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Environment

Federal Rules For Fracking

Regulation: Interior Department proposes disclosure rules for hydraulic fracturing chemicals

by Jeff Johnson
May 14, 2012 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 90, Issue 20

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Credit: Associated Press
When final, the proposed regulation would affect all hydraulic fracturing operations on federal lands, such as these in the Upper Green River Basin, near Pinedale, Wyo.
In this Jan. 22, 2010 photo, antelope graze not far from gas drilling rigs in western Wyoming's snow-speckled Upper Green River Basin.
Credit: Associated Press
When final, the proposed regulation would affect all hydraulic fracturing operations on federal lands, such as these in the Upper Green River Basin, near Pinedale, Wyo.

The Department of the Interior proposed on May 4 a new requirement for oil and natural gas companies to disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, operations on federal and Native American lands.

Additionally, the proposal calls for drilling companies to ensure that fluids used in oil and gas wells do not escape the wellbore. Oil and gas operators must also have in place a water management plan to handle fracking fluids, which flow back to the surface during oil and gas production.

Fracking has brought about an abundant new source of fossil fuels that are benefiting U.S. industry. It also has generated growing complaints of contaminated ground- and surface waters from residents living near drilling sites.

The U.S. chemical industry is profiting greatly from the flood of new natural gas. In a statement, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), a chemical industry trade association, notes that “appropriate regulations and policies” are critical to ensure continuation of “robust, responsible production.” But the association urges the federal government to leave regulation of oil and gas drilling operations on federal lands to states. Gas and oil industry organizations generally echo ACC’s view, warning that federal regulation would duplicate what some dozen states are considering or, in a few cases, requiring.

Community and environmental groups are also critical of the proposal, but for being too weak. They note that public disclosure of chemicals in fracking fluids would occur only after the well had been drilled and production had begun or possibly had been completed.

Hydraulic fracturing involves forcing millions of gallons of water, fracking fluids, and sand under high pressure deep into shale rock formations to release oil and gas deposits. These fossil fuels, along with returning water, sand, and fracking fluids, then blast to the surface where oil and gas are captured during production.

No federal regulations currently address modern fracking operations, the department notes. The only drilling regulations in place are more than 30 years old and are based on technologies of the past.

In all, 90,452 oil and gas wells were operating on federal land last year, and 3,200 new wells were drilled on federal land, according to department figures.

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