[StBernard] EPA Selects Sites in Louisiana and Texas for National Study on Hydraulic Fracturing

[Westley Annis]

EPA Selects Sites in Louisiana and Texas for National Study on Hydraulic
Fracturing 

(DALLAS - June 23, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
today, in keeping with the Administration's focus on ensuring that domestic
resources are leveraged safely and responsibly, announced the next steps in
its congressionally mandated hydraulic fracturing study. EPA has identified
seven case studies to help inform the assessment of potential impacts of
hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Two of the case study
sites are in Louisiana and Texas. 

Natural gas plays a key role in our nation's energy future. EPA is working
closely with other federal partners to ensure that this important resource
can be developed safely. 

  

"This is an important part of a process that will use the best science to
help us better understand the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on
drinking water," said Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office
of Research and Development. "We've met with community members, state
experts and industry and environmental leaders to choose these case studies.
This is about using the best possible science to do what the American people
expect the EPA to do: ensure that the health of their communities and
families is protected."   

  

The two sites selected in the region were the Haynesville Shale, primarily
in Northwestern Louisiana and the Barnett Shale in North Texas. In the
Haynesville Shale area EPA will monitor the hydraulic fracturing process
before construction and throughout the process of drilling. While in the
Barnett Shale area, EPA will assess existing sites for possible drinking
water contamination and attempt to determine possible pathways for
contamination to reach water resources. 

  

The sites were selected following extensive input from stakeholders,
including the public, local and state officials, industry, and environmental
organizations. 

  

The collected information will include a literature review, data from state
governments, industry and communities, laboratory work and computer
modeling. The materials will also allow a comprehensive assessment of the
potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. 

  

Hydraulic fracturing is a process in which large volumes of water, sand and
chemicals are injected at high pressures to extract oil and natural gas from
underground rock formations. The process creates fractures in formations
such as shale rock, allowing natural gas or oil to flow into the well and be
recovered. 

  

The Barnett Shale is part of the Fort Worth Basin and covers approximately
24 counties in the North Texas area.  It is the area where the technology of
hydraulic fracturing with water-based fluids in shale gas formations was
pioneered, and as such is the most developed shale gas formation in the
world, with approximately 15,000 production wells in the formation. 

  

The Haynesville Shale is more than 10,000 feet deep and encompasses parts of
Northwestern Louisiana, Southwest Arkansas and East Texas.  Selection of
this site was based on multiple factors, including geologic and geographic
diversity and availability. 

  

To ensure the Agency maintains the current timeline for the study, the EPA
will begin field work in some of the selected regions this summer. 

  

For a copy of the draft study plan and additional information:
http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing
<http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing>  

  

More about activities in EPA Region 6:
http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html
<http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html>