THEGREENGROK

The Green Grok Blogs on fracking

 

Drilling and Fracking and the Environment

A rig in Arkansas where the technique of fracking is used in the drilling operations. Duke and USGS researchers found no evidence of groundwater contamination from shale gas production in Arkansas. (Timothy Kresse, USGS)
by Bill Chameides
May 17, 2013

Water contamination depends on the local geology.

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Another Pipeline, Another Controversy

Map of Spectra's New Jersey-new York Expansion Pipeline
by Bill Chameides
May 8, 2013

A natural gas pipeline from New Jersey to New York: sane or insane?

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Methane Hydrates: The Next Natural Gas Boom?

A test-well for collecting gas hydrates in Mallik, Canada. (Photo: USGS)
by Bill Chameides
Mar 15, 2013

There’s a whole lot of methane in them thar seafloor. But is it good as gold or fool's gold?

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Shale Gas and Tight Oil: Boom? Bust? Or Just a Petering Out?

Thanks in large part to fracking, the production of shale gas and oil in tight formations like the Bakken in North Dakota (pictured here) has been on the rise. But will such production rates continue apace or sputter out? (Dana Schagunn/iStockphoto)
by Bill Chameides
Feb 27, 2013

The oil and gas industry promises "a few days of fracking" for "decades of ... production.” But is it true?

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Climate Change Change Gonna Come?

Obama, presidential inauguration, January 2013
by Bill Chameides
Jan 22, 2013

Obama promises action on climate change during his second term.

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John Sununu: We don’t need no stinkin’ energy policy

by Bill Chameides
Dec 12, 2012

History suggests he’s wrong.

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On U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and cognitive dissonance

Burning less coal but exporting more simply shifts what would be our greenhouse gas emissions to someone else. (Photograph of coal plant in China by ishmatt/Flickr)
by Bill Chameides
Nov 14, 2012

United States predicted to be world's leading oil producer. Warning: Claiming lower carbon emissions while exporting fossil fuels can lead to cognitive dissonance.

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Update: Well water contamination near fracking operations

by Bill Chameides
Oct 25, 2012

It’s a match … again.

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Summer Catch-Up on the Environment

postvacay
by Bill Chameides
Aug 22, 2012

Here’s some of the environmental news that was in play while I was away.

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Natural Gas: A Bridge to a Low-Carbon Future or Not?

A boom in natural gas activity, thanks in large part to fracking advances, has prompted the question: Is natural gas the way to transition between fossil fuels and renewables? Especially vis-a-vis the climate? It’s an ongoing debate in science circles.
by Bill Chameides
Jul 20, 2012

A recent paper argues that natural gas helps make the transition ... eventually. But is that good enough? Let's do some sleuthing.

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