UK Shale Drilling bring Groundwater Concerns to Forefront
Shale gas, groundwater and environmental concerns
Cuadrilla Resources, the first company to seek shale gas in the UK, has sunk its first borehole near Blackpool.
Unlike conventional natural gas, shale gas is trapped in dense sedimentary rock – shale – and cannot flow through it. A typical shale gas well requires hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ before it delivers commercial quantities of gas. The practice uses a mixture of water and sand at about 500 times atmospheric pressure to break up the rock, allowing gas to flow out of it.
However the use of these new techniques comes with worries of polluting groundwater and other concerns.
Fears about the chemicals used in fracking, have created a sizeable protest movement against shale gas. The recent film Gasland, featured methane-laced water being set on fire as it emerges from a household’s sink tap. But such contamination has been known to occur naturally.
US shale gas industry association Energy in Depth counters critics by saying hydraulic fracturing has been performed for more than 100 years. It takes place kilometres underground, far below drinking water aquifers. Well casings should also stop contaminants escaping, it argues.
Professor Andrew Aplin of the Geosciences Department of Newcastle University, says the depth at which fracking is performed made pollution unlikely. “Whilst this is an issue that needs to be taken seriously, the lesson from the US is that it can be done safely,” he says.
There have been documented environmental issues with shale gas development in Pennsylvania.
Cuadrilla’s Mark Miller blames problems there on operators taking shortcuts. “Hydro-fracking always gets the blame for pollution”, but the fault lies with poor well design and implementation, added Miller.
Cuadrilla Chief Executive Chris Cornelius says the company is “being very careful” about drilling and development.
“We are committed to show the local community that we can do this right.”
Excerpted with the kind permission of the ENDS Report, the UK journal and website for environment policy and business.
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