Summary
Drilling for natural gas has become very big over the past 10 years. Even though it is becoming big it is also being criticized for having a process that requires to pump millions of gallons of water into the ground which leaves many contaminants in the water which could come back to the surface. To stop the criticisim drilling companies began to reuse the wastewater. Many drilling companies are saying that it is a win-win because it reduces the demand for freshwater and eliminates the need to get rid of water. The win-win is not necessarily a win-win. According to state records, drilling companies in P.A recycle less than half of the wastewater they produce in 18 months. Recycling the water also hasn't reduced the environmental and health risks. The process can still leave behind salts or sludge highly concentrated with radioactive material and many other contaminats that is very dangerous to people and sea life. Also drilling companies are selling their wastewater to people that will spread it on roads because it is salty, but once it rains that wastewater that was put on roads will wash into our drinking supply. The process of recycling water all started when there wasn't enough injection wells to store the wastewater because they were too expensive and the geological formations of P.A. In a study drilling companies claim they recycle over 320 million gallons of water but 260 million gallons was sent to plants that let the water run into rivers. Drillers claim to recycle 90% of their water but reports say that only roughly 65% was recycled so at least 50 million gallons of water is unaccounted for. Many government officials have been trying to track the industry's drilling waste and they can find out where the waste is being taken but have no way of finding out if it actually got to that place. Also many reports save that over the years wells wastewater that comes up to the surface will have more contaminants and higher radioactivity levels. Drilling companies have tried to find new ways to get rid of the wastewater and as they were doing that they get reassurance that they are protected from the federal laws on hazardous waste. (picture- The wastewater that could be coming into our drinking water from the drilling companies)
Reflection
The drilling companies are basically lying to the people. They are saying that it is a win-win even though they are still the same amount of contaminants in the water that could be coming to the surface and into our drinking water. Also they said they are recycling 90% of their water when they are really only recycling less than 65%. All they care about is the money. They even sell their wastewater instead of paying to get rid of it. I just hope that they soon realize the harmful effects that can come out of this and start thinking of ways that the wastewater would not be able to get into our drinking water. Another thing is that it is protected from federal law. That is just surprising to me. We should really start to look at how much wastewater is coming into our drinking water because of the drilling companies and what we can do to make federal officials realize what is happening. I once saw wastewater coming out of a well and it looked like really muddy water. I certainly would not want that water going into the rivers where we get our drinking water from. Overall, I believe this problem is pretty big and people should really start to pay attention to it before it is to late.
Questions
1) Why do you think the waste from drilling companies is protected from the federal law on hazardous waste?
2) Do you think we should spend the money to build more injection wells so drilling companies can store the waste there, or keep on recycling water? Why?
3) How, or in what ways, could drilling companies recycle wastewater and not have the waste come into the rivers from which we get our drinking water?
by: Ian Urbina
The New York Times
March 1, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/us/02gas.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Reflection
The drilling companies are basically lying to the people. They are saying that it is a win-win even though they are still the same amount of contaminants in the water that could be coming to the surface and into our drinking water. Also they said they are recycling 90% of their water when they are really only recycling less than 65%. All they care about is the money. They even sell their wastewater instead of paying to get rid of it. I just hope that they soon realize the harmful effects that can come out of this and start thinking of ways that the wastewater would not be able to get into our drinking water. Another thing is that it is protected from federal law. That is just surprising to me. We should really start to look at how much wastewater is coming into our drinking water because of the drilling companies and what we can do to make federal officials realize what is happening. I once saw wastewater coming out of a well and it looked like really muddy water. I certainly would not want that water going into the rivers where we get our drinking water from. Overall, I believe this problem is pretty big and people should really start to pay attention to it before it is to late.
Questions
1) Why do you think the waste from drilling companies is protected from the federal law on hazardous waste?
2) Do you think we should spend the money to build more injection wells so drilling companies can store the waste there, or keep on recycling water? Why?
3) How, or in what ways, could drilling companies recycle wastewater and not have the waste come into the rivers from which we get our drinking water?
by: Ian Urbina
The New York Times
March 1, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/us/02gas.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
I personally find it extremely annoying and agrivatign that these drilling companies are getting away with it. I certainly do not want my water to be polluted, and I think I can say that for everyone else. We see that problem everyday with ordinary people just throwing trash into local bodies of water, but when drilling companies are filling it with toxins, that is another story. It is one thing to have polluted water, but another thing when our water is toxic. This issue is an example of a recent scenario that just happened last summer when we were drilling for oil in the Gulf and oil leaked into the water and made a huge mess, and caused the life of many animals. Following that, I agree with Katherine when she says that this topic needs to looked at more carefully, and something needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteHere is a picture of oil drilling relating to this topic:
http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0817-gulf-oil-spill-offshore-drilling-ban/8491551-1-eng-US/0817-gulf-oil-spill-offshore-drilling-ban_full_600.jpg
I don't think drilling companies can be trusted at all. There is always so much stuff in the news about how corrupt they are and how much they lie to us. Oil companies honestly don't care about anything except for money. I notice a reoccurring topic in all these articles, the government is turning a cold shoulder on water pollution. This is unacceptable because the government's main purpose is to make our country the best place it can possibly be. It's one thing for oil companies to not care but the government not caring is quite pathetic.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the first question I think the government is protecting oil companies because they are so important to the economy. The oil industry is one of the top money-makers in our country and is vital to the economy. The government is protecting oil companies in order to protect themsleves.
I seem like dilling company are trying to make what they do sound right when its not. We do almost the same thing but we get fined for it and they don't. I don't understand why tthe goverment doesn't do anything about it because its wrong. This sort of thing happen all the time too. I can't think of a way this relates to my life though.
ReplyDeleteTo answer one of your questions. I think the drilling company get away with it because the goverment probly profit from it in a way.