Oil and Gas Industry

myth vs. reality

Longmont Planning CommitteesDecember 7, 2011

Weston WilsonEPA (retired)

Myth #1 - Fracking is a 60-year-old, safe, and proven

technology

High-volume, chemical fracking in horizontal wells from multi-well pads is 5 - 6 years old.

With virtually no scientific investigation, the jury is still out on whether this new technology is safe.

Contamination from bad wells and accidents

Bad well construction (“bad wells gone bad”)

Spills – especially spills of undiluted fluids

Leaking Pits – frack flow-back fluids placed in open pits

Production fluids mismanagement - frack fluids are re-injected or hauled to landfills

Contamination that could be systemic

“Good wells gone bad” -pathway allowed by brittle geology

Air pathways from pits and condensate tanks

Evaporation of toxic frack fluids and VOCs from open pits

VOCs could later condense and ‘rain’ on an ecosystem

Myth #2 - Natural gas is a clean fuel

Yes, natural gas has no SOx, NOx, or particulates when burned

Unconventional wells leak 250x more methane than conventional wells.

Natural gas production results in more global warming than coal

3.6 - 7.9 % methane leakage rate

methane has 105x heat trapping effect compared to CO2 over 20 years

Myth #3 - Fluid migration from faulty wells is rareFluid migration is not rare.

Canadian researchers found 12% of new wells leaked.

EPA found benzene, toluene, and 2BE, near Pavilion, Wyo. Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator, said ‘it is possible that fracking caused’ this contamination.

COGCC report on Laramie-Fox Hills Aquifer found 36% of gas wells had gas flow in the surface casing and all 9 water wells tested had biogenic gas.

• Greater Wattenburg Baseline Study Report by LT Environmental, Inc., for COGCC, June 2007, page 3-1.

Myth #4 - COGCC’s “Correcting Gasland” refutes Colorado cases

GOGCC actions actually confirm key Colorado scenes shown in Gasland

Weld Co. - Aimee Ellsworth’s well had thermogenic gas and she reached a settlement with industry, cause not determined.

Garfield Co. - Stream near Lisa Bracken’s property had thermogenic gas 1500 feet away, faulty well the cause.

Myth #5 - State claims that their data shows no ground water contamination

State uses domestic wells where homeowners volunteer, not suited for scientific inquiry

Neither state nor industry determines the cause of contamination events

Industry investigates to defend industry -not at fault.

State fails to determine cause in almost all cases.

And, if industry is at fault, landowner agreement with non-disclosure clause prevents investigation.

Myth #6 - Cities and Counties are pre-empted from regulating oil and gas activities

Cities /counties can regulate “if not materially different and in harmony with state rules.”

setbacks greater than 150/350 feet

obligate clean-up to pre-existing conditions

require closed-loop systems

benign fluids could be required

ground water monitoring wells obligated

Myth #7 - Colorado Cites cannot stop drilling due to legislative pre-emption

Colorado Home-rule Communities have authority under the State’s Constitution to restrict industrial activity.

“Neither property rights, nor contracts rights are absolute, for government cannot exist if the citizen may at will use his property to the detriment of his fellows.” Supreme Court, 1932

Pittsburg did it -- so did 140 other communities in Pa. and New York.

New York City has banned drilling in watershed by legislative action.

Thank you