ccwa.org.au Here in WA, “unconventional gas” deposits deep in the earth are already attracting attention from petroleum companies. With no proper regulation in place to stop them, these companies continue to develop sites; drilling first and asking questions later. The contamination of precious groundwater supp…
Or not:
IBD: Science Doesn’t Find Fracking A Drinking-Water Danger JunkScience.com
The left thought it found in fracking the leverage it could use to further hinder domestic oil and gas production. But fracking isn’t an environmental cataclysm. An independent university report confirms this. Fear of fracking, a process used to draw fossil fuels from shale, is based in part on speculation that it harms drinking water. Opponents say the fluids used in hydraulic fracturing taint groundwater. Researchers at the University of Texas, however, say they have “found no direct evidence …
Frackman comments:
The energy industry – along with many other ‘independent’ researchers put out many studies. pretty much one a month in relation to fracking being of no consequence. I have found many ‘independent’ reports from bodies such as ‘the clean energy institute’ ‘future energy commission’ etc etc. No country that hosts unconventional gas production has come down hard with enforceable regulation. This includes Australia. It was found recently that WA petroleum regulations are not even legally enforceable. The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) has just released a ‘voluntary code of conduct’ to be followed by unconventional gas explorers and producers. Note – this is a ‘voluntary’ code of conduct and half of the companies currently exploring in WA are not members of APPEA anyway.
Of biggest concern regarding this industry, is that it is going ahead Now. before regulations have even been reviewed, before there has been any studies of aquifer connectivity – fault systems – toxicity evaluations. This industry has been plagued with problems elsewhere in the world. Currently in the US, it is banned in 3 states and moratoriums exist in 5 other. It has been blanket banned in both France and Bulgaria, it is under moratorium in South Africa. Western Australia however has thrown caution to the wind.
All fracking proposals in 2011 we’re referred to the EPA. Not one of them was assessed. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) exists between the EPA, DEC and DMP which basically takes regulation and assessment of this industry out of any other hands except those of the DMP – who’s regulations are not even enforceable.
Through a mountain of work with the freedom of information office (FOI) i managed to get my hands on the one and only aquifer connectivity and fault system evaluation of a proposed frack job. (no data is publicly available and the DMP does not have to disclose anything to anyone, not even other government departments)
The report stated that the studies to determine the scope of the report commissioned had never been done in the area. However – groundwater migration exists between formations on major faults in the area such as the Peron fault (which extends vertically from basement to surface) (this is a site just North of Perth).
The frack job was proposed to take place on a well next to this fault and the fracture to extend within 100m of this fault well and truly into the (stress zone). The EPA, DEC and Department of Water never saw this report and the job was given the all clear by the DMP. I will add that this certain proposal was being undertaken in a nature reserve, on the bank of a wetland that is signatory to all international migratory bird conventions and the local community, rangers or shire had no idea.
This is just one example of complete caution to the wind that i have investigated in WA. There are many more.
Would it not be wise to slap a moratorium on this industry, commission all of the relevent data, review the regulations, tear up the MOU, introduce transparency and allow for independent assessment before proceeding?
the only reason why that is not happening is that it takes at least 5 years to produce adequate aquifer connectivity reports. Halliburton Australia will not present their chemicals to any lab in Australia for independent review as they are able to claim ‘commercial in confidence’ and Nobody wants to pay for the fault data to be collected and interpreted.
we are running down the same old road. Every time we get to the end of it, we look back and try to remember what that bit of country looked like back then. We try to remember how sweet the air smelled and the water tasted and say… in hindsight…
