Entries by FracTracker Alliance

Core Habitat Biological Diversity Areas Now on FracTracker

CHEC would like to thank the Western PA Conservancy for allowing their raw GIS data to be published online. The following snapshot was creating by layering two separate datasets: Core Habitat Biological Diversity Areas Marcellus Shale Drilling Permits in PA from 2007 to Aug. 2010 A core habitat area is the essential habitat of the […]

EPA Considers Expanding their Fracturing Study to Include Air Impacts

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may consider including in their hydraulic fracturing study the impacts on air quality that the shale gas extraction process could have. Direct conversations with EPA staff indicate that they plan to conduct a full life cycle analysis and assess greenhouse gas issues, and may also look at air quality in […]

Permitted Wastewater Facilities and the Monongahela River

During a recent FracTracker training session, CHEC’s director Dr. Conrad Dan Volz used the following maps created with FracTracker’s DataTool to demonstrate the potential impact that additional oil and gas activities in Pennsylvania could have on the state’s watersheds and waterways. The first map you see below shows all of the facilities in PA that […]

Intriguing Article about Shale Gas and Alternative Energy Sources

Shale gas is considered by many in the industry to be an ideal transition fuel toward renewable energy. This article written in June by Daniel Botkin, professor emeritus of the University of California, Santa Barbara, discusses whether extracting shale gas is worth the risk and also compares the benefits and drawbacks of other energy sources. […]

Updated Marcellus Shale Wells Drilled Snapshots

Our GIS Specialist, Drew, has added an updated dataset from the PA DEP onto the data tool showing all of the Marcellus Shale wells that have been drilled in PA since 2007. (We don’t have the records for anything before that – YET – because all of those records are still just on paper.) [archived […]

Gas Well Explosion – Indiana Township, PA

On Friday a two-year-old shallow gas well exploded in Indiana Township (Allegheny County), PA killing two workers. According to sources, multiple parties are involved in the investigation, including the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Allegheny County fire marshal and Huntley & Huntley Inc., the Monroeville company that employed […]

Public Meetings on Marcellus Shale

Fellow Pittsburghers – If you are one of the many people interested in the issue of hydraulic fracturing & how it could affect the environment & public health, be sure to attend the following meeting: Thu, July 22, 6pm – 10pm Hilton Garden Inn, 1000 Corporate Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317 The EPA is looking for […]

Fractracker Must Thrive and Survive by Your Comments

There has been some very good comments from Fractracker contributors, and I would like to share and help to facilitate further commenting… 1) Many of the data sets currently uploaded to Fractracker are from the PADEP’s “2010 Permit and RIG Activity,” under “Reports” from the Bureau or Oil and Gas Management Home Page. These are […]

Components of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid

On June 30th, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection made public the fluids used to hydraulically fracture the ground in PA. You can find that list on the DEP’s site here. However, some controversy ensued due to a mix up between the DEP & the material safety data sheets. Diesel fuel, which is listed in […]