Regulation and Safety
Hydraulic fracturing is a safe, well-regulated, environmentally sound practice that has been employed over one million times without a single incidence of drinking water contamination. Hydraulic fracturing’s record of safety and impressive ability to help make the most of our domestic energy resources designate it as one of the most important tools in our nation’s effort to achieve energy independence.
Regulation
Since hydraulic fracturing became a commercially viable practice sixty years ago, state agencies have effectively monitored its implementation, setting guidelines and best practices. While most attention is focused on federal regulators, it is state agencies that do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to ensuring the safety of energy exploration. Each state has a team of highly qualified inspectors and scientists whose job is to guarantee the proper execution of oil and natural gas extraction.
Every step of the process—from the initial boring of the well to its sealing after it has run dry—is conducted in accordance with state requirements. Indeed before a well is even drilled, it requires approval by state officials and a Permit-to-Drill.
Well operators not only work with state regulators, but also comply with numerous federal requirements. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act all contain record keeping and reporting rules followed by energy producers. These regulations ensure all chemicals used in the extraction process are properly handled and stored, and that workers and first responders are made aware of the substances they handle.
State and federal requirements and conscientious implementation by America’s independent oil and natural gas producers has ensured that every use of hydraulic fracturing is safe.
What’s In Frac Fluid?
Fracturing fluid is the most important component in the hydraulic fracturing process. The pressurized mixture does the hard work of breaking apart rock beds, and is then removed to allow oil and natural gas to reach the surface. But what exactly is frac fluid made of?
Water constitutes more than 95 percent of fracturing fluids. The remaining ingredients each serve a specific purpose, and the amounts of each are adjusted depending on the kind of rock that needs fracturing and the specifics of the well site.
Part of the frac fluid’s job is to deliver the proppant—sand—to the fractures so that they remain open. To help ensure effective delivery, guar is added to the water to make it more gel-like. Guar is made from beans, and you may very well find it in many of the processed foods in your kitchen. Foamy mixtures flow easily, so nitrogen gas is added to help the fluid travel down the narrow well faster. Once the fluid is ready to be removed, an enzyme or oxidizer undoes the work of the guar, and thins its consistency.
In addition to these main ingredients, there are small amounts of other chemicals that each play a critical role in the process. State regulators are made aware of those chemicals, and have yet to raise any concerns about their use. While some are potentially dangerous, they make up a small percentage of the mixture, appearing at levels well below what could constitute a threat to drinking water. Further, they are removed during the extraction process, and cannot migrate through the rock bed to the water table.
As the studies outlined below show, fracturing fluid and the hydraulic fracturing process do not pose a threat to public health.
Studies
Studies conducted by respected authorities have all concluded that hydraulic fracturing is safe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) have all found hydraulic fracturing non-threatening to the environment or public health.
The GWPC survey of state energy regulatory agencies found no documented cases of contaminated drinking water linked to hydraulic fracturing. The GWPC also concluded that state regulations were sufficient to ensure the integrity of the water supply.
A 2002 study conducted by the IOGCC—a multi-state government agency that represents thirty-seven governors—confirmed the GWPC’s conclusion that no evidence of contaminated drinking water due to hydraulic fracturing could be found.
In 2004, the EPA conducted an extensive survey of hydraulic fracturing practices and their effect on drinking water. Focusing on the shallowest of wells (those that have the highest potential of harming the water supply), the EPA found that several factors (fluid recovery, the small amount of chemicals contained in frac fluids, their dilution in water and their absorption by rock formations) minimize the potential risks associated with hydraulic fracturing. The EPA agreed with the GWPC and the IOGCC that hydraulic fracturing is safe. More specifically, the EPA concluded that no hazardous chemicals were found in fracturing fluids, and that hydraulic fracturing does not create pathways for fluids to travel between rock formations to affect the water supply.
