Scientific Studies on Hydraulic Fracking of Shale Gas & Coal Seam Gas

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January 2014 Summary of Published Scientific Papers, Academic Studies & Reports on Coal Seam Gas (CSG) and Shale Gas Mining Fracking Extraction Production Fugitive Emission Leaks of Methane CH4 and Environmental Impacts

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  • Page 1 of 19

    Scientific Studies on Hydraulic Fracking of Shale Gas and CSG Mining Compiled 2014-01-13

    New Items added 03-09

    The Independent Review of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer on Coal Seam Gas (CSG) Mining in

    NSW Australia is expected to be completed late 2014. An interim Report was released 30 July 2013.

    The 2013-2014 NSW State Government Coal Seam Gas (CSG) Mining Review

    NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, Professor Mary O'Kane, was directed by the Premier in February this year to conduct an independent review of the state's coal seam gas activities. On 30 July 2013, Professor O'Kane released publicly an initial report from the independent review. The initial report contains a number of recommendations to the NSW Government.

    In the next phases of the Review, Professor O'Kane will address in more depth the principles that can underpin setbacks and exclusion zones; international best practice; risk characterisation and mitigation; as well as undertake a comprehensive study of industry compliance. The independent review is expected to continue well into 2014.

    Initial Report on the Independent Review of Coal Seam Gas Activities in NSW is available here.

    Since the release of its initial report in July 2013, the independent review has been focussing predominantly on:

    1. Its study of industry compliance;

    2. Completion of its study of the appropriate insurance levels for the CSG industry;

    3. Understanding more about government best practice in managing coal seam gas extraction especially

    through its study of international good practice; and

    4. Undertaking its in-depth study of how to assess and manage risk dynamically for CSG systems.

    The independent review is expected to continue until late 2014 ~ NSW Coal Seam Gas Regulatory Protections

    http://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/31246/130730_1046_CSE-CSG-July-report.pdfhttp://www.csg.nsw.gov.au/protections
  • Page 2 of 19

    At the time of the Interim Report there was a limited amount of published papers by scientists and

    academics available internationally regarding unconventional gas mining effects, methodology, and

    fugitive gas emissions. It is noteworthy the difficulty involved in being able to remain completely up-

    to-date with the latest scientific knowledge.

    Whats been missing since natural gas fracking began 15 years ago in the USA, is a comprehensive,

    independent, and open set of measurements being taken of these kinds of drilling operations. Nor is

    there a central repository of all the research, analysis, or published science papers on the subject.

    Into such a vacuum, as in all similar emotionally charged and controversial environmental or

    economic policy issues: A lack of hard objective data usually leads to an avalanche of unproven

    biased assertions, unsubstantiated claims, and extreme opinions from all sides of a debate.

    I am starting to understand how truly complex this CSG mining issue really is along with the difficulty

    involved in sourcing up-to-date credible, scientifically based, and publicly accessible information on

    Shale Gas and Coal Seam Gas mining and extraction.

    During a short online course about Energy, the Environment, and Our Future out of Penn State

    University about 40,000 people participated. The level of interest and concerns over fracking for

    Coal Seam Gas and Shale Oil/Gas mining and extraction was widespread among students.

    Students provided news reports, science studies, and personal anecdotes about this mining practice

    from across the globe including Australia, USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Poland and a

    few other locations.

    In the course of my own ongoing research of climate change issues I was able to locate and compile

    a number of very recent scientific studies and credible reports about the topic. I realize the majority

    of this information is USA based and orientated, and in that it may not be directly replicable to an

    Australian CSG mining situation across the board.

    However it appears self-evident that much of the existing knowledge and practices for CSG mining

    here in Australia have been originally provided by Mining Companies and experts who were

    substantially drawing on industry experience and norms from the USA alone. I hope it may prove

    helpful.

  • Page 3 of 19

    Scientific papers and academic reports on CSG and Shale Gas Mining

    Item 1

    The first ever 'Science Paper' on the GHG Footprint of Unconventional Gas extraction was not published

    until March, 2011.

    Methane and the greenhouse-gas footprint of natural gas from shale formations

    by Robert W. Howarth, Renee Santoro, Anthony Ingraffea about the USA.

    This paper received a lot of criticism as it didn't actually perform direct measurements but analyzed various prior Papers

    and assumptions. It was perceived by many in the industry to be biased, invalid, and incomplete. This paper was a first

    step which summarized the existing but limited knowledge that was available up to 2010.

    Abstract

    We evaluate the greenhouse gas footprint of natural gas obtained by high volume hydraulic fracturing from shale

    formations, focusing on methane emissions. Natural gas is composed largely of methane, and 3.6% to 7.9% of the

    methane from shale-gas production escapes to the atmosphere in venting and leaks over the lifetime of a well.

    http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/howarth/Howarth%20et%20al%20%202011.pdf

    Item 2

    The next scientific study was done in Australia during 2012 by a team led by Dr Isaac Santos of Southern Cross

    University (SCU) COAL SEAM GAS & THE ENVIRONMENT http://scu.edu.au/coastal-biogeochemistry/index.php/20

    SCU Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry Research > Latest News >

    http://scu.edu.au/coastal-biogeochemistry/index.php/69

    Initially the information compiled from this study was released via SCU and the media.

    November 14, 2012, Methane leaking from coal seam gas field, testing shows. Vast amounts of methane appear to be

    leaking undetected from Australia's biggest coal seam gas field, according to world-first research that undercuts claims

    by the gas industry. ...found some greenhouse gas levels over three times higher than nearby districts, according to the

    study by researchers at Southern Cross University.

    Inside the gas field, methane was measured at up to 6.89 parts per million, compared to an average background level

    outside the gas field of about 2 (two) parts per million.

    Carbon dioxide levels inside the gas field were measured at up to 541 parts per million, compared to 423 parts per

    million outside.

    http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/methane-leaking-from-coal-seam-gas-field-testing-sh...

    This study also received much criticism in Australia, especially from the CSG industry and government politicians,

    mainly because it was not a seen as a genuine "peer-reviewed paper". The facts presented were therefore discounted

    out of hand by many.

    After another year of work on this study, Dr Isaac Santos and his team submitted the study for peer review and it

    was published in the American Chemical Society journal.

    Nov 2013 Published Science Paper:

    Enrichment of Radon and Carbon Dioxide in the Open Atmosphere of an Australian Coal Seam Gas Field by Dr

    Isaac Santos et al

    Abstract

    Atmospheric radon (222Rn) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were used to gain insight into fugitive emissions

    in an Australian coal seam gas (CSG) field (Surat Basin, Tara region, Queensland). 222Rn and CO2 concentrations

    were observed for 24 h within and outside the gas field. Both 222Rn and CO2 concentrations followed a diurnal cycle

    with night time concentrations higher than day time concentrations.

    http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/howarth/Howarth%20et%20al%20%202011.pdfhttp://scu.edu.au/coastal-biogeochemistry/index.php/20http://scu.edu.au/coastal-biogeochemistry/index.php/69http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/methane-leaking-from-coal-seam-gas-field-testing-shows-20121114-29c9m.html
  • Page 4 of 19

    Average CO2 concentrations over the 24-h period ranged from 390 ppm at the control site to 467 ppm near the center

    of the gas field. A 3 fold increase in maximum 222Rn concentration was observed inside the gas field compared to

    outside of it. There was a significant relationship between maximum and average 222Rn concentrations and the number

    of gas wells within a 3 km radius of the sampling sites (n = 5 stations; p < 0.05).

    A positive trend was observed between CO2 concentrations and the number of CSG wells, but the relationship was not

    statistically significant.

    We hypothesize that the radon relationship was a response to enhanced emissions within the gas field related to both

    point (well heads, pipelines, etc.) and diffuse soil sources. Radon may be useful in monitoring enhanced soil gas fluxes

    to the atmosphere due to changes in the geological structure associated with wells and hydraulic fracturing in CSG

    fields.

    http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es304538g and http://epubs.scu.edu.au/esm_pubs/1693/

    Those that had been vocal in their criticisms a year before were overall silent in the media. This Paper received very

    little attention in Australia, unlike the earlier data release in 2012 through the media.

    Item 3

    SECOND USA STUDY August 19, 2013

    Measurements of methane emissions at natural gas production sites in the United States by David T. Allen et al

    Abstract

    Engineering estimates of methane emissions from natural gas production have led to varied projections of national

    emissions. This work reports direct measurements of methane emissions at 190 onshore natural gas sites in the United

    States (150 production sites, 27 well completion flowbacks, 9 well unloadings, and 4 workovers).

    For well completion flowbacks, which clear fractured wells of liquid to allow gas production, methane emissions ranged

    from 0.01 Mg to 17 Mg (mean = 1.7 Mg; 95% confidence bounds of 0.673.3 Mg), compared with an average of 81 Mg

    per event in the 2011 EPA national emission inventory from April 2013. Emission factors for pneumatic pumps and

    controllers as well as equipment leaks were both comparable to and higher than estimates in the national inventory. [..]

    The estimate for comparable source categories in the EPA national inventory is 1,200 Gg. Additional measurements of

    unloadings and workovers are needed to produce national emission estimates for these source categories. The 957 Gg

    in emissions for completion flowbacks, pneumatics, and equipment leaks, coupled with EPA national

    inventory estimates for other categories, leads to an estimated 2,300 Gg of methane emissions from natural gas

    production (0.42% of gross gas production).

    http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/09/10/1304880110.abstract

    UT's David Allen Discusses Methane Gas Emissions in Natural Gas Production Study

    This Youtube video features Cockrell School of Engineering professor and principal investigator David Allen discussing

    the study's biggest takeaways and its importance to policy makers and industry. http://youtu.be/nXxMbt-pIPk

    October 4, 2013 NYT Op-Ed A Fracking Rorschach Test By JOE NOCERA

    "Enlisting the cooperation of nine companies that in many cases were using the best available well-completion

    technology technology that will be mandated by the federal government by 2015 they concluded that the methane

    leakage during the production of natural gas was a mere 0.42 percent. In some parts of the process the emissions

    were lower than government estimates, but in other parts they were considerably higher."

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/opinion/a-fracking-rorschach-test.html

    September 16, 2013 NYT Dot Earth blog review of the study

    Encouraging Results Seen in First Nationwide Look at Gas Leaks from Drilling Boom By ANDREW C. REVKIN

    "The analysis, led by David T. Allen and other energy and environment researchers at the University of Texas, finds that

    estimates of methane escaping from gas drilling made by the Environmental Protection Agency are fairly accurate, over

    all, while those from industry critics and some indirect studies of leakage (from aerial measurements, for example)

    appear far too high."

    http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/encouraging-results-in-first-nationwide-look-at-gas-lea...

    http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es304538ghttp://epubs.scu.edu.au/esm_pubs/1693/http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/09/10/1304880110.abstracthttp://youtu.be/nXxMbt-pIPkhttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/opinion/a-fracking-rorschach-test.htmlhttp://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/encouraging-results-in-first-nationwide-look-at-gas-leaks-from-fracking-boom/
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    Item 4

    THIRD USA STUDY October 18, 2013

    Anthropogenic emissions of methane in the United States by Scot M. Miller and Steven C. Wofsy et al.

    Significance

    Successful regulation of greenhouse gas emissions requires knowledge of current methane emission sources. Existing

    state regulations in California and Massachusetts require 15% greenhouse gas emissions reductions from current

    levels by 2020. However, government estimates for total US methane emissions may be biased by 50%, and estimates

    of individual source sectors are even more uncertain. This study uses atmospheric methane observations to reduce this

    level of uncertainty.

    We find greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and fossil fuel extraction and processing (i.e., oil and/or natural gas)

    are likely a factor of two or greater than cited in existing studies. Effective national and state greenhouse gas reduction

    strategies may be difficult to develop without appropriate estimates of methane emissions from these source sectors.

    Abstract

    This study quantitatively estimates the spatial distribution of anthropogenic methane sources in the United States by

    combining comprehensive atmospheric methane observations, extensive spatial datasets, and a high-resolution

    atmospheric transport model.

    Results show that current inventories from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Emissions Database

    for Global Atmospheric Research underestimate methane emissions nationally by a factor of 1.5 and 1.7,

    respectively. Our study indicates that emissions due to ruminants and manure are up to twice the magnitude of existing

    inventories. []

    These results cast doubt on the US EPAs recent decision to downscale its estimate of national natural gas emissions

    by 2530%. Overall, we conclude that methane emissions associated with both the animal husbandry and fossil fuel

    industries have larger greenhouse gas impacts than indicated by existing inventories.

    http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/11/20/1314392110.abstract

    November 25, 2013 NYT Dot Earth blog review and recent history

    New Study Finds U.S. Has Greatly Underestimated Methane Emissions By ANDREW C. REVKIN

    "Its important to note that the new study is a snapshot of conditions in 2007 and 2008, before concerns increased about

    the need for tighter standards for gas and oil drilling operations. The authors say a similar analysis is under way for

    more recent years. "

    Most strikingly, our results are higher by a factor of 2.7 over the south-central United States, which we know is a key

    region for fossil-fuel extraction and refining. It will be important to resolve that discrepancy in order to fully understand

    the impact of these industries on methane emissions. notes lead author Scot M. Miller.

    http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/25/new-study-finds-u-s-has-underestimated-methane-levels-i...

    November 26, 2013 National Geographic Blog Review of the Study

    Natural Gas Reality Check: U.S. Methane Emissions May Exceed Estimates By 50 Percent

    Posted by Marianne Lavelle

    "Faced with an onslaught of criticism from the industry that it had overestimated the fugitive emissions, the EPA this

    year incorporated the industrys own studies to downgrade its estimate of U.S. methane emissions by 25 to 30 percent.

    But the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), based on the

    relatively new data gathered from monitoring stations on tall towers and on aircraft, indicate that U.S. methane

    emissions instead are actually 50 percent higher than EPA has calculated."

    http://energyblog.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/26/natural-gas-reality-check-u-s-methane-emissions-...

    http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/11/20/1314392110.abstracthttp://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/25/new-study-finds-u-s-has-underestimated-methane-levels-in-the-atmosphere/?_r=0http://energyblog.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/26/natural-gas-reality-check-u-s-methane-emissions-may-exceed-estimates-by-50-percent/
  • Page 6 of 19

    Item 5

    April, 2013 EPAs Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP)

    Overview of Updates to the Natural Gas Sector Emissions Calculations for the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas

    Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011

    Over the last 18 months, EPA has received a significant amount of new information on the natural gas industry,

    particularly related to natural gas production. Specifically, EPA received input from stakeholders through the following

    mechanisms:

    The formal public notice and comment process of the oil and gas NSPS to control VOCs

    ( http://www.epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/ )

    A stakeholder workshop on the natural gas sector emissions estimates

    ( http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/Sept2012stakeholderworkshop.html )

    Data submitted under subpart W of EPAs Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP)

    The expert review and a 30 day public comment period for the Inventory of U.S. Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011

    The updated estimates in the Inventory reflect this new information. The key changes from last years Inventory are to

    two sources: liquids unloading, and completions and workovers with hydraulic fracturing. We also made additional

    changes to the report to allow for more transparency.

    http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/Downloads/ghgemissions/fact-sheet-oil-and-gas-estimates-in-2013-inv...

    Item 6

    August 5, 2013 - CIRES, NOAA observe significant methane leaks in a Utah natural gas field

    New measurements made on one day suggest a need for more direct data

    CIRES scientists and NOAA colleagues tested out a new way to measure methane emissions from a natural gas

    production field. Their results, accepted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters, constitute a proof-of-concept

    that could help both researchers and regulators better determine how much of the greenhouse gas and other air

    pollutants leak from oil and gas fields. The measurements show that on one February day in the Uintah Basin, the

    natural gas field leaked 6 to 12 percent of the methane produced, on average, on February days. We used a mass

    balance technique, which means we follow an air mass as it moves into the region and then flows out, said Colm

    Sweeney, a scientist with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of

    Colorado Boulder, who leads the aircraft group at NOAAs Earth System Research Laboratory Global Monitoring

    Division. We look at the difference in methane between those two to determine an actual emissions rate for the region.

    See more at: http://cires.colorado.edu/news/press/2013/methaneleaks.html

    Methane emissions estimate from airborne measurements over a western United States natural gas field

    Abstract:

    Methane (CH4) emissions from natural gas production are not well quantified and have the potential to offset the climate

    benefits of natural gas over other fossil fuels. We use atmospheric measurements in a mass balance approach to

    estimate CH4 emissions of 5515 103 kg h1 from a natural gas and oil production field in Uintah County, Utah, on 1

    day: 3 February 2012. This emission rate corresponds to 6.2%11.7% (1) of average hourly natural gas production in

    Uintah County in the month of February. This study demonstrates the mass balance technique as a valuable tool for

    estimating emissions from oil and gas production regions and illustrates the need for further atmospheric measurements

    to determine the representativeness of our single-day estimate and to better assess inventories of CH4 emissions.

    Paper at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/grl.50811/abstract

    http://www.epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/Sept2012stakeholderworkshop.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/climatechange/Downloads/ghgemissions/fact-sheet-oil-and-gas-estimates-in-2013-inventory.pdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/grl.50811/abstracthttp://cires.colorado.edu/http://www.colorado.edu/http://www.colorado.edu/http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/http://cires.colorado.edu/news/press/2013/methaneleaks.htmlhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/grl.50811/abstract
  • Page 7 of 19

    Item 7

    January 2014 Methane emissions from oil & gas development

    from Skeptical Science website (extracts with references on source site)

    Earlier last year we posted a blog on whether the new natural gas boom, thanks to improved drilling technologies and

    hydraulic fracturing or fracking, was to be considered a boon or bane to Earths climate.

    We concluded that knowledge on leak rates (commonly expressed as a percentage of produced gas), especially for

    newly developed wells and their infrastructure, was lacking. Some scientific estimates implied rates near or below 2%,

    while others implied 5% or more. We also pointed out that, regardless of current leak rates from booming oil & gas

    activities, methane leakage in general is an important issue.

    Several recent scientific assessments put current fossil fuel related, Fugitive methane emissions to the atmosphere at

    100 million tons per year (0.1 Gt) , roughly two thirds coming from the oil & gas industry, and the remaining third from

    coal mining.

    So are the emissions from the fossil fuel industry in the US increasing due to fracking, or not? Unfortunately, this

    question was not answered in 2013, despite a number of new publications shining a light on the question through actual

    measurements.

    The way ahead - These and other questions are currently explored by various researchers. At the AGU Fall Meeting

    2013, similar to 2012, several sessions addressed the topic of gas leakage, and we summarize some highlights here.

    1. Leak rates are indeed highly variable 2. NOAA investigated more shale areas using the mass balance technique 3. Air pollution impacts are getting stronger recognition

    Some conclusions The presented data, including both well-site and atmospheric measurements, can be expected to enter the peer-reviewed literature later in 2014. In addition, now that the scientific community has developed an arsenal of investigation techniques, more measurements are likely to be carried out in the coming years, some already announced at the AGU Fall Meeting 2013.

    A continental scale estimate presented at AGU (abstract A44A-08) suggests that actual, nationwide US emissions are more likely in the 3-5% range of produced natural gas.

    At these leak rate levels, natural gas still holds a greenhouse gas advantage over coal combustion for electricity production in the long run. However, such leak rates are higher than claimed by the industry, and co-emitted or flared hydrocarbons produce locally and regionally recognized air pollution that needs to be addressed. While methane leaks may not have been on everybody's radar in the past, they have always mattered. Or as one AGU abstract (A53A-0138) elegantly summarized: "There is increasing recognition that minimising methane emissions from the oil and gas sector is a key step in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions in the near term. Atmospheric monitoring techniques are likely to play an important future role in measuring the extent of existing emissions and verifying emission reductions."

    http://climatestate.com/2014/01/13/methane-emissions-from-oil-gas-development/

    Item 8

    Dec 2013 Estrogen and Androgen Receptor Activities of Hydraulic Fracturing Chemicals

    and Surface and Ground Water in a Drilling-Dense Region by Christopher D. Kassotis et al

    Abstract

    The rapid rise in natural gas extraction utilizing hydraulic fracturing increases the potential for contamination of surface

    and ground water from chemicals used throughout the process. Hundreds of products containing more than 750

    chemicals and components are potentially used throughout the extraction process, including over one hundred known

    or suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals.

    http://climatestate.com/2014/01/13/methane-emissions-from-oil-gas-development/
  • Page 8 of 19

    We hypothesized that a selected subset of chemicals used in natural gas drilling operations and also surface and

    ground water samples collected in a drilling-dense region of Garfield County, CO would exhibit estrogen and androgen

    receptor activities. Water samples were collected, solid-phase extracted, and measured for estrogen and androgen

    receptor activities using reporter gene assays in human cell lines. Of the 39 unique water samples, 89%, 41%, 12%,

    and 46% exhibited estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, androgenic, and anti-androgenic activities, respectively.

    Testing of a subset of natural gas drilling chemicals revealed novel anti-estrogenic, novel anti-androgenic, and limited

    estrogenic activities.

    The Colorado River, the drainage basin for this region, exhibited moderate levels of estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, and

    anti-androgenic activities, suggesting that higher localized activity at sites with known natural gas related spills

    surrounding the river might be contributing to the multiple receptor activities observed in this water source. The majority

    of water samples collected from sites in a drilling-dense region of Colorado exhibited more estrogenic, anti-estrogenic,

    or anti-androgenic activities than reference sites with limited nearby drilling operations. Our data suggest that natural

    gas drilling operations may result in elevated EDC activity in surface and ground water.

    http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/en.2013-1697

    Item 9

    May 2013 Risks to biodiversity from hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus and Utica shales

    by Erik Kiviat et al

    Abstract

    Keywords: Appalachian Basin; biodiversity; forest fragmentation; hydraulic fracturing; salinization; shale gas

    High-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing (HVHHF) for mining natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shales is

    widespread in Pennsylvania and potentially throughout approximately 280,000 km2 of the Appalachian Basin. Physical

    and chemical impacts of HVHHF include pollution by toxic synthetic chemicals, salt, and radionuclides, landscape

    fragmentation by wellpads, pipelines, and roads, alteration of stream and wetland hydrology, and increased truck traffic.

    Despite concerns about human health, there has been little study of the impacts on habitats and biota. Taxa and guilds

    potentially sensitive to HVHHF impacts include freshwater organisms (e.g., brook trout, freshwater mussels),

    fragmentation-sensitive biota (e.g., forest-interior breeding birds, forest orchids), and species with restricted geographic

    ranges (e.g., Wehrle's salamander, tongue-tied minnow). Impacts are potentially serious due to the rapid development

    of HVHHF over a large region.

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.12146/abstract

    Item 10

    17 July 2013 Can fracking cause bigger, more frequent earthquakes?

    By Dougal Jerram Professor II at CEED at University of Oslo

    Three reports have been published this month in the journal Science that add to our limited but growing data on the

    causal link between fluid injections and earthquakes.

    "The most striking indication of human-induced earthquakes is provided by the graph below, which shows the

    cumulative number of earthquakes in the central and eastern US that were greater than or equal to magnitude 3.0 on

    Richter scale. The clear increase from 2005 coincides with the rapid increase of shale gas wells and associated

    increased deep waste-water injection. Between 2005 and 2012, the shale gas industry in the US grew by 45% each

    year."

    https://c479107.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/27476/width668/zmqnbq8c-1373883663.jpg

    Injection-Induced Earthquakes by William L. Ellsworth

    In the first report, a review article, William Ellsworth of the US Geological Survey points out that earthquakes are

    occurring in unusual locations in North America and Europe. He looks at activities where injecting fluids into the ground

    may cause earthquakes such as mining for minerals and coal, oil and gas exploration/production, as well as the

    building of reservoirs and large waste-water disposal sites. Ellsworth examines three case studies of deep injection,

    which are particularly convincing.

    http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6142/1225942

    http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/en.2013-1697http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.12146/abstracthttps://c479107.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/27476/width668/zmqnbq8c-1373883663.jpghttp://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6142/1225942
  • Page 9 of 19

    Anthropogenic Seismicity Rates and Operational Parameters at the Salton Sea Geothermal Field

    By Emily E. Brodsky, Lia J. Lajoie

    In the second report, Emily Brodsky and Lia Lajoie of the University of California at Santa Cruz, look at the Salton Sea

    Geothermal Field in California. They track the total volume of fluid injected and extracted to extract heat from earths

    core, and find it correlates to the number and magnitude of earthquakes. So its not just injection, but also extraction

    needs to be paid attention to.

    http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6145/543

    Enhanced Remote Earthquake Triggering at Fluid-Injection Sites in the Midwestern United States

    By Nicholas J. van der Elst et al

    The last report is by Nicholas van der Elst of Cornell University and his colleagues. This study tracked induced

    earthquakes that are triggered by much larger natural earthquakes that occur far away. Injection of water in the deep

    ground elevates pore pressures and makes the faults and fracture networks in the rocks more vulnerable, so that a

    distant event can push the system over the edge and to cause earthquakes around the injection sites.

    Summary article https://theconversation.com/can-fracking-cause-bigger-more-frequent-earthquakes-16056

    Item 11

    1 April 2013 GAS LEAK! ABC Australia Four Corners program

    The latest research that suggests the coal seam gas industry might be a much bigger greenhouse gas emitter than

    previously thought. But why weren't these problems picked up in the development approval process? The answer is

    simple: according to one insider, the approval process is significantly flawed.

    Four Corners reveals what really happened when two major companies applied to develop thousands of square

    kilometres of southern Queensland for coal seam gas. Using hundreds of pages of confidential documents, the program

    reveals that the companies didn't supply enough basic information for an informed decision to be made about

    environmental impacts. Despite this, various government agencies permitted the developments to go ahead, allowing

    the companies to submit key information at a later date.

    http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/04/01/3725150.htm

    VIDEO: Interview with Simone Marsh, Senior environmental specialist with the Queensland State Government by Four

    Corners Gas Leak! (No base-line studies = no risk assessments = no scientific rigor = no real checks and balances)

    http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/fourcorners/video/20130401_4c_marsh_288p.mp4

    Item 12

    8 January 2014, Shale oil: the boom heard around the world (Pro-energy economics)

    By Scott L. Montgomery, Professor, Jackson School of International Studies at University of Washington

    So what are the chances of a shale boom or bang outside the US? At this moment, they seem moderate to good.

    Opposition to fracking, however, could prove a wildcard factor.

    The technology has been overlain with much fear and anecdotal ugliness. France and parts of Britain have banned it

    outright. The fact of one million fracked wells since the 1970s, however, plus some recent studies, confirm that fears

    have been overblown, though illegal disposal of waste water and poorly completed wells, leading to some aquifer

    contamination, has occurred.

    Other new data show that claims about methane leaks from fracked wells being large enough to negate any carbon

    savings by switching from coal to gas are unsupported. (see Item 3 above)

    http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6145/543https://theconversation.com/can-fracking-cause-bigger-more-frequent-earthquakes-16056http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/04/01/3725150.htmhttp://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/fourcorners/video/20130401_4c_marsh_288p.mp4
  • Page 10 of 19

    "The biggest problem for fracking, besides its high water demands and possibility of re-activating geologic faults, is its

    reality as a massive industrial process. This makes it not only liable to occasional flaws and failures if not closely

    monitored, but decidedly ill-suited to well-populated areas and problematic in places unused to oil or gas activity."

    https://theconversation.com/shale-oil-the-boom-heard-around-the-world-19202

    Item 13

    Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids Likely Harmed Threatened Kentucky Fish Species Released: 8/28/2013

    This took from 2007 until 2013 to obtain a definitive public science based answer about a fracking chemical release?

    Hydraulic fracturing fluids are believed to be the cause of the widespread death or distress of aquatic species in

    Kentuckys Acorn Fork, after spilling from nearby natural gas well sites. These findings are the result of a joint study by

    the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

    The Acorn Fork, a small Appalachian creek, is habitat for the federally threatened Blackside dace, a small colorful

    minnow. The Acorn Fork is designated by Kentucky as an Outstanding State Resource Waters.

    Our study is a precautionary tale of how entire populations could be put at risk even with small-scale fluid spills, said

    USGS scientist Diana Papoulias, the studys lead author. This is especially the case if the species is threatened or is

    only found in limited areas, like the Blackside dace is in the Cumberland.

    Hydraulic fracturing is the most common method for natural gas well-development in Kentucky.

    The report is entitled Histopathological Analysis of Fish from Acorn Fork Creek, Kentucky Exposed to Hydraulic

    Fracturing Fluid Releases, and is published in the scientific journal Southeastern Naturalist, in a special edition devoted

    to the Blackside dace.

    http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3677#.UtXriyPrVYg

    Item 14

    16 April 2013, Coal Seam Gas Monitoring in Australia - Discussion Paper

    Coal Seam Gas: Enhanced Estimation and Reporting of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions under the National

    Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination

    http://www.climatechange.gov.au/sites/climatechange/files/files/consultations/2013-16-04-CSG-Discuss...

    Item 15

    Mar 8, 2013, Post Carbon Institute Canada - New Shale Gas Report: Drill Baby Drill

    by Professor David Hughes http://www.postcarbon.org/drill-baby-drill/

    "A provocative new analysis of so-called unconventional fuel reserves in the United States concludes that the exuberant

    forecasts are simply unwarranted based on the facts of geology. In short, the hype around shale gas is just that. Hype.

    We speak with the author of the Drill Baby Drill study. David Hughes is a fellow at the Post Carbon Institute."

    Interview by CBC Radio Canada

    http://youtu.be/6r_UjRE1HvU

    Key claim by Hughes is the promised Nth American shale gas production levels are unsustainable and not achievable.

    https://theconversation.com/shale-oil-the-boom-heard-around-the-world-19202http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3677#.UtXriyPrVYghttp://www.climatechange.gov.au/sites/climatechange/files/files/consultations/2013-16-04-CSG-Discussion-Paper-PDF.pdfhttp://www.postcarbon.org/drill-baby-drill/http://youtu.be/6r_UjRE1HvU
  • Page 11 of 19

    Item 16

    DRINKING WATER Contamination Studies

    Increased stray gas abundance in a subset of drinking water wells near Marcellus shale gas extraction by Robert B.

    Jackson et al ~ Edited by Susan E. Trumbore, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany, and approved

    June 3, 2013

    ABSTRACT

    Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are transforming energy production, but their potential environmental effects

    remain controversial. We analyzed 141 drinking water wells across the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province of

    northeastern Pennsylvania, examining natural gas concentrations and isotopic signatures with proximity to shale gas

    wells.

    Methane was detected in 82% of drinking water samples

    with average concentrations six times higher for homes

  • Page 12 of 19

    Item 18

    5 November 2013 Project Asks Whats in the Water After Fracking at Depth

    By American Geophysical Union. Eos, Vol. 94, No. 45, PAGES 409411

    Eight years ago, drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region began to include new hydraulic fracturing

    techniques, and one observation stands out: Data that can be used to assess water quality where drilling is taking place

    are hard to find. A group of faculty, researchers, and citizen scientists is trying to remedy that by building a

    publicly accessible and scientifically rigorous database that can be used to track and analyze information on water

    quality.

    Called the Shale Network, the initiative was started in 2011 with the aim of getting as many groups as possible to share

    and analyze water quality information and address the questions of what consequences, if any, hydraulic fracturing may

    have on the regions waterways.

    Fig. 1. Map showing locations of all methane concentrations in groundwater for New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,

    Maryland, and West Virginia that are publicly available and published with geographic coordinates. Compared to New

    York and West Virginia, few data for methane concentrations in groundwater and locations have been published in

    Pennsylvania

    Paper: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2013EO450002/pdf

    The Shale Network is a project funded by the National Science Foundation to help scientists and citizens store data for

    water resources that may be affected by gas exploitation in shale. Our primary focus currently is the Marcellus shale

    and other shales in the northeastern U.S.A. We want to enable the generation of knowledge from water chemistry and

    flow data collected in areas of extraction of natural gas. The Shale Network is working with the Consortium of

    Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Sciences, Inc. (CUAHSI) to create this database. Our goal is to find,

    organize, and upload data for water resources for online publication and your data can help.

    http://www.shalenetwork.org/

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2013EO450002/pdfhttp://www.shalenetwork.org/
  • Page 13 of 19

    Item 19

    January 13, 2014 Fracking study finds combustible levels of methane in water after EPA gave the all clear

    Steve Lipsky, a resident of Fort Worth, Texas, complained to the Environmental Protection Agency that his familys

    water seemed to be bubbling in a way that made it appear similar to a glass of champagne. The EPA issued an

    emergency order and immediately began investigating in December of 2010, warning at least two families that their

    water supply may be contaminated with flammable methane.

    The EPA dropped its investigation, rescinding its emergency order, and then refused to explain its reasoning.

    Documents later obtained by the Associated Press revealed that the EPA did indeed have evidence against Range

    Resources, which operated a drill near Lipskys home, but decided to drop its investigation when company executives

    threatened to pull Range Resources out of a national study into hydraulic fracking.

    Documents further indicate that the EPA ignored analysis that the contamination was the result of drilling and relied on

    tests conducted by Range Resources, which found no evidence of contamination.

    http://rt.com/usa/epa-energy-fracking-investigation-545/

    The natural gas boom is happening all across the country. Gas constitutes about 25 percent of total energy

    consumption. Pennsylvania saw natural gas production increase by 69 percent in 2012.

    But this boom has also created many issues: earthquakes, water contamination and scarcity, and leakage. 65 percent

    of Americans already say more regulations of fracking are needed, despite only a few studies having been conducted

    on the topic of possible water contamination. This makes the recent Duke study a significant contribution to the ongoing

    fracking debate.

    http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/06/26/2222591/bombshell-study-finds-drinking-water-near-fracking-wells-

    contaminated-with-methane/

    Item 20

    July 22, 2013 Forest fragmentation caused by drilling infrastructure is measurable, may alter bird communities

    Grad researcher studies impacts of Marcellus Shale development on wildlife By David Pacchioli

    Pennsylvania, a.k.a. Penn's Woods, is roughly 60 percent forest, with the largest unbroken block of trees spanning the

    state's north central region. "This region is one of Pennsylvania's greatest resources," says Penn State graduate

    student Lillie Langlois. "Since the logging era it has re-established itself to contiguous mature forest. A lot of wildlife

    depend on that habitat for breeding."

    Within the past six years, however, the rapid expansion of Marcellus Shale drilling has been breaking up the block.

    According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, as of 2012, there were more than 8,000 well permits

    issued and 6,000 wells drilled across the state, with the north-central region being one of the hot spots. Drilling for

    natural gas requires plenty of infrastructure, and that infrastructure leaves a sizeable footprint. [...]

    Unlike many private landowners, Langlois says, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources "has

    done a lot of mitigation effort in the Tiadaghton, working directly with gas companies on consolidating infrastructure.

    They try to put roads and pipelines along pre-existing features, instead of cutting new swaths through the forest. They

    also site more wells per pad -- about four, compared to the state average of 2.2."

    Even so, Langlois says, her GIS data shows an average loss greater than 4 percent of core forest in the southern

    Tiadaghton in less than four years with some management units losing up to 10 percent. "That doesn't mean 10 percent

    of the forest is being lost," she stresses. "It's maybe three to four percent in this case. But what's happening is it is no

    longer core forest because it is now near a road or pipeline."

    This summer she is examining the impacts of these changes on birds. In addition to gathering new data, "I'm still

    analyzing my data from last field season," Langlois says. "Right now, general trends are that the forest interior species

    are avoiding the pipelines. It may be many years before we see how responses by individual species add up to changes

    in the bird community. My study is establishing some baseline data."

    http://news.psu.edu/story/282350/2013/07/22/research/grad-researcher-studies-impacts-marcellus-shale-development

    http://rt.com/usa/epa-energy-fracking-investigation-545/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-04-01/more-evidence-that-fracking-causes-earthquakeshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/asit-biswas/fracking-water_b_2837779.htmlhttp://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/06/15/2163531/fracking-is-already-straining-us-water-supplies/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jun/04/methane-leaks-negate-climate-benefits-gashttp://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/06/26/2222591/bombshell-study-finds-drinking-water-near-fracking-wells-contaminated-with-methane/http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/06/26/2222591/bombshell-study-finds-drinking-water-near-fracking-wells-contaminated-with-methane/http://news.psu.edu/story/282350/2013/07/22/research/grad-researcher-studies-impacts-marcellus-shale-development
  • Page 14 of 19

    Item 21 (possibly hyperbole news media reporting here more research required)

    By ASSOCIATED PRESS PUBLISHED 6 January 2014

    Water in at least three U.S. states is polluted from FRACKING hundreds of complaints are reported across the country

    - Pollution has been confirmed in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia

    - Pennsylvania has confirmed at least 106 contamination cases since 2005

    - New data casts doubt on industry suggestions that problems rarely occur

    - Highlights major differences in the way contamination is reported by states

    - Also reveals lack of detail in reports, fuelling public confusion and mistrust

    - Fracking generates hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue for industry

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534508/Water-three-U-S-states-Pennsylvania-Ohio-West-Virginia-polluted-

    FRACKING.html or http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/water-pollution-drilling_n_4548561.html

    Item 22

    New Zealand Extend Fracking

    This is a 39 page technical report commissioned by the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment,

    produced by Power Projects Limited of Wellington. The report has been requested by the government as New Zealand

    are looking to increase their oil and gas production, to satisfy domestic demand and generate export revenue, as

    offshore oil and gas exploration is disappointing in producing desired discoveries, and interest is growing in the fracking

    technique by a few oil and gas developers.

    New Zealand have been using hydraulic fracturing for around 20 years in the Taranaki district without major incident

    and are now considering extending to a wider area. The report gives a good technical overview of the process and

    highlights the significant economic benefits in GDP terms and jobs, it also goes briefly into some of the risks.

    http://www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/pdf-library/iwi-and-communities/john-huckerby-report-13-december-2012-hydraulic-

    fracturing-final.pdf

    Item 23

    US EPA is conducting a study on the "Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources."

    In its 2012 progress report, the EPA detailed the research methods and progress to date of the study being done. The

    study will focus on 5 stages of the hydraulic fracturing cycle:

    Water acquisition

    Chemical mixing

    Well injection

    Flowback and produced water

    Wastewater treatment and waste disposal

    There are 18 research projects being performed to examine the cycle, using 5 types of research activities: analysis of

    existing data, scenario evaluations, laboratory studies, toxicity assessments and case studies.

    A draft review of the results of the study is expected to be released this year for public comment and peer review. The

    final report will further inform the policy debate over this practice and can be expected to influence regulation of the

    natural gas industry. http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/hf-report20121214.pdf

    Item 24

    Source Watch Shale Gas Fracking in Pennsylvania

    http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pennsylvania_and_fracking

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534508/Water-three-U-S-states-Pennsylvania-Ohio-West-Virginia-polluted-FRACKING.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534508/Water-three-U-S-states-Pennsylvania-Ohio-West-Virginia-polluted-FRACKING.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/water-pollution-drilling_n_4548561.htmlhttp://www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/pdf-library/iwi-and-communities/john-huckerby-report-13-december-2012-hydraulic-fracturing-final.pdfhttp://www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/pdf-library/iwi-and-communities/john-huckerby-report-13-december-2012-hydraulic-fracturing-final.pdfhttp://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/hf-report20121214.pdfhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pennsylvania_and_fracking
  • Page 15 of 19

    Item 25

    JISEA News: Study on Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Systems Indicates New Priorities

    February 18, 2014 Study findings published in Policy Forum of Journal Science

    A new study published in the journal Science says that the total impact of switching to natural gas

    depends heavily on leakage of methane (CH4) during the natural gas life cycle, and suggests that

    more can be done to reduce methane emissions and to improve measurement tools which help

    inform policy choices.

    Published in the February 14 issue of Science, the study, Methane Leaks from North American

    Natural Gas Systems, presents a first effort to systematically compare North American emissions

    estimates at scales ranging from device-level to continental atmospheric studies. Because natural

    gas emits less carbon dioxide during combustion than other fossil fuels, it has been looked to as a

    bridge fuel to a lower carbon energy system.

    With this study and our larger body of work focusing on natural gas and our transforming energy

    economy, we offer policymakers and investors a solid analytical foundation for decision making,

    said Doug Arent, executive director of the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) and a

    co-author to the study. While we found that official inventories tend to under-estimate total

    methane leakage, leakage rates are unlikely to be high enough to undermine the climate benefits of

    gas versus coal.

    http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2014/8304.html

    Stanford Report, February 13, 2014

    America's natural gas system is leaky and in need of a fix, new study finds

    A review of more than 200 earlier studies confirms that U.S. emissions of methane are considerably

    higher than official estimates. Leaks from the nation's natural gas system are an important part of

    the problem. This finding has important implications for natural gas as a possible replacement fuel

    for coal.

    The first thorough comparison of evidence for natural gas system leaks confirms that organizations

    including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have underestimated U.S. methane emissions

    generally, as well as those from the natural gas industry specifically.

    http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/february/methane-leaky-gas-021314.html

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=R7dLFx3ewrE

    Paper: Methane Leaks from North American Natural Gas Systems by A. R. Brandt et al

    http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6172/733.summary

    http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2014/8304.htmlhttp://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/february/methane-leaky-gas-021314.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=R7dLFx3ewrEhttp://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6172/733.summary
  • Page 16 of 19

    Item 26

    By The Time Natural Gas Has a , The Climate Ruined

    BY JOE ROMM February 19, 2014

    The evidence is mounting that natural gas has no net climate benefit in any timescale that matters to

    humanity. In the real world, natural gas is not a bridge fuel to a carbon-free economy for two key

    reasons.

    First, natural gas is mostly methane, (CH4), a super-potent greenhouse gas, which traps 86 times as

    much heat as CO2 over a 20-year period. So even small leaks in the natural gas production and

    delivery system can have a large climate impact enough to gut the entire benefit of switching

    from coal-fired power to gas.

    Sadly as a comprehensive new Stanford study reconfirms, Americas natural gas system is leaky.

    (An analysis of Item 25 by Joe Romm of Climate Progress)

    http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/02/19/3296831/natural-gas-climate-benefit/

    Item 27

    The Shale Gas Scam Goes Public

    06/30/2011-06-30 by Dave Cohen

    It is always gratifying when the New York Times catches up to what some of us have been saying for

    years now. I was pleased to see their recent three-part series Insiders Sound an Alarm Amid a

    Natural Gas Rush (June 25), Behind Veneer, Doubt on Future of Natural Gas (June 26) and S.E.C. Shift

    Leads to Worries of Overestimation of Reserves (June 27).

    The NYTimes had access to all sorts of internal e-mails and documents which were not available to

    me when I wrote those articles.

    Natural gas companies have been placing enormous bets on the wells they are drilling, saying they

    will deliver big profits and provide a vast new source of energy for the United States.

    But the gas may not be as easy and cheap to extract from shale formations deep underground as the

    companies are saying, according to hundreds of industry e-mails and internal documents and an

    analysis of data from thousands of wells.

    In the e-mails, energy executives, industry lawyers, state geologists and market analysts voice

    skepticism about lofty forecasts and question whether companies are intentionally, and even

    illegally, overstating the productivity of their wells and the size of their reserves.

    Many of these e-mails also suggest a view that is in stark contrast to more bullish public comments

    made by the industry, in much the same way that insiders have raised doubts about previous

    financial bubbles.

    http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/02/19/3296831/natural-gas-climate-benefit/
  • Page 17 of 19

    Money is pouring in from investors even though shale gas is inherently unprofitable, an analyst

    from PNC Wealth Management, an investment company, wrote to a contractor in a February e-mail.

    Reminds you of dot-coms.

    Here's a few choice quotes from those anonymous inside sources.

    "The word in the world of independents is that the shale gas plays are just giant ponzi schemes and

    the economics do not work"

    This August 2009 e-mail is in response to an article in an industry publication questioning shale

    gas economics. The official is from IHS Drilling Data, a research company that specializes in energy

    issues.

    See more from this article and others on the Decline of Empire blog site link below.

    http://www.declineoftheempire.com/2011/06/the-shale-gas-scam-goes-public.html

    This concludes the information summary. Thank you.

    Last Updated: 2014-03-09

    Prepared by SDA for the Lock the Gate Alliance & the NSW Government on 2014-01-13

    Doc URL on SCRIBD.com http://www.scribd.com/doc/203619501/Scientific-Studies-on-Hydraulic-Fracking-of-Shale-Gas-Coal-Seam-Gas

    http://www.declineoftheempire.com/2011/06/the-shale-gas-scam-goes-public.htmlhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/203619501/Scientific-Studies-on-Hydraulic-Fracking-of-Shale-Gas-Coal-Seam-Gas
  • Page 18 of 19

    For the Climate Change Science information, mainly HQ Videos of News, Lectures, latest Papers and

    Documentaries go to www.climatestate.com

    Excellent climate science resource is the Responding to Climate Change http://www.rtcc.org

    Academic based news reports, papers and analysis https://theconversation.com/au/environment

    Other very good climate change related sites and blogs include:

    http://thinkprogress.org/climate/issue/

    http://climatechangepsychology.blogspot.com.au

    http://environment.yale.edu/climate-communication/

    http://www.yaleclimatemediaforum.org/

    http://www.skepticalscience.com/

    http://guymcpherson.com/

    http://climatecrocks.com/

    http://www.easterbrook.ca/steve/

    http://robertscribbler.wordpress.com/

    http://www.meteo.psu.edu/holocene/public_html/Mann/news/news.php

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-james-hansen/

    http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0081648

    http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/?module=BlogMain&action=Click&region=Header&pgtype=Blogs

    &version=Blog%20Post&contentCollection=Opinion

    http://co2now.org/

    http://350.org/

    http://www.declineoftheempire.com/

    http://nextgenclimate.org/

    https://www.sciencenews.org/

    http://www.project-syndicate.org/columnist/jeffrey-d--sachs

    http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/

    http://climatechangenationalforum.org/

    http://www.climatestate.com/http://www.rtcc.org/https://theconversation.com/au/environmenthttp://thinkprogress.org/climate/issue/http://climatechangepsychology.blogspot.com.au/http://environment.yale.edu/climate-communication/http://www.yaleclimatemediaforum.org/http://www.skepticalscience.com/http://guymcpherson.com/http://climatecrocks.com/http://www.easterbrook.ca/steve/http://robertscribbler.wordpress.com/http://www.meteo.psu.edu/holocene/public_html/Mann/news/news.phphttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-james-hansen/http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0081648http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/?module=BlogMain&action=Click&region=Header&pgtype=Blogs&version=Blog%20Post&contentCollection=Opinionhttp://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/?module=BlogMain&action=Click&region=Header&pgtype=Blogs&version=Blog%20Post&contentCollection=Opinionhttp://co2now.org/http://350.org/http://www.declineoftheempire.com/http://nextgenclimate.org/https://www.sciencenews.org/http://www.project-syndicate.org/columnist/jeffrey-d--sachshttp://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/http://climatechangenationalforum.org/
  • Page 19 of 19

    Misc Science Blog Lists

    http://www.environmentalsciencedegree.com/climate-change/

    http://www.onlineuniversities-weblog.com/50226711/top-100-science-professor-blogs.php

    http://www.forensicsciencetechnician.org/100-blogs-every-science-student-should-subscribe-to/

    Whats Up With Real Climate?

    An irreverent look at the anal retentive Ivory Tower stiffs and Resident Trolls on RealClimate. We explore barriers to effective public communication of Climate Change using humor, irony, word plays, wit, satire, science, and straight talking common sense! All Very Boring. Noisy. Tedious. Wordy. Not Substantive. But only when one is disconnected from Reality.

    http://whatsupwithrealclimate.blogspot.com.au/

    Created and Produced by

    http://www.scribd.com/santimvah

    Copyright License Information

    Creative Commons

    Attribution Non-commercial

    This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they dont have to license their derivative works on the same terms. Learn more about this license.

    http://www.environmentalsciencedegree.com/climate-change/http://www.onlineuniversities-weblog.com/50226711/top-100-science-professor-blogs.phphttp://www.forensicsciencetechnician.org/100-blogs-every-science-student-should-subscribe-to/http://whatsupwithrealclimate.blogspot.com.au/http://www.scribd.com/santimvahhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/