To the Editor,
The recent front-page article called Fracking Part 2 appears to be somewhat disjointed as it wanders all over the place. The statement that drilling leaks methane up through earth and creeks is unproven. Methane is often found in creeks due to natural decomposition of organics (i.e. swamp gas). Any private water well that is completed in a coal bed or passes through a coal seam during drilling will produce some methane, as is common around the Red Lodge area.
Wells drilled to the Bakken are required to set between 500 to 1,000 feet of surface casing depending on total depth. The casing is then cemented to surface, which protects any shallow aquifers. A second string of casing is then run to total depth and cemented. The use of large amounts of water for fracking is a valid question and storing this returned water is expensive. However at least two complaints have perfected a method of recovering chemical and other impurities from returning frack water so it can be reused.
The oil industry has made huge advances in seismic interpretation and drilling technology both on shore ad off sore. Let us give credit where credit is due for creating thousands of new jobs and large strides for energy independence: all without government help.