Water Well Contamination
Fracking Fluid
When a gas well is fracked, millions of gallons of water, sand, and toxic chemicals are pumped into the ground in order to loosen the rock, thus allowing the gas to escape. This mixture is known as "fracking fluid." Some of the toxic chemicals known to be present in fracking fluid include:
- Diesel Fuel
- Formaldehyde
- Toluene
- Hydrochloric Acid
- Methanol
- Ammonium Persulfate
- Sodium Tetraborate Pentahydrate
Many of the chemicals used in fracking fluid are caustic, flammable, poisonous, and/or carcinogenic. This toxic mixture could present a serious hazard if it migrates into a water well.
Research
The movement of fracking fluid within the shale formation is necessary for the extraction of gas. This movement is known as fluid migration.
A 2004 EPA report found that there were uncertainties about how fracking fluid migrates through rock, and whether or not it could reach water wells or groundwater. The 2004 study consisted of reviewing literature, some of which is now 15-20 years old. Fracking methods have evolved from that time, and many of the safety practices remain theoretical. The gas companies have admitted that they do not recover all of their fracking fluids, and many are concerned that the unrecovered chemicals will migrate and pollute their groundwater or water wells.
Methane Migration
Migrating methane gas is a major concern with fracking for natural gas. A recent Duke University study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that levels of flammable methane gas had risen to dangerous levels in drinking water wells near active gas wells. The study focused on the gas wells located in the Marcellus shale formation of the northeastern United States. Of the 68 water wells sampled in New York and Pennsylvania, 60 had dangerous levels of methane. The research found that of the 26 wells tested that were located near active drilling sites, 21 contained a type of methane that does not occur naturally and is exclusive to drilling. As a general rule, wells located closer to drilling had higher methane concentrations.
Are You Affected?
As of today there have been many dangerous and injurious events that may be related to fracking, including: fracking chemical and benzene contamination of drinking water; “flammable water” from water tainted with methane; earthquakes; house explosions from migrating gas. If you or someone you know has been adversely affected by fracking in Arkansas, contact our office.
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