The environment issue of development of Shale oil & gas has struck Meaux, Brie region of France. A recent article, Protesters call for shale oil driling ban, discusses the locals' issues with development of Shale oil. This article and reported conversation (below) shows multiple break downs in Science Communication to the public.
At the beginning of the article it says, "shale oil has presented as a cleaner and more local, alternative to imported petroleum". There seems to be an initial break down; shale oil is not cleaner than conventional petroleum because it must be process/refined at a higher energy than traditional oil. As you read this article, many red flags appear from a geologist point of view-
“The problem with shale gas is the hydraulic fracturing process,” says Eric Vaubourg, from Crécy-la-Chapelle, a town of 4,000 inhabitants a few kilometres south of Meaux. “With this process it’s difficult to extract gas and oil correctly without pollution.”
This quote shows that the general public in this area might not understand fully about hydraulic fracturing. First, in today's petroleum business, one of the first things to permit a well is to understand the water aquifers present. Second, the Petroleum industry today mitigates fracturing into the "water table", which is at a shallower depth than the petroleum, by apply a casing design which allows no penetration into the aquifers. Hydraulic fracturing does use a lot of different chemical compounds to help stimulate the process but petroleum companies are required to disperse of these chemicals properly and make sure there is no contamination.
The locals in this area have every right to argue against drilling for shale oil but must make an educated argument and understand the systems in place. The petroleum companies in the United States are fracturing wells like crazy right now and are doing it without contaminating our water resources. The question to the people of France is- if they could produce there own petroleum, creating domestic supply of oil and lower the amount on importing, why would you not honor the exploration and development of shale oil? And, apply regulations to insure petroleum companies are not polluting or contaminating any water aquifers. Please listen to the broadcast below...
It will be interesting to see what the parliamentary debate decides on shale oil drilling in the France. The debate on shale oil drilling ban starts on May 10th.
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Well, except there is a lot of debate about whether our water sources are being contaminated, right? Theoretically, it should be possible because of where the shale is in relationship to the aquifers, but there is no clear regulation of the casing (as far as I can tell--correct me if I'm wrong) and there have been a lot of problems with dumping produced water. But I like that you acknowledge they have the right to protest. If you want them to be accurate, though, we have to be accurate as well.
ReplyDeleteThe COGCC requires that you have casing in your well through all aquifers and 200' below the lowest aquifer. And, I would hope that France has similar regulations. Most used aquifers are at shallow depths and are naturally contaiminated by biogenic gas and coal bed methane.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying that there has not been contaimination from drilling wells in the past but today the regulations are different and more protective of the aquifers.