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Hydraulic Fracturing contaminates Barnett Shale water

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This is not the first case of Barnett Shale water contaminated from the hydraulic fracturing process.

Filmy water vexes family
Saturday, June 5, 2010
By Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe

Amber Smith no longer takes soaking baths, one of the young mother’s favorite ways to unwind at the end of the day.


Press release

Amber should call Runner Susan. In Bartonville you can take a soaking, oily bubble bath without using any bath products.

The Smith’s water was contaminated shortly after Devon fracked several wells near their home.

For Immediate Release: Private Water Well in DISH, TX Contaminated after Hydraulic Fracturing.

The water well owned by the Smith family shows levels of arsenic at 7.5 times the acceptable level for drinking water. The water also contained lead at levels that were 21 times above the acceptable levels, and chromium at more that double the allowable limits. Independent testing shows elevated levels of butanone, acetone, carbon disulfide, strontium, as well as heavy metals, all above safe drinking water standards. The town is awaiting additional test results.

UPDATE: Water issues are a huge concern for North Texans. In 2009, Barnett Shale drillers used Barnett Shale drilling used more than 1,146,598,272.73 gallons of water from Trinity Aquifer from the metered sources alone. This past May was one of the warmest and driest on record which means North Texans are thinking more and more about water.

42% of Williams Petroleum Shareholders back disclosure of hydraulic fracturing chemicals. I wonder how those shareholders would feel to learn that Williams plays dumb when water recycling is suggested.

Even in the driest areas of Texas, it seems oil & gas are prized over water. Range Resources is drilling a second well on the historic Chapman Ranch in South Texas where water is extremely scarce. (hat tip to Cathy)

The bottom line here is that we have no time to waste! Drillers need to Drill-Right Texas or don’t drill at all.

About Sharon Wilson

Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.

Comments

  3. Bob says

    I think I am more mad than sad. The complacency and indifference really pisses me off. Despite all of the evidence proving a lack of care on the part of the gas companies, people still allow them to operate in our towns.

  4. TXsharon says

    I have the audio from the Bartonville Town Hall where the mayor talked about Runner Susan's issues. I have converted it to an MP3. Wait till you hear it. You won't believe that an elected official who is supposed to serve the public can act this way.

  5. Anonymous says

    We should approach the stockholders of these companies about water recycling and other Best practices. I was a share holder so I can get in touch with the people we need to contact re: Williams.

  6. Anonymous says

    Explain to me how this could happen? Where did arsenic come from and how did the frack cause it?

  7. TXsharon says

    Maybe I can help. Arsenic is often found in drilling waste. Like radon, it's naturally occurring but fracking dissolves the metals in the shale and releases concentrated amounts of toxics.

    EPA: Chemicals Found in Wyo. Drinking Water Might Be From Fracking

    Advisory on EPA’s Research Scoping Document Related to Hydraulic Fracturing
    Also, potential secondary effects associated with hydraulic fracturing should 27 be considered (e.g., arsenic mobilization in groundwater and aquifers due to enhanced methane 28 transport and resulting changes in redox conditions).

    Gas explosion deepens opposition to hydraulic fracturing
    George Zimmerman, who filed a lawsuit against Atlas Energy last year, alleged that the company “ruined his land with toxic chemicals” such as arsenic and benzene, used in hydraulic gas well fracturing. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1)