Spin…we all do it. But some of it, well it goes too far. I’m a solar developer. I want to stay out of it but we have to have more transparency and honesty in our energy debates.
So….
A recent study from the University of Texas found high levels of contaminants in private water wells near a number of Texas gas operations.
Contamination occurred more often and in greater amounts when water wells were closer to gas wells, scientists said. Water wells outside gas-producing areas showed no such problems.
Researchers could not pinpoint the sources, but they ruled out the upward movement of fluids injected deep underground in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
Possible causes they cited include soil disturbance from gas drilling, failures of casings meant to keep gas and production fluids out of aquifers, and surface-level mismanagement of gas drilling wastes.
So we have high levels of heavy metals in water linked definitively close to gas drilling operations. The exact cause is unknown but where there is gas drilling there are heavy metals.
Surely this is not a positive story for the gas industry? Right?
The headline:
“Study: Well contamination near gas drilling sites not from fracking”
The fracking debate is a complex one. There are clearly strong economic and policy advantages for the US. There are also clearly environmental concerns and all the facts are not in. But the spin doesn’t help anyone…or does it?