FracTracker Alliance
  • Topics
      • Air, Water, Waste
      • Class II Injection Wells
      • Climate Change
      • Ecology
      • Economics
      • Frac Sand
      • Health
      • Infrastructure
      • Land
      • Legislation
      • Petrochemicals
      • Pipelines
      • Social
      • All Articles
  • Regions
    • International
    • National
    • State-by-State
  • Projects
    • Allegheny County Lease Map
    • FracTracker App
    • The Falcon Public EIA Project
    • View all projects
  • Get Involved
    • Newsletters
    • FracTracker App
    • Clean Energy Action Maps
    • Community Sentinel Award
  • Resources
    • Oil & Gas Drilling 101
    • Data Downloads
    • Newsletters
    • Photos & Videos
    • FracTracker Help
  • About Us
    • Meet the Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Job Openings
    • Annual Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate to Annual Fund
    • Drink coffee. Support us.
    • Shop w/AmazonSmile
  • Newsletter
  • Search

Tour of Visible Air Emissions

You are here: Home / Resources / Oil and Gas Drilling 101 / Tour of Visible Air Emissions

Documenting Air Pollution Sources

Often times we wonder what might be coming off of an oil and gas well pad or out of a compressor station. While many of the emissions might be invisible to the naked eye, there are situations when it is possible to see such cases of air pollution. Let us take you on a digital tour of a few examples of visible air emissions.

Click on the images below to explore the various types and sources:

Top photo: Condensate and raw gas from 500 barrel tanks on the CHK Rine pad near Silver Hill WV. Bottom Left: Raw gas and condensate fumes released from a CHK pipeline during pigging operations. Bottom Right: Raw gas from storage tank at EQT Big 57 well pad near Mobley, Wetzel County, WV.

1. Raw gas and or condensate vapors

Silica dust from blowing silica sand into the sand kings at a CHK well pad on Blake Ridge, Wetzel County

2. Silica dust release during hydraulic fracturing operations at every well pad

Barite dust released during transfer from delivery truck to storage tank at EQT Big 182 well pad near Mobley, WV.

3. Barite dust during drilling

Rock dust blowing off a Stone Energy well pad on American Ridge in Wetzel County

4. Rock dust during drilling

Diesel fumes continuously released during hydraulic fracturing at an EQT well pad, Wetzel County, WV

5. Diesel fumes from unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources used during hydraulic fracturing operations

Diesel exhaust fumes from typical, on-road, semi-regulated diesel powered trucks used in Marcellus operations.

6. Semi-regulated diesel fumes from on road diesel powered trucks

Unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources used during drilling at an EQT well pad in Wetzel County, WV

7. Unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources during drilling

Unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources during drilling at a Jay-Bee Oil & Gas well pad in Tyler County, WV

8. Unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources during drilling

Dust on various public roadways caused by heavy Marcellus truck traffic.

9. Dust on public roads from heavy truck traffic

Emissions from open burning at well pad preparation sites and burning pipeline debris

10. Emission from open burning at well pad prep sites and pipeline debris

Flaring during flowback operations and at pipeline and processing locations

11. Flaring during flowback operations and other pipeline operations

12. Bentonite clay dust released during drilling at Marcellus Shale gas well

Visible Air Emissions Photo Index

  1. Raw gas and/or condensate vapors
  2. Silica dust released during hydraulic fracturing operations
  3. Barite dust during drilling
  4. Rock dust during drilling
  5. Diesel fumes from unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources
  6. Semi-regulated diesel fumes from on road diesel powered trucks
  7. Unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources during drilling
  8. Unregulated, off road, non-stationary power sources during drilling
  9. Dust on public roads from heavy truck traffic
  10. Emission from open burning at well pad prep sites and pipeline debris
  11. Flaring during flowback operations and other pipeline operations
  12. Bentonite clay dust released during drilling

If you have examples of other types of air pollution sources from oil and gas activities, send them our way.

Back to Pipeline Construction Guide
What is fracking fluid?

FracTracker Alliance Logo with Tagline

FracTracker Alliance is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization registered in the United States.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • About Us
  • Help
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
© Copyright 2017 FracTracker Alliance
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Mail
  • Commenting Policy
  • Data Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
Scroll to top