USA: controversy over impacts of shale gas drilling in drinking water

One of the most recent mining trends is the shale gas drilling, an alternative to conventional energy sources, is gaining ground on several countries such as China, Canada and the U.S. The latter has a bunch of huge accumulations of the fuel, such as the Marcellus Formation spread over the subsoil of various eastern states, where over 5,000 wells were drilled in a single year (mid-2009 to mid-2010).

Shale gas drilling faces a heavy opposition by environmental groups, and a new study released this week may fuel discussions over the impacts of the activities. In the report, hydrogeologist Tom Myers analyzed the natural faults and fractures in the Marcellus and concluded that fracking chemicals injected into the ground could migrate toward drinking water supplies far more quickly than experts have previously predicted.

The study used computer modeling to realize the injected fluid, which contains products such as benzene, could reach the surface “in just a few years” as the rock layers are not impermeable. Myers’ approach is already being criticized by its geologist peers, with some of them calling it “unsophisticated” and saying if fluids could flow as quickly as the author asserts, fracking wouldn’t be necessary to open up the gas deposits.