So why is fracking on a danger level equivalent to that of a 6 year old with a can of gas and a box of matches?
First, the drilling depths to hit these shale beds goes right through the water table (aquifer). The process of fracturing the shale to release natural gas is far from controlled. The rock is going to break in random patterns across unseen faults. The result can lead to shale fissures that allow the natural gas to seep into the water table; all the way to your faucet. There are countless reports and YouTube videos to substantiate that potential; showing people that they can literally light their tap water on fire. Yes. Their tap water. On fire. That’s how much natural gas is being bled into the water table. I’m sure that if water burns a blue flame coming out of the faucet, that it’s probably not good to drink, wash food with or even touch.
I’ll admit that the cases of flaming water are not widespread, so let’s address another fracking problem. One fracking well requires roughly 5 million gallons of water for one fracture. There are roughly 35 thousand fracking wells in production in the US alone. That equals hundreds of billions of gallons a year to keep these wells producing natural gas. Most of this water is coming from the regions of the country that are hardest hit by the current drought conditions. There are hundreds of communities across the southwest that could literally run out of water in the next 90 days.
It gets better. Once the fracking water has been used, it’s basically toxic. In some parts of the country the shale beds have radioactive material in them naturally, so guess what happens to the water that is pumped through that rock? Yep, it is now radioactive. This toxic and sometimes radioactive water is just stored in ponds and storage tanks, and sometimes is re-used as non-potable water. When it is used for things like spraying roads it’s very, very rarely ever tested, so whatever chemicals and radioactive materials have leeched up through the soil are now finding their way to the surface in new and inventive ways. Oh, but don’t worry; about 35% of the water and sediments used stay in the ground … to eventually follow those fractures wherever they may lead, including the water table.
So if it is this dangerous, how is it possible that it is going on? Easy, there is a ton of money in it. Before 2005 almost none of the major natural gas companies were doing much fracking at all. Once the technology was created to make fracking viable, it was hastily tested and approved by the EPA. I’d be willing to bet that the hundreds of billions of dollars in potential tax revenue from a high demand for natural gas probably played into that decision…
Stay tuned for the follow-up to this article, What the Frack? Part 2: Haste made Waste.