Stop fracking

[BoyBlue_1985]

Over here in the USA, most of the anti-fracking people are spouting things that really don't make any sense. The talk about contaminated ground water from fracking is really a very low risk due to the double and sometimes triple paned tubes used to push the secret mix of chemicals down to perform the fracking. To date there has been no confirmed contamination cases as a result of drilling/fracking. However that doesn't make it all clean and good. There are various items that I personally think needs more research and oversight. Oklahoma has had a huge number of earthquakes over the last few years. This is an area that hadn't had any of note for pretty much recorded history. The only real difference is the fracking. Maybe coincidence or maybe not. At this point, I'm not certain that we know enough to discount any possibility.

The real danger of fracking is the disposal of the chemical mix after it has been put into the ground and pumped back out. There has been several ground water contaminations that appear to come from the chemicals being dumped in the landfills.

David Harrell

secret mix of chemicals

That kinda fucks up the transparency argument,it also fucks up any argument that anyone can make an educated argument that fracking is safe.

I guess it would if the mix of chemicals were actually a secret

 

[Plaything of the gods]

fracking and poisoned water

feels like a

convenient untruth

to me!

f*ck off back to your eco-holes FFS

That's interesting, and an argument I've seen made on here before. The argument seems to be based solely on taking an opposing view to that of 'eco' people. Please tell me this isn't all there is to the argument. Please tell me that you didn't oppose the removal of lead from petrol, the banning of asbestos, the banning of CFCs, the regulation of industrial effluents or the Clean Air Act.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

Start fracking, build the nuclear power stations we should have invested in years ago, fuck the windmills off that, at sea, have to be permenently serviced by patrolling diesel powered boats, on land are a fucking blight on the landscape whilst mincing birds, and driving every fucker mad droning and whining, and finally, question how dozens of wankers get unlimited time off 'Work' to get on the nerves and in the way of everyone else waving fucking banners and screaming,

The problem with what you are advocating is that it relies upon living off the energy capital of the Earth. The sensible approach is to live off the energy income of the Earth. That would require a totally different approach to energy use - for example, stop wasting it (in it's many, many forms, including wasted food), and don't use it if you don't need it (why does the house have to be as well lit at night as it is by sunlight during the daytime?)

We have lived off a massive (and I mean MASSIVE!) energy subsidy from the start of the 20th Century by way of cheap, transportable fossil fuels. That will not last, so be prepared to change your lifestyle (you or your children) or have it forcibly changed by Nature through famine and disease and by man through (more) resource wars.

With an ever growing population, (something that I've always believed to be the biggest fundamental problem) this argument about restricing use is naive and idealistic. We import gas, our major fuel source and are at the mercy of the Russians and others because of this fact. A great deal of the protesters' reasons for halting fracking is global climate change, which completely ignores the fact that America and others, far greater consumers and CO2 contributers than us, have done it, with considerable economic success.
No doubt we will get the response of 'Making a stand,' or 'Taking a lead,' while the rest of the world just gets on with it.
It has been quoted that the French have banned it, so we should too; again ignoring the fact that France has the luxury of not having to investigate sources, as threequarters of it's electricity is,sensibly, supplied by nuclear stations.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Which they are now desperately decommissioning as fast as they can...

 

[Josh Blue]

I would love anyway who supports fracking to write up a detailed report as to why they support it.

 

[Skashion]

fracking and poisoned water

feels like a

convenient untruth

to me!

f*ck off back to your eco-holes FFS

That's interesting, and an argument I've seen made on here before. The argument seems to be based solely on taking an opposing view to that of 'eco' people. Please tell me this isn't all there is to the argument. Please tell me that you didn't oppose the removal of lead from petrol, the banning of asbestos, the banning of CFCs, the regulation of industrial effluents or the Clean Air Act.

It is quite easy to be averse to ecomentalists.

 

[The Flash]

I would love anyway who supports fracking to write up a detailed report as to why they support it.

Because the oil is running out. And we get bummed by the Russians for our natural gas supplies.

 

[u2fme2]

we need gas, keep on fracking i say

 

[SWP's back]

I would love anyway who supports fracking to write up a detailed report as to why they support it.

Because the oil is running out. And we get bummed by the Russians for our natural gas supplies.

And it's cheap and it won't affect me and the people against it are generally people I avoid but subsidise (or did when I paid tax).

And students. I fucking hate students.

And cunts with long hair.

And people that pose with Africans to let everyone know how fucking right on they are whilst the rest of us flogged out rocks off.

 

[Plaything of the gods]

Press release by Water UK ("Working on behalf of the water industry towards a sustainable future") from six months ago.

Water industry lays down challenge to UK shale gas fracking industry

17/07/13

Water companies have warned the shale gas industry that the quality of our drinking water must be protected at all costs and fracking must not harm public health.

Shale gas fracking could lead to contamination of the water supply with methane gas and harmful chemicals if not carefully planned and carried out.

The fracking process requires huge amounts of water, which will inevitably put a strain on supplies in areas around extraction sites. Also, the power of the drilling and fracturing process even risks damaging existing water pipes, which could lead to leaks and shortages to people’s homes and businesses.

But water companies emphasise that they want to work closely with the shale gas industry so the potential benefits to the UK’s long-term growth and employment are fully realised while protecting public health.

The call from the water companies will come from Dr Jim Marshall, Policy and Business Adviser at Water UK, during his speech at the UK Shale 2013 – Making It Happen conference in London today (17 July).

Public health

Dr Marshall said: “Provision of drinking water is a cornerstone of our public health and as such a service that cannot be compromised.

“There are arguments for and against fracking and the water industry is not taking sides. If it goes ahead, we want to ensure corners are not cut and standards compromised, leaving us all counting the cost for years to come.

“We want greater clarity from the shale gas industry on what its needs related to water are really going to be and a true assessment of the impacts. This can be done through much closer working and understanding between water companies and the shale gas industry to tackle the many challenges we collectively face.”

Impacts on water

In his speech, Dr Marshall will set out how the impacts of shale gas on water can be considered in four broad categories – water quality, water quantity, wastewater treatment and infrastructure.

The water companies’ main concern about fracking is that the process could cause contamination of the drinking water aquifers that overlie shale gas reserves by allowing gases such as methane to permeate into drinking water sources from rocks where it was previously confined. Contamination can also be caused by chemicals used in the fracking process entering drinking water aquifers through fractures caused by the process or, potentially, by poor handling of wastewater on the surface.

The fracturing process uses water to pressurise the shale strata and the demand will have a significant impact on local water resources. This demand may be met from the public water supply or from direct abstraction, but may have to come from water tankers brought in by road.

Water companies may be asked to accept and treat discharges of contaminated water recovered from the fracking process. This may not be possible in all areas because some water companies may not have a suitable site near enough to carry out the required treatment.

Finally, even if a supply of water is available, there may not be enough existing pipework to deliver it to the fracking site, and the infrastructure that is in place could also be at risk from seismic activity induced by the fracturing process.

Understanding the impacts of shale gas on the UK water industry [This is the full text of the speech, including illustrations]
Speech by Dr Jim Marshall, Business and Policy Adviser, Water UK

ENDS

Water UK Communication
0207 344 1852

Notes to Editors
Water UK works on behalf of the water industry towards a sustainable future.