Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- September 2, 2008

Natural gas exploration could have implications for private water supplies (:51)

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Suggested Intro:

AS MANY PENNSYLVANIA LANDOWNERS CONSIDER WHETHER TO LEASE THEIR PROPERY FOR NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION, A WATER RESOURCES SPECIALIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES CAUTIONS THAT DRILLING COULD IMPACT DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES. CHUCK GILL REPORTS:

Story:

(:13) IF YOU'RE A WELL OWNER WHO'S CONSIDERING LEASING LAND FOR NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION, YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR WATER TESTED BY AN INDEPENDENT TESTING LAB BEFORE DRILLING STARTS. THAT ADVICE FROM BRYAN SWISTOCK, A PENN STATE EXTENSION WATER RESOURCES SPECIALIST.

(:12) SWISTOCK SAYS THE DRILLING METHOD COMPANIES WILL USE TO TAP THE MARCELLUS SHALE FORMATION -- CALLED HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, OR FRACKING -- CREATES MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WASTEWATER CONTAINING NATURAL BRINE, AS WELL AS CHEMICAL ADDITIVES:

Swistock Actuality:
(:16) "THE MATERIALS THAT CAN BE IN THE BRINE ITSELF, WHICH ARE THE INORGANIC METALS AND SALTS -- WE HAVE TREATMENT PLANTS THAT CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE THOSE. THE BIGGER CONCERN ARE THE MATERIALS THAT ARE USED IN THE 'FRACKING.' AND WE'RE NOT SO SURE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE, AND HOW MUCH OF THEM IS BEING USED, AND WHETHER WE HAVE THE TREATMENT CAPACITY TO HANDLE THOSE."

(:10) SWISTOCK SAYS THE STATE'S GAS AND OIL REGULATIONS ARE AT LEAST 20 YEARS OLD AND MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED TO REFLECT NEW DEEP-WELL DRILLING TECHNIQUES. FROM PENN STATE, I'M CHUCK GILL.

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Learn more:

Deep-well natural gas drilling a concern for state's water quality (from the College of Agricultural Sciences news archives)

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