Fracking

http://news.yahoo.com/unusual-dallas-earthquakes-linked-fracking-expert-says-181055288.html

Yeah, a great idea to bring it here to NYS.  I mean, does it really take a geologist to say that it may (or will) cause damage to the environment and drinking water??

I am a geologist, and the jury is out on the earthquake thing . . . Some people say that the fluid "greases the wheels" for smaller, less damaging earthquakes, and may actually prevent large, destructive earthquakes later.

That being said, I'm personally against it for a lot of other reasons (notably the secrecy involved with fracking fluid, which, for some reason, is classified as proprietary and never has to be disclosed to anyone ever - like the Coca Cola secret recipe).

It's hard to know what to think. I don't think the energy companies have a clue if it's dangerous or not.  As you'd expect they have dollar signs in their eyes.

One thing is for sure, it's driving the cost of energy way down.  I know last winter was warm but my January heating bill was $375 in 2011 and $185 in 2012.  I think a lot of that was fracking.

Marcski wrote

I mean, does it really take a geologist to say that it may (or will) cause damage to the environment and drinking water??

I think it should take scientists to show something is dangerous. But I also think if there are serious unanswered questions and companies motivated by profit with potential environmental damage, then perhaps expansion should be curtailed until more research can be done. Something doesn't seem right with fracking... but science has shown lots of things that don't look right are actually fine. But with so many questions in the air, I don't think it best to keep expanding operations until something conclusive can be shown.

Harv, do not kid yourself.  Last year was all about climate change!  It was cold for a couple weeks in Feb.  Fracking had very little to do w/ it.

when people are able to lite their faucet water on fire, well something is not right there....

One of our crew is a fracker (AssPro) and he's doing very good for himself.

I truly hope they get this figured out b/c it sure would create many NEEDED GREAT PAYING JOBS in this area.

My main concern is the rapid expansion when relatively little is known about the effects.  

I don't have the computer skill to create a link but check out Bakken oil fields/fail of the day. I have at least 2 dozen friends working in North Dakota. They are making really good money but working their butts off for it. They work 7 days a week for 12 hours per day. They can't keep the kids on the farm around here.
My brother works for a company in Erie, Pa. that does fracing. He sells energy to companies that need it. I hear both sides of the story. He says that ALL the testing done has shown that fracing is safe. I don't think they have done enough tests. They could be destroying the Earth faster than we can fix it.
While it does bring cheaper energy and good paying jobs ( two important things ) it also brings a lot of mayhem. In places like the Bakken, those towns were not ready for the influx of workers. No housing, schools, hospitals, infrastructure, police, jails, ect, ect. They are trying to build all that but that results in taxes going thru the roof. Not everyone in those towns is making the big bucks to go along. And life is not real pretty for these boom towns. The transient workers have brought a wild west flavor to the towns that they don't like. Whore houses were set up before doctors offices. Most workers live in man camps. The reports I hear are terrible. It reminds me of the Alaskan Pipeline boom of the late 70's.
Check and make sure you own the mineral right on your land.

yea, my buddy reports the same kinda stuff...he'll be gone for 1 to 2 months at a time then home for a month.

brutal work, not for a family man, but he's gonna "milk the cow" for as long as he can.


they work for every single waking hour of every day

Wild West, Whore Houses, Good Money.   YUCK!!

lolkl wrote

Whore houses were set up before doctors offices.

Wait . .  What's the problem here?  

I just saw something on TV.  

There's a town in PA called Dimock.

Apparently someone's well exploded.  I didn't see that.

What I saw was a guy connect a garden hose to an outdoor faucet. Fill up a bucket, and then use a lighter to light the contents on fire.

The economy is booming in a very poor area, but people travel to other towns to take showers because they get ill if they shower in their own homes.

Common sense says; If you pump stuff underground, it will eventually end up in the water.
GR

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/could-fracking-raise-lung-cancer-risk-n338146