Ohio Fracking Facts 101

Fracking is a term most frequently used to refer to the process of horizontal hydraulic fracturing. It is sometimes used as a catchall term for the entire set or part of the set of processes which include drilling, fracturing, and waste disposal. This article mainly uses the term to refer to the fracturing process of a horizontal well. o o While the fracturing process has been used on vertical wells for over 40 years, it has only been used since 2007 in combination with the newer technology of horizontal drilling. Fracking horizontal wells uses at least 100 times more water than is used in fracturing vertical wells because they are so much larger the horizontal portions can reach over 2 miles long.
This figure illustrates the difference between fracking a horizontal well and a vertical well.

Image accessed 6/11/13 from: http://www.farmingmagazine.com/article-8521.aspx

The average fracking job uses 5 million gallons of freshwater, most often withdrawn from lakes, ponds, streams, or rivers near the wellsite. The water is combined with sand and a host of proprietary1 chemicals. The mixture is injected into the ground with explosive force in order to fracture rock to release the natural gas and/or oil it contains. The proprietary chemicals used in this mixture can contain toxic substances such as benzene, toluene, and xylene.

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A well being fracked Image accessed 6/11/13 from: www.savecoloradofromfracking.org/basics/basics.html

Proprietary trade secret

Once the fracking process has been completed, only some of the fluid comes back up. It then needs to be disposed of. (The rest of it stays in the ground and no one really know what happens to it.) At this point, in addition to the toxic ingredients it contained going down, it may also be carrying varying levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) which exist deep below the ground.

Disposal of Fracking Waste - there is no good way to dispose of the overwhelming volume of toxic/radioactive waste generated by the fracking process. o In addition to disposing of its own waste, Ohio receives and disposes of tremendous amounts of frack waste from all over the country o Currently, it is brought here on roadways by trucks It will soon be brought here by rail and by barge on the Ohio River Liquid waste can also be transported through pipelines

Fracking waste includes: Drill cuttings rocks and dirt brought to the surface from the well-drilling process which can contain radioactive elements Toxic/radioactive wastewater which comes back up following the fracking process Fracking wastewater is different from the wastewater produced by most other industrial or agricultural processes because it is too contaminated to be made safe through treatment. In states with heavy fracking activity such as Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania millions of gallons of freshwater quickly turn into billions of gallons, and fracking wastewater must be permanently removed from the water cycle yes, the process destroys freshwater - forever.

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Fracking wastewater is sometimes mixed with dirt and rocks so it can be disposed of in landfills (see more about this below)

The state agency charged with permitting and monitoring fracking waste disposal is ODNR. Types of fracking waste disposal: Class II injection wells Fracking wastewater is injected into deep wells which are dedicated to storing large volumes of liquid waste. Class II injection wells were designed and constructed for storing non-hazardous waste but they are being used for fracking waste, anyways. ODNR is not adequately staffed or funded to test or monitor the contents of Class II injection wells.

Liquid waste is solidified by mixing it with dirt and rocks and then dumped into regular landfills This is made possible by the fact that frack waste is classified as Non-hazardous. WOOD COUNTY LANDFILL ACCEPTS FRACKING WASTE. o o Fracking waste is not tested for radioactivity because it is classified as Non-Hazardous Wood County Landfill is not supposed to accept radioactive waste, but it doesnt have any equipment for testing it.

Liquid fracking waste is spread on roads as a de-icer and for dust control YES it is!

The regulation and permitting of fracking occurs at State level. o o EPAs original, albeit limited, authority to regulate the O&G industry was intentionally severed through changes made in both federal and state legislation. Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is the governmental agency charged with permitting and monitoring fracking and associated waste disposal in the State of Ohio. Giving one state agency the responsibility to protect our air and water while receiving tens of millions of dollars annually through the permitting and taxing of fracking and its related processes (i.e. waste disposal) sets the stage for a HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

Northwest Ohio O&G permits issued by ODNR as of 6/11/13: o o o o Sandusky County - several horizontal frack wells Lucas County - 3 horizontal frack wells near Berkey Fulton County - 1 horizontal frack well near Fayette Wood County - 1 oil and gas well in Liberty Township; permitted Nov. 2012; not sure about the status of this well must check on this!

Air Pollution o Although the O&G industry wants the public to think natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel and the bridge to our clean energy future, the production of natural gas contributes perhaps more to global climate change than the other fossil fuels. Natural gas, also known as methane, is a much more highly concentrated greenhouse gas than CO2 . Methane leaks continuously into the atmosphere around drill sites. Benzene, Toluene, Xylene and Radon are just some of the pollutants emitted into the air by the fracking process and make many people sick. The fracking process can bring hydrogen sulfide gas to the surface where it pockets in low-lying areas. Hydrogen sulfide kills people, pets, livestock, and wildlife because it is extremely toxic, colorless, and odorless. There is no replacement for having clean air to breath. Having clean air to breath is a human right.

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Water Pollution and Destruction o o As previously mentioned, fracking permanently destroys vast quantities of freshwater our most precious resource. Fracking contaminates groundwater which many people rely upon for drinking, cooking, and washing. The industry has worked very hard to convince us otherwise. But if you are in doubt just ask Ohioan Jaime Fredrick or many of the residents of the city of Dimock, PA. There is no replacement for having safe water to drink. Having safe water to drink is a human right.

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Human Health o o Fracking is a highly intrusive, industrial process which destroys our land and pollutes our air and water. This, in turn, makes people and animals very sick. The following link will take you to an up-dated list of documented cases of people who have been harmed by the fracking industry (including Jaime Fredrick and some of the folks from Dimock, PA): http://pennsylvaniaallianceforcleanwaterandair.wordpress.com/the-list/

Economic Impacts o o o Environmental and human health impacts that have been created by fracking are not paid for by the industry they are left for individuals and municipalities to deal with. Fracking destroys property values. Once property owners land, air, water, and health have been destroyed, they are unable to afford to move away because they cannot sell their property and medical bills have put them on the brink of or into bankruptcy. The O&G industry seems to be setting up an energy bubble similar to the housing bubble of several years ago. If/when the market collapses, it will devastate international economies.

Ohio Mandatory Pooling Permit - issued by ODNR to allow an O&G company to use land for fracking when they are unable get an owner(s) to sign lease(s). o o North Royalton, Ohio is currently facing a Mandatory Pooling Permit brought against the city by oil company, Cutter Oil, in order to use 1.9 acres of city-owned property for fracking. The city may appeal the order but there is very little chance of it winning. Between 2007 2012 only 1 out of 120 Pooling Permits went against the industry.

The City of Broadview Heights, Ohio has 90 fracked (mostly vertical) wells within its city limits. In every one of those cases, toxic chemicals have been injected into the ground in close proximity to homes, schools, playgrounds, parks, and shopping centers.

LINKS TO MORE FRACKING INFO:

Read our petition for the proposed BG Charter Amendment at this link: http://protectbgohio.weebly.com

Read more about fracking in the Jan. 2013 issue of peer-reviewed journal New Solutions an issue completely dedicated to fracking - at this link:
New Solutions Journal Jan. 2013 - Fracking Issue

Go to this website for more Ohio Fracking information:

FreshWater Accountability Project

Check-out this interactive map of Ohio Oil and Gas Wells:

oilandgas.ohiodnr.gov/well-information/oil-gas-well-locator

Fracking History
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