Chemicals

From Wikimarcellus

The chemicals used in drilling fluid for hydro-fracturing are mostly non-toxic. In any event, they consist of less than 1/2 of 1% of the fluid. Most of it is made up of water and sand.

However, there are also examples of chemicals sometimes used that are toxins and/or carcinogens. These include benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene. Their use obviously may raise public concern.

When water samples are analyzed from well water or other sources, signs that they may be tainted with fracing fluid chemicals include unusual readings on:

• alkalinity
• aluminum
• barium
• calcium
• iron
• hardness
• manganese
• pH
• potassium
• specific conductivity
• sodium
• total dissolved solids.

The 2005 Energy Policy Act exempts companies from disclosing the ingredients used to frac gas wells as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. However, the individual states have heavily regulated fracturing activities for decades. Frac chemicals have always been a matter for state regulation, and very few, if any, examples of drinking water contamination have ever been reported. That is not to say contamination issues never exist, but rather appear quite minimal despite any environmental concerns to the contrary.

Resources

PA Dept. of Environmental Protection “Summary of Hydraulic Fracture Solutions.” [1]