An EnCana crew noticed irregularities while completing a well south of Silt, Colorado, including a drop in the level of cement they had placed between the well casing and the borehole wall. Intended to seal this annular space to keep gas from rising toward the surface, the cement drop meant that somewhere, several thousand feet below the surface a fracture was receiving cement, and possibly other fluids.
Shortly thereafter, neighbors were shocked to observe the creek on their property bubbling. Eventually they were able to convince the regulators to investigate and EnCana was fined.
I hope the Denton City Council will read this story. They sure need to because last Monday the Denton task force voted 3 to 2 against exploring the feasibility of well bore integrity requirements. It was industry influence that squelched that idea. I’ve already given the Denton council information about well bore problems but there are some additional examples in this story about industry influence.
They did state that several water wells were contaminated-one so heavily that it presented an explosive hazard-and that about 100 gas wells had been improperly constructed, in contravention of the COGCC well construction regulations.
Click over to EARTHblog and read A case study in how industry influence squelches the science of gas drilling impacts
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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It has been sent to all the members of the city council and gas well administrator in Denton. Thank for the information. We will see if it helps bring attention to the obvious flaws with the “official drilling task force”.
Three lies the Oil & Gas Industry will tell you:
#1 Allowing gas drilling in your community will create untold thousands of jobs.
The facts are on the average 1.7 jobs are created per completed gas well. http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/briefs/exposing-the-oil-and-gas-industrys-false-jobs-promise/
#2 Gas production is clean energy.
The facts are Gas production is worse than coal and is a health hazard. All you have to do is Google fracking to read about the countless stories from individuals about the cost of gas on our environment and the health of individuals living around the gas wells. These individuals have no motive other than warning of the dangers. Whereas the Gas Industry on cares about profit! The movie GASLAND is a great place to start.
#3 We need the gas wells for energy independence.
The facts are last year energy was our #1 export. This is what keeps our gas prices at the pump so high. http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2011-12-31/united-states-export/52298812/1
Seeing is believing so watch this video, download it, share it with your friends, on social media. Let us put an end to these lies for profit:
http://youtu.be/irimLsJJmhQ
Second source for the video:
http://www.mediafire.com/?hy9jymqi9l7jioa
Is it dangerous?