The Daily Sheeple- by Chris Carrington
Residents in North Texas have discovered that their water is contaminated with methane gas. The Texas Oil and Gas Regulator has started an investigation after independent tests proved there was a high level of the gas in residential water supplies.
Range Resources, a natural gas company, says there is no evidence that the methane in the water and the methane from their well is the same, and they state that their own tests do not indicate that there’s a problem.
Duke University scientists disagree. Geoffry Thyne and Rob Jackson are working with the EPA to try and solve the problem and the Texas Railroad Commission, who oversees oil and gas drilling, says it has conducted a full investigation, the results of which they hope to announce in February.
Steve Lipsky, a resident in Weatherford, first noticed the problem in 2010 when he reported that water coming from his faucets was bubbling. The EPA tested it and said that the methane in the water was most likely coming from the Range Well about a mile from his home. The company was conducting fracking operations in the area.
The EPA issued a rare emergency order in late 2010 demanding that Range Resources resolve the problem and supply Lipsky’s family with water. But in March 2011 the Railroad Commission ruled Range Resources was not to blame. Range agreed, and refused to comply with the EPA’s order, which landed the company in court.
Range settled in March 2012 and the EPA withdrew its order. The company agreed to conduct testing for a year.
Later, at the insistence of Republican congressmen who accused the EPA of needlessly going after the gas driller, the agency conducted an internal review. That investigation sided with the EPA’s initial actions, and the Office of Inspector General in a report released Dec. 24 asked for additional measures to ensure there is no risk.
The EPA has shared Range Resources’ test results with the Railroad Commission but “no immediate next steps” are planned, said David Bloomgren, an EPA spokesman in Dallas, in an email. Officials from the two agencies met this week, Nye of the Railroad Commission said.
Jackson, the Duke University professor, also specializes in isotopic analysis. He declined to share his study — funded by Duke and the National Science Foundation — until it is peer-reviewed and published, but some homeowners shared test results with the AP.
Jackson found higher levels of methane in some water wells — sometimes five to 10 times higher — than what Range Resources’ tests showed. In some cases, the levels are five times higher than the 10 parts per million per liter set as a threshold limit by the U.S. Geological Survey.
“We’re seeing high methane concentrations and that result alone indicates to me that EPA closing the case was premature,” Jackson told the AP.
Range Resources declined to comment on Jackson’s findings, saying he has not shared the results.
Elizabeth Struhs, whose property abuts Lipsky’s, fears her family is in danger. Jackson’s samples found 17 parts per million of methane per liter of water in her well, while Range Resources said its tests did not detect any hazardous methane level.
“We had good water before they came here and we should have good water now,” Struhs said. (source)
A certain amount of methane is often present in ground water, along with many other impurities. The Department of the Interior advises:
If your well water contains methane concentrations above 28 mg/L the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining suggests you take immediate action to reduce the concentration. Methane concentrations below 10mg/L are generally considered safe. Wells with levels between 10 and 28mg/L should be regularly monitored, and owners may want to consider treatment to lower the concentration.
Methane is a killer. When released from water into the air it builds quickly in confined spaces and is explosive at air levels as low as 5%. The fact that North Texans can light their water indicates a high level of methane is present.
Methane displaces oxygen. It is known medically as a simple asphyxiant. Once a person is exposed to oxygen levels lower than 15% they will feel dizzy, tired and most likely have a headache. Methane building up in cellars and basements, getting in via cracks that may be unknown to the homeowner, presents a real problem in areas where it is present in such large quantities. As it’s colorless and odorless, there is nothing to indicate there is a problem.
Once again, fracking is producing effects that are not only undesirable, but downright lethal. It’s a shame that Range Resources seem so intent on shirking their responsibilities to the residents of North Texas.
Delivered by The Daily Sheeple
Contributed by Chris Carrington of The Daily Sheeple.
Chris Carrington is a writer, researcher and lecturer with a background in science, technology and environmental studies. Chris is an editor for The Daily Sheeple. Wake the flock up!
Well guys, just as I commented earlier today, the water here in North Texas is REALLY bad. Mind you, I only drank the water in North Texas once after boiling it and never drank it again. After seeing this video, I guess I’m lucky my pot didn’t explode while boiling it. I’m guessing they probably haven’t fixed the problem from 2010, even though they said they did. Typical.
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/the-word-from-the-trenches-january-21-2014/73181#comment-501114
Range Resources spokesperson addressed the issue with this statement; “We just practice lighting our farts.” “It’s a hoot!” Question; What water does the fire department use?