Global Frac News

How Mass Lawsuits Could Change the Oil and Gas Industry by Dave Fehling, May 1, 2012, State Impact Texas Houston Lawyer Anthony Buzbee: “The new way of going about it is massive, massively large cases like the one in Texas City ” “It’s saying a lot that these people who’ve put up with so much have ...

New Study Predicts Frack Fluids Can Migrate to Aquifers Within Years by Abrahm Lustgarten, May 1, 2012, ProPublica Scientists have theorized that impermeable layers of rock would keep the fluid, which contains benzene and other dangerous chemicals, safely locked nearly a mile below water supplies. This view of the earth’s underground geology is a cornerstone of ...

Review blames fracking for water contamination in Pavillion by Irina Zhorov, May 1, 2012, Wyoming Public Media One of the criticisms of the E-P-A study was that it was poorly conducted science, and therefore, put forth unreliable conclusions. But the hydrologic consultant who did the review, Tom Myers, says the E-P-A did good work. “The EPA ...

Fracking Down Under, An open letter to New Zealand by Fred Stenson, May 2012, Alberta Views Magazine New Zealand, I’m begging you to ignore what my province is telling you about fracking. A woman in Alberta, a long time oilfield employee trying to live in a rural area, has a water well that went to sweet to ...

Incident Report — I H Davis by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, April 30, 2012 The mechanical failure in the 2-30 Davis well occurred at 1,765 feet, adjacent to a coupling. The uncemented, gas charged zone is approximately 800 feet above that point. The annulus outside the production string in the 2-30 Davis well from the failure point ...

Residents Fed Up with Bad Water Flee Shale Drilling Areas by Susan Phillips, April 30, 2012, StateImpactPA Sowatsky’s mother Kim McEvoy says once gas drilling began, her water turned gray and cloudy. Now, her well is running dry. Gas drilling has turned some quiet rural areas of Pennsylvania into growing industrial zones. Residents complain of increased ...

TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM Review of DRAFT: Investigation of Ground Water Contamination near Pavillion Wyoming Prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency by Tom Myers, April 30, 2012 The EPA found in the monitoring wells significant concentrations of isopropanol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) (in MW02). TBA was not directly used as a fracking fluid, but ...

Anti-fracking group adds claims to surveillance suit by Saranac Hale Spencer, April 30, 2012, The Legal Intelligencer Opponents of hydraulic fracturing in Luzerne County can add defamation and conspiracy claims to their suit against the private surveillance company the government allegedly hired to watch them, a federal judge has ruled. The Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition filed suit ...

State investigating possible stray gas case near area of past problems in Dimock by Laura Legere, April 28, 2012, The Times-Tribune State environmental regulators are investigating a possible case of methane migrating into water supplies just north of the 9-square-mile box in Dimock Twp. where the state halted a gas driller’s operations because of methane contamination ...

Landmark Fracking Lawsuit starts with Twist in Alberta by Andrew Nikiforuk, April 27, 2012, GlobalResearch.ca

Landmark fracking lawsuit starts with twist by Andrew Nikiforuk, April 27, 2012, The Tyee.ca A landmark lawsuit against an energy giant and two Alberta government regulatory agencies concerning water well contamination by hydraulic fracturing started with an unusual twist in Alberta’s Court of Queen’s Bench yesterday. Judge B. L. Veldhuis began the proceedings in a Drumheller courtroom ...

In conversation: Paul Joosse, Life on Wiebo Ludwig’s farm: head shaving, dandelion wine, and surprising humour by Nicholas Köhler, April 26, 2012, MacLeans While writing his dissertation on radical environmentalism, Paul Joosse, a doctoral candidate in sociology at the University of Alberta, began examining a string of bombings in 2008 and 2009 targeting EnCana gas installations ...

Consultation Required With Dene Tha’ First Nation on Shale Gas Development in the Horn River Basin Press Release by WDM Group PR Network, April 26, 2012, Business Review Canada The Dene Tha’ First Nation expects full consultation on shale gas development in the Horn River Basin in northeastern B.C., given its decision not to renew a ...

Fracking secrecy alleged in court case in Pennsylvania by Julie Sherwood, April 26, 2012, MPNnow.com Those alleging secrecy by the natural gas industry in a court case focused on the gas drilling method of hydrofracking are getting help from a coalition of advocates that include doctors, scientists and researchers. The nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice, which ...

Range Resources Delivers Water to Homeowner – with gas by Chip Northrup, April 26, 2012, Shale Shock Media We know that gas wells have a nasty habit of venting gas into groundwater. … This becomes a real problem if you, your pets or your livestock drink from shallow water wells. (It’s also hell on fish. . ...

How One Man’s Flaming Water Fired Up a Battle Between Texas and the EPA, Steve Lipsky’s epic battle and what it means for the future of fracking by Brantley Hargrove, April 26, 2012, Dallas Observer Steve Lipsky gripped a garden hose and held it at arm’s length, staring as a guttering tongue of fire poured from ...

Doctors seek hydro-fracking moratorium, New Brunswick College of Family Physicians writes letter to legislature by CBC News, April 25, 2012 Doctors are worried the potential risks outweigh the benefits, president Dr. Anick Pelletier stated in a recent letter to members of the legislature on the issue. “By this letter, we are urging you to protect our valuable ...

More on Water Pollution by Laura White, April 25, 2012, Raleigh Public Record On the plus side, diesel fuel is regulated in its use in hydraulic fracturing — sort of. … But don’t worry; drinking dissolved methane won’t kill you. Breathing it, though, is another story, and in an enclosed environment — such as a house — ...

Restrict shale gas fracking to 600m from water supplies, says study, Researchers recommend ‘absolute minimum’ safe zone of 600m between fracking and aquifers by Press Association, April 25, 2012, The Guardian Controversial “fracking” for shale gas should only take place at least 600 metres down from aquifers used for water supplies, scientists said on Wednesday. A ...

Michigan lawmakers consider pushing for openness in natural gas harvesting by Jim Lynch, April 25, 2012, The Detroit News A bill introduced this week by House Democrats would require companies producing natural gas in Michigan through hydraulic fracturing to fully disclose the chemical solution used in their processes — a level of openness the industry has ...

Fracking requires a minimum distance of at least 0.6 kilometres from sensitive rock strata by ScienceBlog, April 24, 2012 It is believed to be the first analysis of its type and could be used across the world as a starting point for setting a minimum distance between the depth of fracking and shallower aquifers used for ...

Private Water Companies Join Forces With Fracking Interests by Sarah Pavlus, the Colorado Independent, April 23, 2012 The water companies – American Water and Aqua America – are leading drinking water suppliers in Pennsylvania, where drilling is booming. They also sell water to gas companies — which use a drilling technique that requires massive amounts of ...

Nova Scotia Enacts Two-Year FrackingBan by NGI’s Shale Daily, April 23, 2012

Jessica Ernst at Prince Albert Saskatchewan April 22, 2012

Hydraulic fractures: How far can they go? by Davies, R. J., et al, April 21, 2012, Marine and Petroleum Geology (2012), doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2012.04.001 The maximum reported height of an upward propagating hydraulic fracture from several thousand fracturing operations in the Marcellus, Barnett, Woodford, Eagleford and Niobrara shale (USA) is ~588 m. Of the 1170 natural hydraulic fracture pipes imaged with three-dimensional seismic ...

Encana sells Horseshoe Canyon stake to Toyota Tsusho for $602 million, monetizes CBM in southern Alberta by Dina O”Meara, April 21, 2012 Calgary Herald Encana stock…has dropped 46 per cent since last May….

Perth’s first anti-fracking rally turns ugly by Yasmine Phillips, April 21, 2012, PerthNow It follows Environment Minister Bill Marmion’s decision last month to allow fracking to go ahead in the Perth Basin. … Mr Marmion upheld the Environmental Protection Authority’s ruling not to assess a hydraulic fracture stimulation program being undertaken by WA-based firm Norwest Energy. ...

The fight against shale gas Internet translation of article by André Picot, Toxicochimiste, president of ATC Toxicology, April 21, 2012, Huffingtonpost.fr Hence our assumption that these new products could only come from chemical interactions, favored by temperature and pressure very high in this natural reactor formed in the deep underground during the fracturing of the shale. ...

New Brunswick Government may give citizens more power taking on corporations by CBC News, April 20, 2012 The Alward government is looking at changing regulations to give citizens more power to take on big resource companies. … Penobsquis residents are currently seeking financial compensation from PotashCorp for the loss of their well water, but believe the company ...

Schlumberger outlines future roadmap for fracking by John Kemp, Reuters, April 20, 2012, Calgary Herald So far the approach has been based on brute force: employing ever-increasing amounts of horsepower, fracking fluid and sand to wring natural gas and oil from previously inaccessible tight rock formations in a manner that is wasteful, expensive and maximizes the ...

The Canada-New Zealand Fracking Connection by Damien Gillis, April 20, 2012, The Common Sense Canadian I’m down in New Zealand at the moment, filming for a feature documentary involving the unconventional gas industry – particularly the increasingly controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” – which I’ve been working on for the past year with a ...

Chemistry Prof Questions Safety Of Dimock, Pa. Water, Challenges EPA by Pierre Bertrand, April 20, 2012, International Business Times Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determined hydraulic fracturing didn’t contaminate private water wells in Dimock, Pa., the water there is probably not safe to drink, said Ron Bishop, a professor of chemistry at State University of ...

The Politics of Energy by The Motley Fool, April 20, 2012, News From Nowhere Turn on the television right about now, and if you’re watching a station with commercials, you’ll see a slew of commercials paid for by the oil and gas industry, extolling their own virtues. … If you happen to be watching a local ...

Earth Day weekend has something for everyone by Tyler Clarke, Aril 20, 2012, The Prince Albert Daily Herald

The Frack Show, The upcoming sequel Gasland 2 is sure to inflame debate by Amy Harder, April 20, 2012, National Journal Daily Watch out, Washington. The next Gasland is directed at you. Filmmaker Josh Fox is putting the finishing touches on a sequel to Gasland, his Oscar-nominated 2010 documentary on the natural-gas industry. Gasland 2 will focus ...

Studies examine fracking and earthquakes by Vincent McDermott, April 20, 2012, fortmcmurraytoday.com A study by the U.S. Geological Survey released Wednesday found a “remarkable” increase of quakes in the central United States since 2001, arguing that oil and gas production is “almost certainly” the culprit. The study found a sixfold increase in earthquakes and tremors in ...

No EPA action after 16 more Dimock well tests by Andrew Maykuth, April 20, 2012, The Inquirer Daily News Natural gas drilling companies have contended that most contaminants found in rural private water wells occur naturally or existed before shale-gas development.

Encana signs joint venture with Toyota Tsusho for 1/3 interest coalbed methane wells in southern Alberta by The Canadian Press, April 20, 2012 Encana announced Friday that the Japanese company will acquire a 32.5 per cent royalty interest in about 5,500 existing and future Encana coalbed methane wells. … Under the agreement announced Friday, Toyota Tsusho ...

Nova Scotia issues two-year moratorium on fracking by Dina O’Meara, April 19, 2012, Calgary Herald and Postmedia News

Oil industry workers oppose drilling and fracking near their Calgary suburb by Geoff Dembicki, April 19, 2012, The Tyee.ca Local residents base their opposition on oil leak potential, lack of evacuation routes, improper consultation and lowered property values — concerns familiar to those fighting…oil and gas projects anywhere. … “It would be somewhat hypocritical to say ...

EPA Says Frack Now, Regulate Later by Deborah Solomon, April 18, 2012, Bloomberg The Environmental Protection Agency said today that it will delay until 2015 the first federal rules aimed at curbing air pollution from hydraulic fracturing or fracking. … Luckily, EPA isn’t giving up on the fracking rule (which it is required to implement as ...

Is this New Brunswick democracy or selective oppression? by Greg Cook, April 18, 2012, Moncton Free Press Yesterday morning I witnessed the mining commission hearing of the 26 Penobsquis citizens asking for compensation for what has been happening to them since 2004. The citizens believe they have suffered the effects caused by subsidence (sink holes), such ...

Woman wins hard fought battle for information by Alex McCuaig, April 18, 2012, Medicine Hat News The privacy commissioner’s decision released Monday states Alberta Innovates — formerly the Alberta Research Council (ARC) — “had not established that it had exercised its discretion reasonably when it elected to withhold information.” … “It is a strongly worded order,” ...

Moratorium on fracking would be a reasonable step by Dan Siemens, April 17, 2012, Mountain View Gazette “The biggest problem is that half or more of the wells drilled leak due to improper cement jobs or industry is not following best practices.” In the January 2012 edition of the science publication called Discover, the magazine ranked ...

Potential Contaminant Pathways from Hydraulically Fractured Shale to Aquifers by Tom Myers Article first published online April 17, 2012 by National Ground Water Association DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-6584.2012.00933.x

Drilling method can be extended throughout UK, say experts, even though it has caused two earthquakes by Fiona Harvey, April 17, 2012, The Guardian The government’s own data revealed serious questions around the safety of fracking in areas of known seismic activity, such as the two wells in Lancashire, because of evidence that the resulting earthquakes ...

A proposed oil well to be fracked inside the City of Calgary puts residents and the industry on a collision course by Gustavo Vieira, April 17, 2012, Macleans The company drilling in Royal Oak, Kaiser Exploration, estimates there could be up to six million barrels of oil in that well alone, enough to keep it active ...

Fracking for oil triggers manmade earthquakes, studies confirm by Stringer/Reuters, April 17, 2012, The Toronto Star

Ruling advances woman’s tainted water lawsuit, documents must be released, says Alberta information boss by Matthew McClure, April 17, 2012, Calgary Herald In a scathing decision that ends a three-year battle by Rosebud resident Jessica Ernst, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has ordered a government agency to release thousands of pages of documents that ...

Nova Scotia government puts hydraulic fracturing on hold for two more years by Michael MacDonald, April 16, 2012, Canadian Press As of Monday, no fracking will be approved during the extended review, said Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau. … “We think it’s important to get the best possible information that’s out there and make an informed decision ...

Tamboran Resources executive meets with Manor Business Forum by Lietrim Observer, April 16, 2012 Tamboran had told the Leitrim Observer last month that they are “seeking suggestions from the local community about what projects would like to benefit from the company’s community investment fund for the county.” German politician Helmut Fehr told the crowd gathered in ...

Alberta Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner Order F2012-06 Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures (previously Alberta Research Council) Case File Numbers F4743, F4762 March 30, 2012 (publicly released April 16, 2012) An Adjudicator has determined that Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures must release information that it had withheld under the Freedom of Information and Protection of ...

No fracking allowed until EPA has reported Speech by Pat Rabbitte TD, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, April 13, 2012 But unless and until I can be satisfied that there would be no unacceptable environmental or social impacts, there will be no hydraulic fracturing in this country.

16×9 Untested Science: Fracking natural gas controversy Published by 16x9onglobal to Youtube on April 13, 2012, originally released November 5, 2011 (Season 4 Ep. 10) Ernst Flaming Water Ernst presenting at Cochrane Ranch House, September 10, 2011

Government of Yukon says no to hydraulic fracturing Press Release #12-064 by Yukon Government, April 12, 2012 What we heard during the public review period is that many Yukoners have concerns and questions about oil and gas exploration and development in the Whitehorse Trough at this time.”

Christchurch declared a fracking-free zone by The National, April 12, 2012, Otago Daily News Christchurch City Council has voted unanimously to declare Christchurch a fracking-free zone. … The stance is because of concerns about the impact of fracking on the local environment, including contamination of the city’s underground water supply and fracking’s link to earthquakes. The council also ...

Industry asks for more time to comply with drilling pollution mandates by Jennifer A. Dlouhy, April 12, 2012, Fuelfix Two of the oil industry’s leading trade groups today implored federal regulators for more time to comply with a looming rule for cutting air pollution from hydraulic fracturing and natural gas wells.

Questions linger about impacts of deep well injections, hydraulic fracturing by oil industry by Dina O’Meara, April 11, 2012, Calgary Herald While Alberta has increased the number of earthquake monitoring devices across the province to better understand seismic activity over the past decade, British Columbia will be releasing a study this summer on possible links between seismic activity ...

Survey says…fracking is causing earthquakes by Farron Cousins, April 11, 2012, TheTyee.ca A new report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) says that the increased seismic activity taking place in certain areas of the United States is almost certainly the result of oil and gas drilling activities. The group has been studying dozens of earthquakes across America for ...

Fracking Secrets: Hydraulic Fracturing Still Shrouded in Mystery by Victoria Bekiempis, April 11, 2012,Villagevoice Shortly after reports surfaced that physicians in Pennsylvania couldn’t publicly discuss info about fracking chemicals, some New Yorkers have started to begging Department of Environmental Conversation staffers to spill secrets about the policymaking process.

The Death of the Reverend, Andrew Nikiforuk wrote the book on Wiebo Ludwig. Now he writes his obituary by Andrew Nikiforuk, April 11, 2012, TheTyee.ca Contrary to expectations Ludwig did not pick this particular battle. For years he civilly tried to get authorities in Alberta to recognize the dangers and risks that the sour gas industry ...

Could fracking produce another Wiebo Ludwig? by Darren Campbell, April 10, 2012, Alberta Oil Magazine Whatever view you have of Ludwig, in some ways he wasn’t very different from a lot of other Albertans. He was big on being self sufficient, he was deeply religous and he had a healthy respect for nature. Ludwig also had a problem ...

Drilling plan upsets Landowners, Southern Alberta area home to watersheds, fescue grasslands by Bill Graveland, April 9, 2012, The Canadian Press “It is like opening Pandora’s Box because once they’re in. They’re in.” Burton is worried the drilling could spur future oil and gas activity in the relatively untouched region, including hydraulic fracturing, an extraction method that has ...

Energy Minister’s political assistant Craig Leonard asked NB Power to remove anti-fracking signs by Daniel McHardie, April 9, 2012, CBC News There is no explanation in the communication about why Baisley and the energy department wanted the anti-shale gas signs down at that point. There is also no mention of any other signs that the energy department wanted ...

Potentially harmful fracking chemicals are considered secrets by Darrell Shahan, April. 9, 2012, Zanesville Times Recorder No company should be allowed to classify chemicals as trade secrets that are potentially harmful to the public.

Progressive Conservative (PC) candidate Sandra Jensen calls for a stop to the Kaiser Exploration Ltd. Oil Well in the City of Calgary Press Release April 9, 2012 City of Calgary was denied as a stakeholder in this application. “The City of Calgary is responsible for all peripheral issues pertaining to oil well and they should have ...

Alberta landowners worried about impact of drilling by Bill Graveland, April 8, 2012, The Canadian Press Vizzutti said LandQuest does have an insurance policy that would cover all damage. … “They don’t need to develop the watershed. If we were out of oil and gas and it was the last place in the world then yes, start thinking ...

Residents claim negligence, sue Chesapeake by Steve Mocarsky, April 7, 2012, Times Leader Representing three Bradford County families, O’Malley, of O’Malley & Langan in Scranton, and New York attorney William Friedlander, filed a petition in U.S. District Court seeking to force Chesapeake Energy Corp. into arbitration, claiming the company contaminated their water, devalued their land and caused many ...

Pennsylvania towns challenge state hydraulic fracturing law by David Erickson and Mark Anstoetter, April 6 2012, Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP Seven Pennsylvania municipalities and several environmental organizations and individuals have challenged a state law that standardizes zoning of oil and gas development across the state and purports to reverse a 2009 state supreme court ruling that ...

Middle America Is Experiencing a Massive Increase in 3.0+ Earthquakes by Alexis Madrigal, April 6, 2012, The Atlantic A new United States Geological Survey study has found that middle America between Alabama and Montana is experiencing an “unprecedented” and “almost certainly manmade” increase in earthquakes of 3.0 magnitude or greater. In 2011, there were 134 events of that ...

Georgia man admits to dumping gas industry sludge, 800 gallons of residual waste deposited on Pa. game lands by Jason Whong, April 5, 2012, Star Gazette Foster’s description of the sludge doesn’t match what the state Department of Environmental Protection found in its investigation of the dumping. “‘Frack mud’ as described by the defendant does not exist,” said ...

Matt Damon and Francis McDormand to star in Anti-Frack Film ‘Promised Land’ directed by Gus Van Sant by Talia Buford and Erica Martinson, April 5, 2012, Politico Pro WME Agency, which represents Damon, confirmed that the “Good Will Hunting” star has signed on to the movie and co-wrote the film, and that it is, indeed, about hydraulic fracturing

Albertans Get Bum Deal from Oil Industry by Andrew Nikiforuk, April 5, 2012, TheTyee.ca Alberta’s new royalty system for natural gas, introduced in 2009, has also been a total disaster for citizens, says Roy. The government said it would raise royalties by $740 million but their new regime delivered a $4 billion loss. The Alberta government compounded its ...

Cancer in the Ransom Note by Sandra Steingraber, April 4, 2012, Huffingtonpost.com Fracking is a hostage exchange program. Only the carcinogens go free. “Shale development has been a nightmare for those exposed to the resulting pollution.” Why should cancer patients in the United States and Canada — and those who love or diagnose them — care about a report ...

Lawsuit filed for methane in water by Casey Junkins, April 4, 2012, The Herald-Star CAMERON – Jeremiah Magers believes Chesapeake Energy’s fracking led to the methane contamination of his drinking water well, so he is suing the driller for failing to provide an alternative water source. The case originally filed in Marshall County Circuit Court in ...

Exxon Mobil must allow vote on fracturing disclosure by Emily Pickrell, April 4, 2012, Fuelfix The Securities and Exchange Commission has turned down a request from Exxon Mobil Corp. to omit a resolution on hydraulic fracturing disclosures from its proxy statement, opening the door for a vote on the proposal at the company’s annual shareholder meeting May 30. ...

Quebec bans any fracking pending studies by Rebecca Penty, April 4, 2012, Calgary Herald The province of Quebec has moved from a de facto ban on shale gas development to a “complete and total moratorium,” lamented Calgary oilpatch executive Michael Binnion on Tuesday, following news that a review on hydraulic fracturing won’t include any demonstrations in the province. ...

The Fracking Frenzy’s Impact on Women by Sara Jerving, April 4, 2012, commondreams Chemicals used in fracking have been linked to breast cancer and reproductive health problems and there have been reports of rises in crimes against women in some fracking “boom” towns, which have attracted itinerant workers with few ties to the community. … Chemicals linked to ...

Quebec should say no to all hydraulic fracturing: report by The Gazette, April 03, 2012, Global News Video: Fracking – An untested science Video: How fracking affects water A committee named by Quebec Environment Minister Pierre Arcand, to determine whether shale gas can be extracted while respecting the environment, released plans Tuesday for further study and recommended that ...

Alberta needs a moratorium on fracking by Dittmar Mundel, April 3, 2012, The Camrose Booster Other documented drinking water contamination cases include the Zimmermans near Wetaskiwin, Jacks at Spirit River, and Campbells at Ponoka. … My concerns and the billions we give this industry in subsidies leads me to conclude that we need a moratorium on fracking until ...

LISTEN: 3:38 minutes Las Vegas Passes Ban on Drilling by Sidsel Overgaard, April 3, 2012, The Conservation Beat Las Vegas, New Mexico became the first municipality in the Southwest to enact a local bill of rights banning all forms of oil and natural gas drilling in the city and its watershed.

Anti-fracking law adopted by Martin Salazar, April 3, 2012, Las Vegas Optic Setting aside the grave concerns raised by its legal counsel and its insurer, the Las Vegas City Council voted 3-1 on Monday to approve a community bill of rights ordinance, becoming the first municipality in the state to do so. Moments after the vote, as jubilant ...

Biden blames fracking for earthquakes by Ben Wolfgang, April 3, 2012, The Washington Times The vice president shook up the scientific world Tuesday. At a campaign stop in Virginia touting the administration’s energy policy, Vice PresidentJoseph R. Biden blamed earthquakes on the extraction of natural gas by fracking.

Public Fears Cloud U.K. Shale Drilling by James Herron, April 3, 2012, Wall Street Journal Since the earth tremors, Cuadrilla’s exploration wells on the Bowland shale have been shut down pending an investigation by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. During the hiatus, the company has been doing its best to regain the confidence of local citizens. ...

No fracking, even for research, recommends Quebec committee report by The Gazette, April 3, 2012 A committee named by Quebec Environment Minister Pierre Arcand, to determine whether shale gas can be extracted while respecting the environment, released plans Tuesday for further study and recommended that the minister not authorize hydraulic fracturing, even for research purposes. … Committee chair ...

Chevron Temporarily Quits Romania Shale Gas Plans by Sofia News Agency, April 2, 2012 At the end of March, Romania granted Chevron permission to to explore and exploit shale gas in three coastal perimeters – Vama Veche, Adamclisi and Costinesti. Around 5,000 people recently protested in Barlad against the shale gas exploitation, saying the extraction method is ‘dangerous’. ...

Fracking Our Way to a Toxic Planet, When corporations roll back environmental protections to exploit our natural resources, they’re also exploiting us by Michael T. Klare, April 2, 2012, Mother Jones The Third World increasingly isn’t what it used to be. Many countries in the global South are becoming more protective of their environments, ever more inclined to ...

Gas Industry Spin Can’t Cover Up Air, Water Problems Caused by Fracking by Paul Gallay, April 2, 2012,huffingtonpost.com Most drillers remain in deep denial, routinely choosing to circle the wagons rather than acknowledge environmental and public health problems. … Let the gas companies continue to deny fracking’s proven link to air and water pollution. The public isn’t ...

Full Disclosure, Rapid spread of hydraulic fracturing hastens move to greener additives and transparent reporting by Maurice Smith, April 1, 2012, New Technology Magazine One of the most contentious issues surrounding the rapid expansion of horizontal drilling and multistage fracturing—that of fracture fluid composition— is soon to become more transparent as Alberta moves to join other ...

Alberta group investigates five firms over fracking by Jerold LeBlanc, April 2012, Wetaskiwin Times, Article ID# 3524771 A provincial expert says his organization – the Energy Resources Conservation Board – is investigating five incidences in Alberta where fracking has caused environmental damage. ERCB senior advisor Bob Willard made that announcement concerning the oil and gas recovery ...

State Lawmakers Let Shale Gas Industry Call the Shots on Fracking by Press Action, April 1, 2012 “The industry is very, very powerful in all of these states. The industry has such political influence at the state capitals and in the legislative process.” … As a result, people became living laboratories in this unprecedented mineral play, Subra told ...

Colorado farms planning for dry spell losing auction bids for water to fracking projects by Bruce Finley, April 1, 2012, The Denver Post Front Range farmers bidding for water to grow crops through the coming hot summer and possible drought face new competition from oil and gas drillers. At Colorado’s premier auction for unallocated water this spring, companies ...

Test water before drilling begins, microbiologist says by jeanne starmack, April 1, 2012, Vindy.com Many resources are renewable, but groundwater is not one of them. If groundwater is tainted by pollution and an aquifer is ruined, it will recover — but not in our lifetimes, said John Stolz, a microbiologist and director for the Center for Environmental Research ...

Despite regulations, gas wells leak, especially as they get older by Nick Teti, April 1, 2012, Coshocton Tribune One in 20 wells will leak immediately, and the numbers rise dramatically as wells age, said Cornell University Professor Dr. Anthony Ingraffea. …  According to an article titled “Shale Gas — A business plan very much in the red,” by ...

Jessica Ernst at Knee Hill Valley Constituency of the Alberta Women’s Institute Trochu, Alberta March 31, 2012

Kaiser Oil Well to be frac’d in Calgary near sour gas, letter to Premier Alison Redford by Rocky Ridge Royal Oak Community Association, March 31, 2012 During the ERCB meeting on February 06, 2012 Julie Fulford-ADR Specialist confirmed they do not audit the engagement segment of the application, they simply take the applicant’s word. … During ...

New Town trailer park residents face eviction: Space is to be used for oil worker housing by Williston Herald, March 31, 2012 Residents of a New Town mobile home park are being evicted to make way for housing for oil field workers. Dennis Fox, chief executive officer of the Three Affiliated Tribes, tells the Dickinson Press the residents ...

Study claims hydraulic fracturing may pose health risks by David Erickson and Mark Anstoetter, 30, 2012, Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP According to the study, exposure to air pollutants, including benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene, heptane, octane, and diethylbenzene during well-completion activities presented the greatest potential for adverse health effects. During the completion phases, the study found ...

High Methane in Pennsylvania Water by by Mark Drajem, Bloomberg, March 30, 2012 Tests by the Environmental Protection Agency of water in Dimock, Pennsylvania, found elevated levels of methane consistent with leakage from gas drilling nearby, according to scientists who reviewed the data. Results from the first 11 wells tested by the EPA found one with a methane ...

Scientists use EPA data to point out high methane levels in Pa. water by E & E, March 30, 2012 U.S. EPA found high levels of methane in water from Dimock, Pa., consistent with leakage from gas drilling nearby, according to scientists who reviewed the data. According to test results from 11 wells, the agency discovered one with ...