Re: Fracking has never contaminated drinking water
To produce gas from shale by hydraulic fracturing chemicals required to treat the fracturing fluids are known as viscosifiers, surficants and biocides. What these compounds are and why they are required and how much is being used as a percentage of water used in a single frack one can search the web for a description, and fracking groundwater contamination has been reported in America.
Mr. Geoff Morrison’s letter to the local press that the American Head of Environmental Protection is not aware of any groundwater contamination is confusing and could well sow mistrust in the eyes of the public. Mr. Morrison speaks for B.C. that drinking water has not been contaminated or is it groundwater is somewhat different? He also places great emphasis on regulation, however, accidents can happen and do happen especially when chemicals are pumped into the ground and Mr. Morrison seems to display a degree of sensitivity as a member of the general resource industry that is currently under a degree of stress. This is understandable when one views the populations disquiet over the number of resource industry mishaps that have occurred in the last few years and continue to occur including mine explosions and collapses. Our politicians understand public concern over the number of resource industry mishaps covered quite well by the media and tread a fine line between the needs of the resource industry and what appears in the public eye, the degradation of the environment.
A. R Shaw M.A. (Retired Professional Member: Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining)
Campbell River
P.S. Other fracking agencies as well as scientists have concerns over the way that chemicals are being used in the fracking industry however I might have more to say about this later after more research. Reports of groundwater contamination discovered in Alberta and four States in America have materialized.
In my day as an engineer extracting methane was known as methane drainage piped to the surface and used in industry and homes.