![]() ![]() It shows that, in many cases, BC's current approach to resource management and environmental protection are not adequate to deal with the anticipated increase in unconventional gas development. This report explores the known and potential impacts to water resources from unconventional (shale) gas extraction in British Columbia. Matt Horne & Karen Campbell | The Pembina Institute | 2011 Shale Gas in British Columbia: Risks to BC’s Water Resources Over 6,000 new gas wells could be needed in the Northeast to feed the demand of new LNG export facilities. This raises questions about whether BC should expand fracking activities without further study. Both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador have placed a moratorium on fracking until further research is conducted into the consequences of this technology. Fracking in Northeastern BC requires millions of gallons of freshwater usage-between 5 - 8 Olympic-size pools of fresh water is used on each fracking well.įracking has been banned in countries such as France and Germany due to concerns about environmental and social impacts. Each frack-site requires seismic lines, roads, pipelines, storage tanks, compressor trucks, and large semi-trucks. ![]() Tens of thousands of diesel fuel are required, thousands of trucks haul in water to use for each frack job, as well as other fracking materials. On average, well pads are approximately 140 square meters and require extensive energy and infrastructure. There have been no documented cases of groundwater contamination from fracking to date. For those reasons, it is unclear if injected fluid is a concern here in BC. Where fracking is prevalent in the United States, there are cases of tap water being lit on fire and drinking wells exploding. However, fracking wells in BC are deeper than those in the United States and rock formations are said to act as an impermeable layer. Drilling can create underground passageways allowing methane to seep into underground water supplies. Methane has been found in higher concentrations in water near frack sites in the United States. In BC, this water is commonly injected into old well sites or stored in tailings ponds, which can also lead to water contamination. Fracking fluids also return to surface level, generating “produced water” that has to be disposed of. Health effects can include cancer liver, kidney, brain, respiratory and skin disorders and birth defects. Studies in the United States have shown that these chemicals can end up in drinking water and cause serious health effects. Chemicals used for fracking can contaminate surface and groundwater with regulated toxins and chemicals known to cause cancer. Read more at Penn Medicine News.There are two main concerns about fracking and water: the volume of water used for fracking operations and water contamination. The information found through WellExplorer might be particularly relevant for individuals who use private water wells, which are common in rural Pennsylvania, since homeowners may not be performing rigorous testing for these fracking chemicals, according to the study’s principal investigator Mary Regina Boland, an assistant professor of informatics in the Perelman School of Medicine. In a recent study, published in the journal Database, the WellExplorer app’s creators found, for example, that wells in Alabama use a disproportionately high number of ingredients targeting estrogen pathways, while Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania use a high number of ingredients targeting testosterone pathways. By typing your ZIP code into the website or accompanying app-called WellExplorer-you can view the closest fracking sites in your state, learn which chemicals are used at those sites, and view their levels of toxicity. Now, a new, interactive tool created by Penn Medicine researchers allows community members and scientists to find out which toxins may be lurking in their drinking water as a result of fracking. ![]()
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