Aug. 14, 2010
Marcellus Shale Drilling Industry 'Is Not Operating At An Excellent Level,' State Official Says
By Donald Gilliland
The Patriot-News
There are too many spills, too many leaks, and too much natural gas migrating into people’s drinking water wells due to drilling in the Marcellus Shale, said John Hanger, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Environmental Protection.
Marcellus Shale's promise has potential for problems By laura legere (Staff Writer) Published: June 20, 2010
- A growing chorus of scientists is arguing that not enough is known about the effect widespread gas drilling will have on water supplies, air quality and human health to justify the intensive development of the resource already taking place.
"There's a massive industrialization experiment happening in West Virginia and Pennsylvania right now," said Anthony Ingraffea, a Cornell University engineering professor who has studied rock fractures in oil and gas wells for two decades.
"It might sound cruel to say this, but people in New York are very happy to see that West Virginia and Pennsylvania jumped in with both feet, eyes closed, as quickly as they could.
"We're learning from your mistakes. You're the guinea pigs."
The state of West Virginia has made millions in taxes from the drilling companies, every time I pick up a paper I see where one of our politicians are bragging about how much money these gas companies are bringing into this state.
So here is the question for all our government officials out there-
With this much tax revenue why haven't you bothered to hire more officials with the capacity to oversee these wells?
All I keep reading about is how we only have seventeen inspectors for all these wells and there is no way for them to keep up with all the drilling going on. I even read an article last week stating that there had been a well drilled that didn't even have a permit. The logical solution to this oversight problem would have been to stop giving permits if you don't have enough staff to oversee this drilling bonanza going on in this state. The rules and regulations for drilling in this state were designed for the smaller wells and in no capacity were they written for the Marcellus type wells we have being drilled now. I have heard nothing about revising the regulations to control safety and contamination issues that are arising from this type of drilling. Unfortunately this seems to be the way things are done in states that have elected officials that have never owned or run a business of their own before. You do not have enough experience to understand and to know when to expect the back lash caused by your irresponsible judgment and lack of experience. Unfortunately it will be us the tax payers that will pay for your ambitious and costly deeds. You were elected by us not the gas and energy companies, please remember that occasionally.
For anyone out there that there that has a water well, when these gas companies tell you they are having your water tested make sure that they are testing for Methane and insist on a B-pack. Someone at a lab slipped saying that they usually only test for the normal things as when you first drill your water well, this is how they are getting away with saying they don't contaminate, because they are not testing for the chemicals used in drilling a gas well.
This also goes for the folks near to drilling sites but that are farther away then 1,000 feet which the gas companies say they don't affect. For the safety of you, your family and your animals spend the money to get your water checked and you have to hire someone because if you take it to the laboratory yourself and down the road you have a contamination problem your lab results will not hold up on court, they can say the water you had tested could have come from someplace else. Also if you do have a contamination issue try contacting the folks at this number, they may be able to help 1-800-529-4636.
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Marcellus Shale Drilling Industry 'Is Not Operating At An Excellent Level,' State Official Says
By Donald Gilliland
The Patriot-News
There are too many spills, too many leaks, and too much natural gas migrating into people’s drinking water wells due to drilling in the Marcellus Shale, said John Hanger, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Environmental Protection.
Marcellus Shale's promise has potential for problems By laura legere (Staff Writer) Published: June 20, 2010
- A growing chorus of scientists is arguing that not enough is known about the effect widespread gas drilling will have on water supplies, air quality and human health to justify the intensive development of the resource already taking place.
"There's a massive industrialization experiment happening in West Virginia and Pennsylvania right now," said Anthony Ingraffea, a Cornell University engineering professor who has studied rock fractures in oil and gas wells for two decades.
"It might sound cruel to say this, but people in New York are very happy to see that West Virginia and Pennsylvania jumped in with both feet, eyes closed, as quickly as they could.
"We're learning from your mistakes. You're the guinea pigs."
The state of West Virginia has made millions in taxes from the drilling companies, every time I pick up a paper I see where one of our politicians are bragging about how much money these gas companies are bringing into this state.
So here is the question for all our government officials out there-
With this much tax revenue why haven't you bothered to hire more officials with the capacity to oversee these wells?
All I keep reading about is how we only have seventeen inspectors for all these wells and there is no way for them to keep up with all the drilling going on. I even read an article last week stating that there had been a well drilled that didn't even have a permit. The logical solution to this oversight problem would have been to stop giving permits if you don't have enough staff to oversee this drilling bonanza going on in this state. The rules and regulations for drilling in this state were designed for the smaller wells and in no capacity were they written for the Marcellus type wells we have being drilled now. I have heard nothing about revising the regulations to control safety and contamination issues that are arising from this type of drilling. Unfortunately this seems to be the way things are done in states that have elected officials that have never owned or run a business of their own before. You do not have enough experience to understand and to know when to expect the back lash caused by your irresponsible judgment and lack of experience. Unfortunately it will be us the tax payers that will pay for your ambitious and costly deeds. You were elected by us not the gas and energy companies, please remember that occasionally.
For anyone out there that there that has a water well, when these gas companies tell you they are having your water tested make sure that they are testing for Methane and insist on a B-pack. Someone at a lab slipped saying that they usually only test for the normal things as when you first drill your water well, this is how they are getting away with saying they don't contaminate, because they are not testing for the chemicals used in drilling a gas well.
This also goes for the folks near to drilling sites but that are farther away then 1,000 feet which the gas companies say they don't affect. For the safety of you, your family and your animals spend the money to get your water checked and you have to hire someone because if you take it to the laboratory yourself and down the road you have a contamination problem your lab results will not hold up on court, they can say the water you had tested could have come from someplace else. Also if you do have a contamination issue try contacting the folks at this number, they may be able to help 1-800-529-4636.
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