Disposal of fracking wastewater poses potential environmental problems

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

A recent study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows that the oil and gas industry are creating earthquakes. New information from the Midwest region of the United States points out that these man-made earthquakes are happening more frequently than expected. While more frequent earthquakes are less of a problem for regions like the Midwest, a geology professor from the University of Southern Indiana, Dr. Paul K. Doss, believes the disposal of wastewater from the hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) process used in extracting oil and gas has the possibility to pose potential problems for groundwater.

“We are taking this fluid that has a whole host of chemicals in it that are useful for fracking and putting it back into the Earth,” Doss said. “From a purely seismic perspective these are not big earthquakes that are going to cause damage or initiate, as far as we know, any larger kinds of earthquakes activity for Midwest. [The issue] is a water quality issue in terms of the ground water resources that we use.”

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique used by the oil and gas industries which inject highly pressurized water down into the Earth’s crust to break rock and extract natural gas. Most of the fluids used for fracking are proprietary, so information about what chemicals are used in the various fluids are unknown to the public and to create a competitive edge.

Last Monday four researchers from the University of New Brunswick released an editorial that sheds light on the potential risks that the current wastewater disposal system could have on the province’s water resources. The researchers share the concern that Dr. Doss has and have come out to say that they believe fracking should be stopped in the province until there is an environ­mentally safe way to dispose the waste wastewater.

“If groundwater becomes contamin­ated, it takes years to decades to try to clean up an aquifer system,” University of New Brunswick professor Tom Al said.

While the USGS group which conducted the study says it is unclear how the earthquake rates may be related to oil and gas production, they’ve made the correlation between the disposal of wastewater used in fracking and the recent upsurge in earthquakes. Because of the recent information surfacing that shows this connection between the disposal process and earthquakes, individual states in the United States are now passing laws regarding disposal wells.

The problem is that we have never, as a human society, engineered a hole to go four miles down in the Earth’s crust that we have complete confidence that it won’t leak.

“The problem is that we have never, as a human society, engineered a hole to go four miles down in the Earth’s crust that we have complete confidence that it won’t leak,” Doss said. “A perfect case-in-point is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010, that oil was being drilled at 18,000 feet but leaked at the surface. And that’s the concern because there’s no assurance that some of these unknown chemical cocktails won’t escape before it gets down to where they are trying to get rid of them.”

It was said in the study released by the New Brunswick University professors that if fracking wastewater would contaminate groundwater, that current conventional water treatment would not be sufficient enough to remove the high concentration of chemicals used in fracking. The researchers did find that the wastewater could be recycled, can also be disposed of at proper sites or even pumped further underground into saline aquifers.

The New Brunswick professors have come to the conclusion that current fracking methods used by companies, which use the water, should be replaced with carbon diox­ide or liquefied propane gas.

“You eliminate all the water-related issues that we’re raising, and that peo­ple have raised in general across North America,” Al said.

In New Brunswick liquefied propane gas has been used successfully in fracking some wells, but according to water specialist with the province’s Natural Resources De­partment Annie Daigle, it may not be the go-to solution for New Brunswick due its geological makeup.

“It has been used successfully by Corridor Resources here in New Bruns­wick for lower volume hydraulic frac­turing operations, but it is still a fairly new technology,” Daigle said.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with U.S. states to come up with guidelines to manage seismic risks due to wastewater. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA is the organization that also deals with the policies for wells.

Oil wells, which are under regulation, pump out salt water known as brine, and after brine is pumped out of the ground it’s disposed of by being pumped back into the ground. The difference between pumping brine and the high pressurized fracking fluid back in the ground is the volume that it is disposed of.

“Brine has never caused this kind of earthquake activity,” Doss said. “[The whole oil and gas industry] has developed around the removal of natural gas by fracking techniques and has outpaced regulatory development. The regulation is tied to the ‘the run-of-the-mill’ disposal of waste, in other words the rush to produce this gas has occurred before regulatory agencies have had the opportunity to respond.”

According to the USGS study, the increase in injecting wastewater into the ground may explain the sixfold increase of earthquakes in the central part of the United States from 2000 – 2011. USGS researchers also found that in decades prior to 2000 seismic events that happened in the midsection of the U.S. averaged 21 annually, in 2009 it spiked to 50 and in 2011 seismic events hit 134.

“The incredible volumes and intense disposal of fracking fluids in concentrated areas is what’s new,” Doss said. “There is not a body of regulation in place to manage the how these fluids are disposed of.”

The study by the USGS was presented at the annual meeting of the Seismological Society of America on April 18, 2012.

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Wikinews’ overview of the year 2008

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Also try the 2008 World News Quiz of the year.

What would you tell your grandchildren about 2008 if they asked you about it in, let’s say, 20 years’ time? If the answer to a quiz question was 2008, what would the question be? The year that markets collapsed, or perhaps the year that Obama became US president? Or the year Heath Ledger died?

Let’s take a look at some of the important stories of 2008. Links to the original Wikinews articles are in all the titles.

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What Are Venetian Blinds?

By John Schofield

Venetian blinds can be considered as multi-purpose window coverings. They are useful in so many ways. They are more than just plain window treatment because they can make a room look spacious. Moreover, they can help control the amount of light that goes into a room. If you need privacy, these blinds can provide it too. These venetian blinds can give you more value if you use them at home. Their benefits make them popular among homeowners, such as versatility and affordability. They are also flexible because they can suit any room decoration and they can be used to express different taste and personality. There are also different materials that are used in venetian blinds such as metal, PVC, wood, and others.

Choosing Venetian Blinds

In choosing venetian blinds, there are several factors that you need to consider. You cannot just go around picking anything up for your home. First, you have to know how you plan to use the blinds. The right use of the blinds should be kept in mind so that you can pick up the right one for your home. Some homeowners want to control light, maintain privacy or enjoy both. Second, think about where you plan to install the blinds, whether it is indoors or outdoors. Third, make sure that your preferences must be well catered to with the blinds that you will choose.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wz0-2ChX8U[/youtube]

Benefits of Venetian Blinds

There are many advantages in using these blinds. These are the reasons why these blinds are preferred by many homeowners. These benefits include the following:

1. They can be customised according to how you would like to place and use them. There are plenty of choices in terms of textures and colours in venetian blinds that can easily match the general decoration at home. These blinds can even be used to enhance the appeal of your home. You can bring your personal preferences by using designs on the slats. When the blinds are closed, the designs will be visible. Aluminium blinds can best provide a metallic finish. Wood venetian blinds are also ideal for use if you want a simple but elegant appeal to a room. Cheaper wooden blinds are those made of faux wood.

2. They are affordable and can be easily installed. When you install these venetian blinds personally, see to it that the blinds are installed straight at the right places. Crooked window blinds will fail to operate well. These blinds can also be bought at affordable prices from a home improvement store.

3. They can be customised to your windows. It is important that these blinds must have the right size that matches the windows where you plan to hang them. Blinds of the wrong size are hard to install. In some cases, they might not even be installed at all. Lightweight blinds should be used well because they are prone to breaking. Damp rag cloth can be used to wipe the dust off the slats. You can use lemon wooden cleaner or lemon oil in cleaning the slats.

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Whalers upset Spirit in opening game for Ontario Hockey League

Thursday, September 22, 2005

The 2005-2006 Ontario Hockey League season kicked off to a start Wednesday night at Wendler arena in The Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan, USA with the Saginaw Spirit hosting the Plymouth Whalers, with over 4,600 people attending. The Whalers won 7 – 2.

A power shot by a player sent the game into a 5-minute delay when a piece of glass on the boards was shattered during the first period. The game opened its first period with 4 goals for the Whalers, with right wing player Dan Collins scoring two. Teammates James Neal and John Vigilante picked up the remainder. The Spirit also received a goal, made by defenseman Patrick McNeill.

The second period started with an early goal by Michal Birner for the Spirit. Plymouth later rebounded with two goals from players Ryan McGinnis and Dan Collins. Later on in the period, Plymouth member Jared Boll was penalized with a ten minute misconduct. He did not return to play for the remainder of the game.

The third period held a goal made by Plymouth’s Mike Letizia, rounding out the final score to 7 – 2. Later on in the period, Plymouth’s #2 defenseman Brett Bellemore suffered an injury that left him on the ice. He later was able to skate to the bench, where he was examined by the team trainer, Dennis MacDonald.

This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.
This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

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News briefs:January 04, 2008

[edit]

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BC man is selling the boat from old TV series Gilligan’s Island

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

A man named George Schultz in Parksville, British Columbia is selling the boat from old TV series Gilligan’s Island at the cost of $99,000. The cruiser, originally cost about $290,000 in the 1960s.

“There have been a couple of modifications, so it doesn’t look exactly like the original,” said Shultz, a boat broker who’s selling the 36-foot Wheeler Express Cruiser for fellow Parksdale resident Scotty Taylor. “But it’s still the original boat.”

Originally, the boat’s name was The Blue Jacket.

“Just for the show, for a stage name, it was called the S.S. Minnow,” Shultz said. The name was a reference to Newton Minnow, once chairman of the FCC.

“He just liked the boat, he wanted to restore it, it was a nice looking boat, a wooden boat, a classic and he likes classic boats,” said Shultz. “The hole in the hull was actually the least of the repairs – the interior needed a lot more work”.

Someone later stole the plaque on the boat, but the 46-year-old boat still has the round life preserver with S.S. Minnow emblazoned on it and the skipper’s chair.

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Why Law Enforcement Boots Need To Do More

byadmin

When the time comes for you to ensure your feet are well protected for the job at hand, what do you focus on? Most often, police officers and others in the industry put a lot of time into choosing boots that look good and feel good. However, the best law enforcement boots go further and provide far more protection for your feet. Take a closer look at your feet – what do they need to ensure you can continue to do your job?

Protection for Your Feet

View your law enforcement boots as a type of protection for your feet. That is, they should be durable and designed to protect your feet from heat, moisture, and any type of item you can step on. You also need to consider versions that can help to secure your feet in terms of items falling on them. Your job may require you to climb, lift, and even enter into dangerous situations where your feet are exposed. The right boots minimize any risk to you.

Look for a Specialized Brand

When choosing boots for your feet, then, quality matters most. It is critical for you to choose a pair of boots designed to make your feet comfortable and supportive because you do work a lot of hours on them. You also want a brand designed with the type of work you do in mind. This means they need to be durable and long lasting even in tough situations.

When you take steps like this, you ensure you always get the type of outcome you want when you are on the job. Invest wisely in law enforcement boots. Choose those designed to meet your worst environment and still capable of providing you with exceptional comfort along the way.

Recalled pet food found to contain rat poison

Friday, March 23, 2007

In a press release earlier today, New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker, along with Dean of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine Donald F. Smith, confirmed that scientists at the New York State Food Laboratory identified Aminopterin as a toxin present in cat food samples from Menu Foods.

Menu Foods is the manufacturer of several brands of cat and dog food subject to a March 16, 2007 recall.

Aminopterin is a drug used in chemotherapy for its immunosuppressive properties and, in some areas outside the US, as a rat poison. Earlier reports stated that wheat gluten was a factor being investigated, and officials now state that the toxin would have come from Chinese wheat used in the pet food, where it is used for pest control. Investigators will not say that this is the only contaminant found in the recalled food, but knowing the identity of the toxin should assist veterinarians treating affected animals.

The Food Laboratory tested samples of cat food received from a toxicologist at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University. The samples were found to contain the rodenticide at levels of at least 40 parts per million.

Commissioner Hooker stated, “We are pleased that the expertise of our New York State Food Laboratory was able to contribute to identifying the agent that caused numerous illnesses and deaths in dogs and cats across the nation.”

The press release suggests Aminopterin, a derivative of folic acid, can cause cancer and birth defects in humans and can cause kidney damage in dogs and cats. Aminopterin is not permitted for use in the United States.

The New York State Food Laboratory is part of the Federal Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) and as such, is capable of running a number of unique poison/toxin tests on food, including the test that identified Aminopterin.

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Fires out at the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

After two days, the 2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire has finally been extinguished.

The fires began after a series of explosions early on the morning of 11 December 2005. The terminal, known locally as the Buncefield Depot, is an oil storage facility located near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. These were some of the largest explosions ever to occur in the country and the incident has been described as the biggest of its kind in peacetime Europe.

The Hertfordshire Fire Service chief Roy Wilsher said: “There are still some small bund (concrete container) fires, but the tanks are out.”

Fire crews would remain at the scene over the next few days cooling the area to ensure fires did not break out again, he said.

A few residents are being allowed to return to their homes within an exclusion zone set up around the site.

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FC Barcelona presents project for new Camp Nou stadium

Saturday, September 22, 2007

British architect Norman Foster and FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta presented today in Barcelona the redevelopment project for the team’s stadium, Camp Nou, built in 1957.

The Catalan club expects that this redesign will turn the stadium into a city landmark and that “the external image of the stadium will become a recognized brand for FCB.” Works will begin in 2008.

The new stadium will be wrapped in a colourful mosaic made up of the team’s colours (blue and red) and those of the Catalan flag (red and yellow) and reminiscent of Gaudi’s style. This reptile-like cover of tiles and lights will allow the stadium to transform itself according to the time of day and the events taking place. The project also includes the building of a retractable roof.

According to the Club, “the remodelled stadium is designed such that it can be built with minimal disruption FCB normal football activity.”

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