Fracking's Impact: Groundwater Pollution Risk?

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a popular technique used to extract oil and gas from underground rock formations. It involves injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into wells at high pressure to create fractures in the rock, allowing oil and gas to flow more easily. While fracking has been touted as a way to enhance oil and gas production, concerns have been raised about its potential impact on groundwater and drinking water sources. So, can fracking pollute groundwater? The answer is complex and the subject of ongoing scientific investigation and debate.

Fracking chemicals can escape and contaminate groundwater

Fracking involves injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into wells at high pressure to fracture the rock layer and release natural gas. While the process typically occurs at much greater depths than water wells, there is a risk of fracking chemicals escaping and contaminating groundwater.

One of the primary ways this can occur is through a breach in the fracking well itself, which can allow fracking fluids to migrate into the water table. The high pressure exerted on these wells can lead to failures in the well casing or cement lining, providing a pathway for chemicals to escape. This has been identified as the most common cause of groundwater disruption, as cracks can form throughout the entire layer, allowing natural gas and fracking fluid to infiltrate the water table.

The potential for contamination is further heightened during the pre-production period when a new well is established. The fracking process can create fractures in the rock that connect to groundwater sources, providing another route for pollutants to enter. The risk is particularly acute when fracking occurs at shallow depths, as seen in some states in the western US, including California, where wells may be drilled within close proximity to aquifers.

The impact of fracking on groundwater contamination has been a subject of extensive scientific study and debate. While some reports, such as those from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Duke University, have found scientific evidence linking fracking to drinking water contamination, other studies from organizations like the United States Geological Survey and Stanford University have concluded that fracking does not contaminate groundwater. The complexity and variability of fracking operations, as well as the trade secret status of fracking chemical compositions, present significant challenges in fully understanding the environmental and health consequences.

Poorly-sealed wells can cause groundwater contamination

Poorly-sealed wells are a significant cause of groundwater contamination. The entire premise of fracking is to create cracks in the shale layer as far from the fracking well as possible to free the natural gas. However, this does not always happen, and cracks can form throughout the entire layer, allowing natural gas and fracking fluid to seep into the water table.

The well casing, which is made of steel, is cemented in place after each section is drilled. This cement is the most robust barrier to communication from the wellbore into the groundwater formation. However, this cement can sometimes fail due to poor design, allowing fracking fluids to escape and contaminate groundwater.

In addition, the standard industry practice of capturing fluids coming out of the borehole and putting them into unlined settling ponds can also lead to groundwater contamination. These fluids can easily migrate downward into the first water-bearing zone, causing pollution. While this practice is becoming illegal in some places, it still poses a significant risk to groundwater sources.

Furthermore, the chemicals used in fracking are often not commonly analysed in commercial labs, making it difficult to detect contamination. Many of these chemicals are volatile organic compounds that can have dangerous effects on human health, such as triggering permanent nerve damage and blindness.

The potential for contamination is greatest during the pre-production period when a new well is established. With only 29 out of more than 1,100 shale gas contaminants regulated in drinking water, the true contamination level is likely higher than currently understood.

Fracking can cause contamination during the pre-production period

One study by Elaine Hill, Ph.D., and Lala Ma, Ph.D., examined the geographic expansion of shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2015. During this period, more than 19,000 wells were established in the state. The researchers mapped the location of each new well in relation to groundwater sources that supply public drinking water. They found that drilling near an infant's public water source led to poorer birth outcomes and an increase in fracking-related contaminants in the water. Specifically, they found an 11-13% increase in the incidence of preterm births and low birth weight in infants exposed during gestation.

The study also indicated that dangerous volatile organic compounds and other fracking-related chemicals were making their way into groundwater that feeds municipal water systems. With only 29 out of more than 1,100 shale gas contaminants regulated in drinking water, the true contamination level is likely higher than what is currently detected.

Another study by former EPA scientist Dominic DiGiulio found evidence of groundwater contamination in Pavillion, Wyoming, which is located in the middle of a natural gas basin. The study suggested that people's water wells in Pavillion were contaminated with fracking wastes stored in unlined pits. Additionally, the study indicated that the entire groundwater resource in the Wind River Basin was contaminated with chemicals linked to hydraulic fracturing.

The potential for contamination during the pre-production period is further exacerbated by the lack of proper regulations and disclosure of chemicals used in the fracking process. Many states have rules requiring the disclosure of chemicals, but these often contain exclusions for "confidential business information." The identities of chemicals considered trade secrets are shielded, making it difficult to fully understand the impact of fracking on water sources.

Overall, the evidence suggests that fracking can cause contamination during the pre-production period, leading to negative consequences for human health and the environment. More stringent regulations and disclosure requirements are needed to protect water sources and mitigate the risks associated with fracking.

Fracking can lead to higher rates of preterm birth and low birth weight

Fracking is a popular technique in the United States for extracting oil and gas. It involves cracking shale rock deep underground, using a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals. While it has brought economic benefits, there are concerns about its impact on drinking water sources and public health.

Recent studies have found a link between fracking and an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight among infants. Research conducted in Pennsylvania, for instance, revealed that children born within 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) of a fracking site had a 25% higher likelihood of being underweight. This risk decreased with distance from the fracking site, and the study also found a small but significant overall decline in the health of babies born closer to these sites.

Another study, led by Brian S. Schwartz of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, examined the records of over 9,000 mothers in Pennsylvania who gave birth between 2009 and 2013. The study found that living in areas with the most active drilling and production activity was associated with a 40% increase in the likelihood of preterm birth and a 30% increase in high-risk pregnancies.

These findings are particularly concerning given the potential long-term consequences of preterm birth and low birth weight. Infants born prematurely or with low birth weight are at a higher risk of infant mortality, ADHD, asthma, lower test scores, and learning difficulties. Preterm birth is also a leading cause of long-term neurological disabilities in children.

While the exact causes of these adverse birth outcomes are not yet fully understood, researchers suspect that local air pollution and increased maternal stress levels due to noise, road traffic, and other disturbances associated with fracking may play a role.

The findings of these studies highlight the need for closer environmental regulation of the fracking industry and a re-evaluation of existing drinking water policies. Policymakers must carefully consider the potential health risks associated with fracking when making decisions about the future of this industry.

Fracking can contaminate groundwater through waste storage

In 2014, a pipeline rupture spilled a million gallons of wastewater on the Fort Berthold Reservation, contaminating Bear Den Bay in Lake Sakakawea, a quarter-mile from where the town of Mandaree draws its drinking water. A study by Avner Vengosh, a professor of earth and ocean sciences at Duke University, found elevated levels of fracking-related contaminants in North Dakota at sites including Bear Den Bay. The researchers detected high levels of salts, ammonium, selenium, lead, and other toxic substances, as well as radium, a naturally occurring radioactive element found in wastewater.

In Pavillion, Wyoming, a former EPA scientist, Dominic DiGiulio, proved that fracking had polluted groundwater. People living in the middle of a natural gas basin complained of a bad taste and smell in their drinking water, and preliminary testing suggested that the groundwater contained toxic chemicals. DiGiulio's subsequent peer-reviewed study suggested that people's water wells in Pavillion were contaminated with fracking wastes stored in unlined pits dug into the ground. The study also suggested that the entire groundwater resource in the Wind River Basin was contaminated with chemicals linked to hydraulic fracturing.

The risk of fracking contaminating groundwater through waste storage is heightened by legal loopholes that exempt fracking from elements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the EPA's hazardous-waste laws. For example, the "Halliburton loophole" exempts the industry from disclosing the chemicals used in fracking and prevents the EPA from regulating fracking fluids. Additionally, the oil and gas industry is exempt from federal EPA hazardous waste regulations and Superfund regulations, which exclude waste associated with the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas.

To prevent groundwater contamination from fracking waste storage, it is crucial to address these regulatory loopholes and enforce stricter environmental regulations on the industry.

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