No evidence that controversial 'fracking' technique pollutes drinking water, say scientists
There is no evidence that the controversial ‘fracking’ technique used to extract natural gas trapped in rocks deep beneath the ground pollutes drinking water, scientists said last night.
Supports of hydraulic fracturing say that the exploiting natural resources would cut energy costs and create new jobs.
Shale gas accounts for almost a quarter of the natural gas supply in the U.S.
Cuadrilla Resources' shale drilling operation near Preston, Lancashire: Scientists now say that there is 'no evidence' that the controversial technique pollutes drinking water
Protesters scale a Cuadrilla shale gas rig bringing a halt to work at the site near Southport, Merseyside
In Britain, Lancashire is sitting one of Europe’s biggest reserves, with enough fuel to last 50 years, plug the looming energy shortfall caused by reduced North Sea gas supplies and create more than 5,000 jobs.
But opponents of fracking claim it pollutes water supplies, harms health and even causes earthquakes.
How shale gas is being extracted from deep beneath Lancashire
Their concerns relate to the technique used to remove the gas, which is much harder to extract than its North Sea counterpart.
During the fracking process, the shale is drilled into horizontally, and water, gas and chemicals pumped in at high pressure, causing the rock to shatter and allowing the gas to escape.
To separate fact from fiction, researchers from the University of Texas at Austin sifted through scientific and other literature on the safety of three large shale gas sites in the US.
They concluded that there is no evidence that fracking directly contaminates groundwater and any pollution is more likely to be due to above-ground spills of water produced by the drilling process.
Reports that the chemicals used in fracking cause leukaemia and other health problems are largely anecdotal, the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual conference in Vancouver heard.
The scientists not address the potential to cause earthquakes but a recent British report blamed the technique for two tremors that hit the Blackpool area last year.
That probe added the mini-quakes were caused by an ‘unusual combination of factors’ and would be unlikely to recur elsewhere.