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Conservation
Concerns in Pennsylvania:
Best Practices for Shale Gas Production
Pennsylvania,
where the modern oil industry began with Edwin Drake's Titusville
well, is again a hotbed of energy production. The Marcellus Shale, a
deep geologic formation containing as much as 500 trillion cubic feet
of gas, has attracted energy developers that are producing gas that
until recent years was largely inaccessible. Horizontal drilling and
hydraulic fracturing technologies have made Marcellus gas production
feasible and economical, unlocking a clean burning fuel that could
reduce pollution significantly by displacing antiquated coal-fired
power plants that lack pollution controls.
It's
important, however, for shale gas production to be carried out with
care in order to protect Pennsylvania's air quality, drinking water
aquifers, and communities. Rigorous implementation and enforcement of
best practices for casing and cementing wells, safe handling of
hydraulic fracturing chemicals, and proper management of
post-fracturing flowback water are among the best practices essential
for ensuring that Pennsylvania can develop its abundant gas resource
while protecting the environment.
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