Monday, April 30, 2012

Fracking Unlikely To Cause Unintended Cracking Past 2,000 Feet

The study says that unintended cracking from fracking unlikely to extend farther than 600 meters, but that's close enough to 2,000 feet and put things into perspective in the Bakken where most distances are measured in feet and miles.

Link here.
According to research published in the journal Marine and Petroleum Geology, fracking has well below a 1 percent chance of causing unintended cracks in the ground beyond 600 meters. The research was led by the U.K.'s Durham University and used data from hundreds of both natural fractures and fracking operations in Europe and the U.S. 

If I read the story correctly, the researchers estimate the risk at 1 percent at 350 meters.

I can already see the environmental reply: is any risk acceptable when it comes to our water supply?

On another note, this study also provides some insight into how effective fracking is for the purpose for which it was intended. I've always opined that the distance is a 500-foot radius.


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