Lets not forget the wider environmental implications, drilling near the Shannon means the entire aqueous network could be adversely affected, with unknown long term effects

[C. Flower]

I have not posted in recent times on political issues, I am disheartend after the last election, nothing has - or is likely to - change.

The article recently in Hotpress puts it simply.

We have an economic crisis, and unlike Icelanders we believe the Government, or accept what they say.

We have accepted an IMF bailout.

The IMF, in co-operation with corporate interests, aim to exploit their oil, gas, minerals and resources that just happen to be on or under our territory

In return for a bailout to help speculators and banks, our elected representitives will accept terms and conditions to allow the corporates to maximise their profits exploiting our resources - as there is already a precident in the Shell deal.

Working in oil and gas I know a little about the field, and frac drilling in populated areas is horendous, with the effects on people, livestock and wildlife being clear and present. FFS - it makes your tap water catch fire!

Lets not forget the wider environmental implications, drilling near the Shannon means the entire aqueous network could be adversely affected, with unknown long term effects

Rabitte said to the Daíl on Tuesday that there have been a lot of tenders for new exploration licenses. Do you know anything about this, and the terms of the licenses ?