25 March 2014
AN industry-funded report, released today, has shown that shale gas exploration risks contaminating water supplies. [1]
The report looked in particular at shale gas wells drilled in the US. Researchers found that of 8,030 wells in Pennsylvania, 6.3% have been reported to the authorities for infringements related to well barrier or integrity failure between 2005 and 2013.
The failures included:
- Failure to cement the well properly,
- Failure to prevent migration of the well's contents (gas, fracking fluid etc) into fresh groundwater
- Insufficient cement and steel casings between the well-bore and the aquifer to prevent seepage of fluids.
The report found 9 pollution incidents associated with the 143 or so wells operational since 2000 in the UK for which data exists.
But the report notes "one should bear in mind that monitoring of abandoned wells does not take place in the UK and less visible pollutants such as methane leaks are unlikely to be reported. It is possible that well integrity failure may be more widespread than the presently limited data show."
Keith Taylor, the Green Party MEP for South East England and an anti-fracking campaigner, said:
“Though the data for the UK is limited this report does show the clear risk that fracking can pose to our water supply.
In Pennsylvania , where fracking is widespread, hundreds of failures have taken place. If the UK government has its way then we’ll see fracking wells popping up all over our countryside. The government isn’t only pressing ahead with fracking, but Ministers are also hell bent on slashing the environmental rules around shale gas extraction.
In the European Parliament we saw Tory and UKIP MEPs vote against environmental impact assessments for fracking – thus leaving people across the UK at risk from the worst effects of shale gas extraction. Then, unsurprisingly, we saw a meeting of European Ministers, of which the UK was part, block the new rules..[2]
It’s clear that fracking poses a threat to local communities across the UK. But on top of local concerns we also know that fracking won’t lower our energy bills and that it will contribute to climate change.
The evidence against fracking is building, and the movement to stop it is growing. Let us hope that the Government sees sense and leaves the shale gas in the ground.”