Fireball tragedy in California suburb brings gas industry under scrutiny

[Newsjock]

Source: The Independent (UK)

... Although energy from natural gas has lower carbon emissions than coal, environmental organisations are sounding the alarm about a controversial method used to get the natural gas out of the rock.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a method developed by the Halliburton oil services company, uses a mix of water sand and chemicals such as diesel fuel to break up rock formations deep underground and free trapped deposits of oil and gas.

But industrial and federal studies have shown the process also leaves between 20% to 40% of the components of the diesel fuel in the ground. About 90% of the 450,000 natural gas wells in the US rely on hydraulic fracturing.

... The technology – so far – is exempt from federal regulation. But that is changing. The Environmental Protection Agency, under pressure from Congress, has been taking a look at fracturing.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/10/fireball-gas-industry-scrutiny

[Starry Messenger]

1. Why does it always take a disaster for them to bring "scrutiny"?

We are fucking guinea pigs for private industry. Take a look at this, assholes.

[gophates]

4. Time to nationalize the energy industry.

Make them work for us, not the other way around.

[MadMaddie]

2. The Gas and Oil companies

have had billions of dollars of tax breaks, incentives etc. while at the same time making record profits. They didn't use any of the money to update their infrastructure. They did however; cut costs wherever they could.

Hydraulic Fracturing is dangerous and ruins bodies of water. There was a documentry where the farmer lit his drinking water on fire.

How many more of these events do Americans have to suffer through? President Obama's infrastructure bill is just the beginning of what needs to be done.

[KamaAina]

3. ??? The San Bruno blast had not Thing One to do with fracking

a (likely poorly maintained) transmission pipeline ruptured and exploded. To my knowledge no gas is produced in the Bay Area, through fracking or any other means.

[Wednesdays]

5. But, it makes people take a closer look at the industry

Should they not do that?
:shrug:

[bbinacan]

6. My bet is that the line

was ruptured by an idiot who didn't make a one call to locate the line. And fracking? There is no verified case of water contamination. BTW, I'm in the business.