Who lives or works in a fracking area?

[Snaggletooth]

I'm trying to read up on the fracking stuff. I get the principle and the reason for doing it but I've got some questions. From what I've been told they are doing some well fracking about 35 miles south of me near where my daughter lives.

 

She told me she and her girlfriend have felt some ground tremors over the last 24 hours. Enough to rattle things on the shelves and the last one this morning lasted about 10 seconds. She said it was pretty intense.

 

The idea of fracking in that area, if it would be part of the cause for the tremors is interesting as there is an old underground limestone mine just a few miles from her. I know that particular mine has had cave ins in the past.

 

Anybody living in a fracking area that can say what one might expect?

 

Curious..........

[djh3]

Hard to say. I lived in Oklahoma for 20yr and they did plenty of it in different areas of the state. I supose it depends on the area around it. I would think limestone would not be a particualr good thing to be fracturing, as its pretty soft anyways. The iron and quartz we had in Ok is a bit diffent rock. Up in Mich where my Grand parents old farm is they got oil many years ago. After the wells were in for 5yr or so they came back and did some fracking. After that the ground water went to crap. Salty tasing and nasty smelling. I guess the oil company fractured the ground and screw3ed the water table up. No worries, they didnt have to drink it, bathe in it etc.

Every now and then they bring in these big trucks that have flat platforms that sit on the ground and shake the heck out of it. Some distance away there is another truck with sysmic equipment in it and it measures things to help determine what they are looking for I guess. I know they could be 1/2 mile away and it would vibrate my mobile home. Clink glasses etc.

[Snaggletooth]

Every now and then they bring in these big trucks that have flat platforms that sit on the ground and shake the heck out of it. Some distance away there is another truck with sysmic equipment in it and it measures things to help determine what they are looking for I guess. I know they could be 1/2 mile away and it would vibrate my mobile home. Clink glasses etc.

 

You might be on to something there. There has been a lot of heavy truck activity in her area lately with some odd looking loads. They have been parking some of it at a farmers shop down the road for a couple weeks. Might have to take a closer look at the stuff.

 

That would explain the sort but regular bursts of tremors they have been feeling.

[Galapagos]

The company I work for is a frac sand supplier. I think it is a great idea.

[jfoster]

They were fracing everywhere they could for about two good years are in nw La during the Haynesville shell boom. Didn't here a lot about the tremers except for some in east Texas which may have been unrelated. I've heard all the rumors of the ill effects of fracing but can't confirm any of it. I know we have kids every year coming up cancer and I won't eat fish caught out the rivers or Toledo Bend. But, we also had space shuttle debris in the lake too. Who knows what kind of science projects they had on board.

 

I've escorted the sysmic trucks before while they were doing their thing and don't recall feeling any vibration in a vehicle, but a home close by may feel it. They usually work in pairs or group of four.

[campfire12]

The only thing i can tell you is they promised jobs in the local area but every vehicle we see is from out of state. They promised that its good for the economy but no jobs. Our area is depressed becaause of the steel mills closed and it looks like it will remain that way. They keep feeding us good news but give us bull****.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Fracking = Tremors.

 

Tell her to get used to it.

 

(from someone who has felt a few in his day)

 

[GeorgeS]

Well, many opinions on this subject.

 

I'm not up on the subject, however I did hear a short bit of info on a news report yesterday.

Just heard the end of it. Some guy, said, that the Amount of Shale Oil, in the Montana, Alberta, area, has been recently estimated to be 10 times , what had been previously thought to be there.

 

What does this mean ??? Not sure, but will be listioning for more information

[frogmaster]

If you can the fracting schedule and get her in the bedroom and get the timming right you could be a Superstar in her mind

[Snaggletooth]

I guess you might want to go back and read the first couple lines in my first post again.

[Big Lou]

Their whole ecomony seems based around the oil industry now....i am a big truck mech,,,

the stufff that is left over from that is POISENESS, ,I WILL BURN YOUR SKIN,,,,TAKE PAINT OFF CARS IN 3a months,,,,,,,and at the camp ground where i did my fishing, the water would ripple when they set off explosives 5 miles away,,, the water has turned bad tasting,,,,,,I LEFT,,the list,he is talking about above,,those people wont snitch,,they are only about money!!!!!! They will work 96 Hours a week to get the job done before everybody figures out it is destroying,,,Everything,,,,,,the stuff that is left over has acid in a it and i worked on a a truck with this goo on it,,,,i am home today in alabama and wont go back,,,,,they have are suppose to dump that stuff away from water supply, i have seen myself the driver,,open the valve and drive down a dirt road,,,,,,i could go on,,, they are dumping close to the mississippi,way up there, and no EPA cause of, ,,,,,,,,,whatever excuse fits

 

Oh bye the way i am not a tree hugger.....one blister too many, and i live good here

[JohnT]

I used to drive up Rt 220 in PA for work. Once a week. Nothing but a mess. Roads tore to hell, the land tore to hell, streams a mess, HEAVY HEAVY vehicles everywhere all the time. Locals complaining of tainted water. Locals complaining of shaking homes and sad quality of life. Folks with leases making money though. A small number of folks, but it does get made.

And the fluids that are injected are a chemical cocktail that you wouldn't want on your land. Based on ethylene glycol. But that doesn't hurt a thing. Just ask them and they will assure you. It's safe. (then ask if it can be dumped at their house)

[1fastbob]

I order frac sand, chemicals and schedule sand and chemical deliveries for frac jobs in southern Kansas. We have had zero issues here and if a company wanted to frac a well in my backyard I would have no problems with that. We generally frac at 4,000 to 5,000 ft deep, ground water is a couple of hundred feet. I would be next to impossible to screw up the fresh water due to the many layers of rock between the frac zone and the fresh water table.

 

In Kansas and other states it is a requirement to protect the fresh water zone with a cemented in place surface pipe that passes through the fresh water zone at the distance specified by each state. Outside of the surface pipe is called the longstring or production casing that is also cemented in place. That is double protection for the fresh water zones.

 

There is MUCH misinformation about fracing and most of it is negative and this info is usually posted by people that don't have any idea what is involved in fracking. I am by no means an expert, but I work with fracking every day and have for the last 9 years. It has been my experience that it is perfectly safe. We are working this week on a 20 stage horizontal frac south of Medicine Lodge, Kansas into which 1,790,000 lbs frac sand will be pumped. That's approx. 36 semi loads of frac sand. That is lots of sand and it is a pain in the ass to get it to arrive as needed. Welcome to Bob's world. LOL

 

I would be more concerned about a salt water disposal well leaking due to rusty pipe and a failed cement job or some unprofessional company dumping chemicals and contaminated water on the ground or into a stream than fracking.

 

Just my 2 cents and I am not looking to get into an argument with any internet tree huggers or know-it-alls.

 

Thanks

 

Bob

[Guest tx2sturgis]

From another forum I belong to, a member there uses this as his tagline:

 

"I am an earth-first kinda guy, we will drill the rest of the planets later."

 

 

[KarlS]

Here is a Fracking quiz on the Discovery web site. I didn't know as much about Frackin as I thought I did. Only new 6 of the answers.

 

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/flak-about-fracking-quiz.htm

[Snaggletooth]

Hummmm...... been reading up on this stuff so I ended up with 9 correct. Looks like I got a lot more to read.

 

[JohnT]

Here is a Fracking quiz on the Discovery web site. I didn't know as much about Frackin as I thought I did. Only new 6 of the answers.

 

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/flak-about-fracking-quiz.htm

Don't feel bad. It's mostly due to the fact the survey, and the spin on the answers, is blatantly pro fracking.

The study of wells referred to, done in 1987.

Although shale is the primary geology being fracked, it's not the only rock type involved.

EPA can't prove crap due to "legal restrictions after the settlement of lawsuits". This is not proof that harm wasn't done.

And then this load of poop

 

What do energy companies do with the water used in fracking? The answer provided? "Energy companies use the water in all three ways. When water is injected into a well, 10 to 40 percent of it will resurface within weeks. It may be stored underground in "injection wells," if the geology of the land permits it. Sometimes, it is recycled for further hydro-fracturing attempts. It may also be sold to other companies or municipalities."

Let's take a look at that, shall we?

10 to 40 percent of it will resurface within weeks Leaving 60 to 90% in the ground. Pure poison. Period. Water that is forever removed from human use.

It may be stored underground in "injection wells," if the geology of the land permits it So, this poisonous concoction is left behind.

Sometimes, it is recycled for further hydro-fracturing attempts. Ok, that one at least is positive. How much of the water is reclaimed and reused? Refer to the first point. The rest, pure poison that can never be safely returned to the water table.

 

I've never been a "tree hugger", but this is one process that I'm set against. And so far, the positive remarks were from, oh yeah, people making the money from the process. Can't blame the folks I guess. A person has to earn a living. But, are you doing this where you live? Or are you going to go back home when it's over?

 

Oddly enough, last night on Canadian television "The Nature Of Things" was a piece on the effects of fracking in Canada. It was definitely slanted against fracking. But it was ugly.

 

Can someone please help me put my soap box away? I'm getting down off from it now.

[Monty]

They are going to start fracking here soon. I'm afraid a beautiful area is going to be destroyed. Popular spot for bikers.

 

http://www.shawneeforest.com/Hiking/GardenoftheGods.aspx

 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/06/southern-illinois-braces-for-oil-rush-as-fracking-regulations-considered-by/

[friesman]

Oddly enough, last night on Canadian television "The Nature Of Things" was a piece on the effects of fracking in Canada. It was definitely slanted against fracking. But it was ugly.

 

Can someone please help me put my soap box away? I'm getting down off from it now.

 

 

But the Nature of things and David Suzuki and his "cult" want to stop the use of oil completely immediately and want to stop almost any resource industry. Its a very one sided type of program, so I would suggest getting info from other sources too.

 

As I understand fracking in basic terms there are 2 types, shallow mostly of nat gas and deep fracking to get at the deep oil reserves. Just south of here is the northern end of the Bakken field and around here all the wells are very deep and its very unlikely that any issues may result because of the layes and layers of structure. Most of the issues around here seem to be the increased traffic, and the heavy trucks beating up our roads and the spills associated with the transport of the oil out of the area.

 

But, a lot of places in the US that I am reading about are using fracking to get at the Natural gas that is fairly shallow in comparison and there have been a lot of issues along the easter US around the Pennsylvania area if I remember correctly. There are cases of water being contaminated and other issues and its being looked at very closely to see if its something that should be continued.

 

brian

[GeorgeS]

Recently been hearing of large deposits of Nat Gas, that have been found. But not yet being used. Hmmm ??

 

I recall T Boon Pickens, on a TV show talking about an extremely large Nat Gas, find in West Texas.

Why can't they just build Electric Power Plants, in the area of the Nat Gas supplies then make Electricity there, and hook that into the existing nationwide power grid ??

 

Sort of like all the Electric power dams on the Columbia River here in Wa state. That started with the huge Grand Coulee Dam, built in 1942 ( 6890 Mega Watts capacity ) and

many more on the Columbia and Snake River system.

( Google search, " Columbia river Power Dams " )

 

There are 14 Dam's produceing power on the Columbia River !! Total Electric production is about, 24,800 Mega Watts !!!

 

On the Snake River system, Dam's produce 4,900 Mega Watts.

 

My point, being. Why make a mess in the, Dakota's, and ship the oil via pipe line to the southern part of the country, to refine it, and use to make power ????

 

Why not, just build Electric Generation plants, " Where the Fuel " is located ????

in N. Dakota ?????

 

I have been hearing of more and more, Generation Plants being switched over to Nat Gas, for fuel.

 

I guess my point to all of this is , why not drill more Nat. Gas, in Texas, and use that instead of makeing the big mess up North, and building the long Pipe line to the south???

 

Just asking ??? :confused24:

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I guess my point to all of this is , why not drill more Nat. Gas, in Texas, and use that instead of makeing the big mess up North, and building the long Pipe line to the south???

 

Just asking ???

I'm not an expert, just a layman...but I will try to answer this in basic terms.

 

Natural gas is used to manufacture a huge variety of products (fuel, paint, solvents, fertilizer, plastics, tires, oil, grease, etc), not just for powering electric generation plants. If you want the full scoop, look at this page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas

 

It's not always practical to string huge transmission lines all over, and sometimes the resulting losses and costs negate the benefits. Nor is it environmentally possible or wise, to drastically increase the amount of pipelines we already have and depend on.

 

So much heavy industry and manufacturing is dependent on natural gas that it must be produced in massive quantities, and in many areas.

 

The gas fields in West Texas (and Eastern New Mexico) ARE being drilled, and let me tell you, its a HUGE business here.

 

But you cant exploit the hell out of this area, and not touch the other gas reserves at all.

 

Natural gas is plentiful in the USA, and the large and small oil corporations are going after ALL of it.

 

Not to mention all the land owners in several states who inherited thousands of acres with the mineral rights, who want the million$ of $$$$ buried under grandpa$ big ol' pasture out back.

 

Texas is a huge producer of food and raw materials: cotton, wheat, corn, peanuts, fruits, melons, beef, wind power, oil, and gas, but we cant produce ALL of it for the entire country!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2013 by tx2sturgis