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   Anti-fracking claims may not be entirely scientific, may have an agenda behind them, and may in fact be complete nonsense. But they mean well, so there's that

23 Jul 2012 08:24 AM   |   2582 clicks   |   Slashdot
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The All-Powerful Atheismo     
Totally not evidence:

i.i.com.com

23 Jul 2012 08:30 AM
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PC LOAD LETTER    [TotalFark]  
Fracking is not even trusted by petroleum industry websites. Even they are saying there needs to be more transparency and disclosure. If you are fracking for gas in an area with a lot of water tables, it probably will cause problems. If you are using actual hydrofracking, with actual water, to refresh wells and find other ground water deposits, that's fine.

I am fine with reasonable and responsible exploration methods. I don't think this has been vetted enough, and some of the reported side-effects are severely disturbing.

23 Jul 2012 08:35 AM
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arkansas    [TotalFark]  
Well if all claims are bogus then why are you so opposed to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality regulating you instead of the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission. If all the claims are bogus then why do you need a waiver from the Clean Water Act?

23 Jul 2012 08:38 AM
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SilentStrider    [TotalFark]  
The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]


And we're done here.

23 Jul 2012 08:39 AM
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weiserfireman     
The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]


Except that methane in well water happens in area that fracking has never occurred. One of the causes is drilling water wells near coal seams. Once the water is drawn down a certain amount, the methane starts infiltrating from the coal.

It may not explain all the cases, but that is one confirmed cause.

23 Jul 2012 08:39 AM
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fluffy2097    [TotalFark]  
Just like pumping tons of carbon into the atmosphere is going to have a bad effect, Pumping tons of frackling liquid underground is going to cause problems too.

Cement casing liners fail. Old utility pipes still exist. Old OIL wells still exit, unmarked and uncapped.

The cleanup scenarios for any situation where they cant get all the fluid back out of the ground again are mostly along the lines of "drill more holes and suck on em like a straw"

They say they test them for pressure before doing it, but whats a slight leak anyways VS a hard deadline?

I think they have the fracking and gas recovery part down fine. I think they don't have a shiats fark of an idea what to do when things go wrong. As evidence by the Iraq oil fires and deepwater horizon.

We start these wells, and never think about turning them off when shiat goes wrong.

23 Jul 2012 08:43 AM
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Aarontology    [TotalFark]  
The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]


So in that case, would you pay your bill to the water company or the gas company?

23 Jul 2012 08:44 AM
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assjuice     
Anything that kills hillbillies is fine by me.

23 Jul 2012 08:45 AM
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LarryDan43     
Pro fracking claims completely on the up and up, no agenda at all.

23 Jul 2012 08:48 AM
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fluffy2097    [TotalFark]  
Aarontology: The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]

So in that case, would you pay your bill to the water company or the gas company?


Probably his own well. So no water company to pay. I could see the gas company suing him for stealing 'their' methane though.

23 Jul 2012 08:49 AM
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Any Pie Left     
I understand the lovely illustrations that show the gas pockets are way below the water table. But. The lovely illustrations rarely show close details of the casing/water table interface. And that's where the big problem is with contaminating the water. Those casings are shiat, and they leak. That, and the unconscionable practice of open evaporation pools on the surface, for "produced water", full of all the toxic additives used.

23 Jul 2012 08:50 AM
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cman    [TotalFark]  
Is it just me, or has the word "fracking" ascended to the coveted position of power word of the year?

23 Jul 2012 08:51 AM
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fluffy2097    [TotalFark]  
Any Pie Left: I understand the lovely illustrations that show the gas pockets are way below the water table. But. The lovely illustrations rarely show close details of the casing/water table interface. And that's where the big problem is with contaminating the water. Those casings are shiat, and they leak. That, and the unconscionable practice of open evaporation pools on the surface, for "produced water", full of all the toxic additives used.

You can drink fracking fluid. In fact, A a fracking company lacky did just that at a press conference. The CEO wouldn't do it of course.

Of course, politicians drank DDT too, to prove its safety.

23 Jul 2012 08:52 AM
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fark'emfeed'emfish     
duke sucks

23 Jul 2012 08:53 AM
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Angry Drunk Bureaucrat    [TotalFark]  
FTA: But in western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority did extensive tests and didn't find a problem in area rivers.

That's not quite true.

23 Jul 2012 08:53 AM
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Aarontology    [TotalFark]  
fluffy2097: Probably his own well. So no water company to pay. I could see the gas company suing him for stealing 'their' methane though.

Ah yes. The Monsanto Method of lawsuits. "Something of ours happened to be on your property through no fault of your own? MONEY"

23 Jul 2012 08:55 AM
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Arkanaut     
cman: Is it just me, or has the word "fracking" ascended to the coveted position of power word of the year?

If Battlestar Galactica can't make it word of the year, nothing will.

23 Jul 2012 08:58 AM
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Annoyance     
Wow, what a bullshiat headline. I wonder how much it cost?

Are we going to hear anything about the riots in Anaheim, or is someone paying to cover that up too?

fark you, fark.

23 Jul 2012 09:00 AM
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Because People in power are Stupid    [TotalFark]  
For $5 a month gas companies can get Total-Fracking which is the same as fracking yet somehow better

23 Jul 2012 09:01 AM
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Egoy3k     
Anti-fracking and anti-wind farm activists can all FOAD for all I care. I'm sick and tired of hearing some busybody housewife piss and moan about the potential 'health hazards' associated with wind farms, then saying something like "We need a moratorium on wind farm construction until the science is setteled. As a mother I have a right to be heard." The science is settled, just not in the way you think it should be so STFU.

The fracking activists at least have valid environmental concerns even if you only consider the end use of the fuel produced. My issue with them is that they tout out the insane shiat like "it causes earthquakes" and "flammable tap-water".

23 Jul 2012 09:02 AM
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Gulper Eel    [TotalFark]  
You mean the same people who call for a nuclear plant 30 miles up the Hudson to be shut down because TSUNAMI aren't averse to bending facts?

clutchingmypearls.jpeg

23 Jul 2012 09:10 AM
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Sylvia_Bandersnatch     
My father, a geologist who used to work for one of the big oil companies, says that the science is anything but complete on fracking, and a great of research and study remains to be done before we can know and say more about it. Which only means that we just don't know, but we should all keep an open mind on it for now. There are many ways that the same effects can result without fracking -- yes, even in areas where it may not have been reported before (or at least recorded -- lack of records does not in itself mean lack of incidents). There's good reason for concern. But at this point, there's not yet reason for panic.

It's important to bear in mind, at least, that correlation is not causation. I've read many times over the years that John Wayne's fatal lung cancer likely resulted from his shooting a movie at (or near) a former A-bomb test site. Apparently, his pack-a-day habit is less likely a reason. So everyone just needs to chill out until more science is in. That means that fracking operators also need to actively participate in ongoing studies, and people in the community need to be aware that geology is a lot more comlicated than, 'stuff goes in, stuff comes out.'

23 Jul 2012 09:12 AM
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Mr.Tangent     
The article skirts the main issue with fracking, vibrations from the drilling could awaken the reptilians.

23 Jul 2012 09:16 AM
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RexTalionis    [TotalFark]  
I just want to make a note that the article only points to certain specific anti-fracking claims aren't backed up by the evidence or science. It does not say that all anti-fracking claims aren't backed up by evidence or science.

23 Jul 2012 09:17 AM
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t3knomanser     
Egoy3k: I'm sick and tired of hearing some busybody housewife piss and moan about the potential 'health hazards' associated with wind farms

There are real environmental concerns with windfarms, specifically the impact they have on bird migrations. But that's not a reason to not build wind farms, but it's a real issue that needs to be managed.

23 Jul 2012 09:23 AM
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RexTalionis    [TotalFark]  
t3knomanser: Egoy3k: I'm sick and tired of hearing some busybody housewife piss and moan about the potential 'health hazards' associated with wind farms

There are real environmental concerns with windfarms, specifically the impact they have on bird migrations. But that's not a reason to not build wind farms, but it's a real issue that needs to be managed.


Also, doesn't it really affect local weather patterns? I mean, you're literally taking energy out of the air movement in the local area.

23 Jul 2012 09:25 AM
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SVenus     
Sylvia_Bandersnatch: but we should all keep an open mind on it for now.

The thing about geologists is, they never meet another geologist they completely agree with.

It's how we roll.

23 Jul 2012 09:29 AM
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fluffy2097    [TotalFark]  
RexTalionis: Also, doesn't it really affect local weather patterns? I mean, you're literally taking energy out of the air movement in the local area.

Trees do the same thing by having branches that sway in the wind. What's your point?

23 Jul 2012 09:30 AM
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Dancin_In_Anson    [TotalFark]  
The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

SilentStrider: And we're done here

Um...yeah. About that.

23 Jul 2012 09:30 AM
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kingoomieiii    [TotalFark]  
RexTalionis: Also, doesn't it really affect local weather patterns? I mean, you're literally taking energy out of the air movement in the local area.

Significantly less so than putting up a few high-rises.

23 Jul 2012 09:31 AM
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andersoncouncil42     
Anti-fracking claims certainly do have an agenda. CLEAN WATER.

You can't drink money.

23 Jul 2012 09:33 AM
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Saberus Terras     
I think this quote from TFA sums up all these 'debates' over just about everything from JFK conspiracy theorists and Moon Landing Hoaxers of yesteryear to the Birthers and chemtrail nutjobs of today:

'You can literally put facts in front of people, and they will just ignore them,' said Mark Lubell, the director of the Center for Environmental Policy and Behavior at the University of California, Davis

This is how society dies, with ever-increasing apathy and willful ignorance.

23 Jul 2012 09:34 AM
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t3knomanser     
RexTalionis: I mean, you're literally taking energy out of the air movement in the local area.

So little energy, relative to the amount in the wind itself.

23 Jul 2012 09:35 AM
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GoodScout     
Oh, scientists quoted by Rupert's Wall Street Journal.

I thought subby had some real facts there for a second.

23 Jul 2012 09:39 AM
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kroonermanblack     
fluffy2097: Just like pumping tons of carbon into the atmosphere is going to have a bad effect, Pumping tons of frackling liquid underground is going to cause problems too.

Cement casing liners fail. Old utility pipes still exist. Old OIL wells still exit, unmarked and uncapped.

The cleanup scenarios for any situation where they cant get all the fluid back out of the ground again are mostly along the lines of "drill more holes and suck on em like a straw"

They say they test them for pressure before doing it, but whats a slight leak anyways VS a hard deadline?

I think they have the fracking and gas recovery part down fine. I think they don't have a shiats fark of an idea what to do when things go wrong. As evidence by the Iraq oil fires and deepwater horizon.

We start these wells, and never think about turning them off when shiat goes wrong.


So, basically, you don't know shiat and are wildly hypothesizing out of your ass and making up conspiracy theories.

23 Jul 2012 09:39 AM
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lordaction     
4.bp.blogspot.com

You mean the whole climate thing is utter bullshiat? Who would have guessed that after 50 years of evidence.

23 Jul 2012 09:41 AM
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The All-Powerful Atheismo     
Dancin_In_Anson: The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

SilentStrider: And we're done here

Um...yeah. About that.


riiiiight.

A guy parroting "a report from 1976 says there was methane in the water" while ignoring the speaker's response and EVERY OTHER FACT EVER

23 Jul 2012 09:49 AM
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Satanic_Hamster    [TotalFark]  
The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]


Right. Since that happened that means all claims no matter how dubious about fracking are true.

That's a problem with the anti-fracking movements; there's too many people willing to make wild/random/unsubstantiated claims about it.

23 Jul 2012 09:49 AM
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ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha    [TotalFark]  
lordaction: [4.bp.blogspot.com image 509x340]

You mean the whole climate thing is utter bullshiat? Who would have guessed that after 50 years of evidence.


Ah, yes, the reputable scientific journal Time Magazine.

23 Jul 2012 09:51 AM
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kingoomieiii    [TotalFark]  
lordaction: [4.bp.blogspot.com image 509x340]

You mean the whole climate thing is utter bullshiat? Who would have guessed that after 50 years of evidence.


That left one is a proven shop. No such cover ever existed.

23 Jul 2012 09:51 AM
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Egoy3k     
t3knomanser: Egoy3k: I'm sick and tired of hearing some busybody housewife piss and moan about the potential 'health hazards' associated with wind farms

There are real environmental concerns with windfarms, specifically the impact they have on bird migrations. But that's not a reason to not build wind farms, but it's a real issue that needs to be managed.


Oh for sure but it's hard to mange siting for windfarms to avoid major migration and roosting sites when there are huge mandatory setbacks from residences, which the birds also avoid. These setbacks are due to people who think wind farms will affect their health which is what I was posting about.

23 Jul 2012 09:52 AM
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Wendy's Chili    [TotalFark]  
SilentStrider: The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]

And we're done here.


Not really. Flammable water can occur without fracking, and concentrating on something like that helps obscure the issue and allows the industry to cast doubt on all of the concerns related to fracking.

The biggest environmental issue is the handling of waste water brought back to the surface.

The second biggest is fracking fluids leaking through broken well casings.

Natural gas itself coming out of faucets may be more spectacular than the other dangers, but it's pretty far down the list of threats.

23 Jul 2012 09:55 AM
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The All-Powerful Atheismo     
Wendy's Chili: SilentStrider: The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]

And we're done here.

Not really. Flammable water can occur without fracking, and concentrating on something like that helps obscure the issue and allows the industry to cast doubt on all of the concerns related to fracking.

The biggest environmental issue is the handling of waste water brought back to the surface.

The second biggest is fracking fluids leaking through broken well casings.

Natural gas itself coming out of faucets may be more spectacular than the other dangers, but it's pretty far down the list of threats.


It's an illustration of the fact that there is a threat. It is not a confirmation that every imagined threat exists.

23 Jul 2012 09:56 AM
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kingoomieiii    [TotalFark]  
The All-Powerful Atheismo: It's an illustration of the fact that there is a threat. It is not a confirmation that every imagined threat exists.

I think the point there was that, because gas company shills can turn around and cast doubt on flammable tap water, it may pay to open with an argument that's less ambiguous in its cause.

23 Jul 2012 09:59 AM
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robhidalgo     
lordaction: [4.bp.blogspot.com image 509x340]

You mean the whole climate thing is utter bullshiat? Who would have guessed that after 50 years of evidence.


Yes, the whole "climate thing" is utter bullshiat. No, not just climate change, or global warming; the climate itself is one giant conspiracy whose political slant is the opposite of whatever yours is. Please keep telling yourself this.

23 Jul 2012 10:00 AM
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Dancin_In_Anson    [TotalFark]  
The All-Powerful Atheismo: riiiiight.

A guy parroting "a report from 1976 says there was methane in the water" while ignoring the speaker's response and EVERY OTHER FACT EVER


Like the FACT that people were lighting their water "long before fracking"?

23 Jul 2012 10:07 AM
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SVenus     
Wendy's Chili: Flammable water can occur without fracking, and concentrating on something like that helps obscure the issue and allows the industry to cast doubt on all of the concerns related to fracking.

The biggest environmental issue is the handling of waste water brought back to the surface.

The second biggest is fracking fluids leaking through broken well casings.

Natural gas itself coming out of faucets may be more spectacular than the other dangers, but it's pretty far down the list of threats.


Yeah, pretty much this.

States can, and some have, regulated a good chunk of water disposal, which is the biggest issue. I have two water disposal wells I've had to propose to regulators recently. Neither of which will be involved with water produced from fracking. But normal oil field produced salt water is just about as toxic as any fracking water, due to the high salt concentration --and you have to demonstrate to the regulators that there are no old wells nearby that could conduct that water to shallower, fresh water zones. Water disposal regulation is important and needed.

23 Jul 2012 10:08 AM
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loonatic112358     
The All-Powerful Atheismo: Totally not evidence:

[i.i.com.com image 480x360]


you know, I can think of places where I can drill a well for water and get that to happen. Not saying it isn't fracking, but frack, it's not always fracking

23 Jul 2012 10:11 AM
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loonatic112358     
Because People in power are Stupid: For $5 a month gas companies can get Total-Fracking which is the same as fracking yet somehow better

it allows you to frack more frequently and sooner, before other frackers can get in there. Cause you know those frackers will get in there and they shale make a mess of things.

23 Jul 2012 10:14 AM
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SVenus     
Dancin_In_Anson: The All-Powerful Atheismo: riiiiight.

A guy parroting "a report from 1976 says there was methane in the water" while ignoring the speaker's response and EVERY OTHER FACT EVER

Like the FACT that people were lighting their water "long before fracking"?


The biggest case like that to date in Texas grew some real legs when the guy showed video of setting his water well on fire. Within the week, all manner of regulators swooped down and investigated the living bejeesus out of the situation. Gas analysis showed the gas came from a shallower reservoir completely unrelated to the deeper fracked zone. But still, the possibility that the vibrations from the fracking caused gas to leak into the fresh water his well was tapping...

Until it was later shown with an nice old photo that the water well was once lit on fire about six years before the fracturing ever took place.
One would think that they owner who claimed the fracking caused gas to spew from his water well would remember such a thing, but I guess the promise of free money kind of blinded him from remembering that.

23 Jul 2012 10:15 AM
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