In my ongoing effort to learn more about gas well fracking, it seemed logical to travel to Fort Smith for a two-day “Fayetteville Shale Symposium” last week.
The programs were to be chiefly centered on the impacts to the state’s water resources from the natural gas industry’s activities both above and below ground in central Arkansas’ shale play. Fracturing (fracking) the shale strata deep in the earth is accomplished by pumping millions of gallons of water mixed with sands and chemicals to release natural gas held in the rock - an extreme, intense and impactful process.
First out of the chute of presenters was Mark Boling, executive vice president and general counsel of Southwestern Energy, one of the major companies developing gas wells in Arkansas under the name SEECO.
I thought it ironic he began his talk by indicating it’s essential for industry to ensure public trust and acceptance of current drilling operations, then in his next breath proclaimed that “there’s an unprecedented misinformation campaign being run by certain environmental groups and certain media outlets that is not based on good science or demonstrable facts.” This was especially interesting coming from a representative of an industry that years ago met privately with Vice President Dick Cheney to work out exemptions from numerous environmental laws that cramped their business practices.
As 36 other presenters came and went throughout the symposium, Mr. Boling’s words continued to rankle because not one of thesespeakers thoroughly addressed the single most serious water issue on which environmentalists have continued to seek information in the fracking fight - toxic chemicals.
Varying recipes of chemical mixtures used in drilling, and the consequences they have on living organisms, including humans, are “facts” that industry has, until a year ago, refused to make public. Instead, supposedly to keep secret formulas away from competitors, they have declared this to be “proprietary information.”
It was particularly irritating when a few speakers took prideful credit for how Arkansas is now one of a few states where the oil and gas companies voluntarily share their fracking ingredients lists. For one thing, originally there was nothing “voluntary” about their disclosures.
It took citizens and environmental organizations years of hammering onthe ears of various state agencies and commissions to get political pressure high enough to squeeze out these details. And companies can still claim and be granted trade-secret status on an unlimited number of chemicals and their concentrations.
So while some disclosure now makes industry look like good guys, what they have shared so far may just turn out to be a bone tossed to angry dogs. This granting of information to the public, who can be put at serious risk if they come into contact with unknown chemical contaminants via water, air or soil, was in reality the outcome of a public relations tug-of-war.
From an environmental protection standpoint, unknown, unlimited, unreported and unregulated chemical use makes it very dift cult, prohibitively expensive and sometimes impossible to fi nd and then do complete scientifi canalyses on the fate of hundreds of chemicals and mixtures. Multigenerational and developmental assays of effects on living organisms is the science that is truly needed before exposure seals the fate of those who have been unwittingly dosed or doused by them. But, the rush for money blinds and blocks “good science and demonstrable facts.”
Fortunately, many of the symposium talks shed light on the good people doing good research in some private companies and public agencies regarding stream biology, water depletion, intermittent streams, mitigation of damages, methane gas production, surface and ground water contamination, transportation damage to state highways, and very importantly, well casing integrity. The admission that drilled well holes cased in steel and lined with concrete can develop air pockets or be insuftcient and leak was arare nod to the foolishness of infallibility claims.
So, to counter Mr. Boling, I know of no activists, environmental organizations or journalists who are waging a premeditated campaign of misinformation for the purpose of striking fear in the hearts of citizens over natural gas drilling. No one has the time, energy, money or desire to devote life’s short hours to such unrewarding endeavors, and certainly no one is getting rich from questioning oil and gas behaviors that affect us all. Getting poorer is more like it.
At the close of the symposium, I left knowing more about shale and fracking consequences to the planet, but I’m not sure Mr. Boling left having learned anything.
FRAN ALEXANDER IS A FAYETTEVILLE RESIDENT WITH A LONGSTANDING INTEREST IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND AN OPINION ON ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE.
Opinion, Pages 13 on 03/25/2012