Technician Sean Cline finishes up the conversion of a 50 litre, 16 cylinder, Cummins diesel engine that has been converted to run on a blend of diesel and natural gas. Oil- and gas-field companies from
Pennsylvania to Texas are experimenting with converting the huge diesel engines that operate pumps that propel millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals down a well bore in the fracturing process to break apart rock or tight sands that trap natural gas.
Fracking has become part of everyday vocabulary, as well as a controversial topic in Wyoming.
With all the talk that has been going on lately about fracking in Wyoming, what are some of the concerns that surround fracking and what exactly is it?
“With fracking you pump a fluid, usually water, at high pressure that splits the rock which allows oil to flow and pump more easily,” Brian Towler, a professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, said.
While fracking is becoming a vital part of the oil extraction industry, some skeptics are concerned that it could potentially harm drinking water.
“Some of the chief concerns is that if the fracking is not controlled then some of the aquifers that contain drinking water can become contaminated,” Towler said.
There is currently a lawsuit pending in Wyoming right now about how residents should be able to inquire about the ingredients in the chemical products that are used for fracking, particularly if they are concerned about their water.
The Powder River Basin Resource Council says landowners need to know what chemicals are being used in case a gas or oil well rupture pollutes the water.
The council sued last year after the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission partially denied its request for lists of ingredients in fracking chemicals, according the Associated Press.
While water contamination is a concern, Towler says there have been no instances in which fracking was directly related to contamination.
“There have been two cases, one in the Pavillion, Wyo. area in which people’s wells were contaminated with hydrocarbons, but there were already hydrocarbons in the area that may have been producing what was natural to the area,” he said. “It still hasn’t been proven that the contamination was caused by fracking.”
Towler also says that while fracking raises concerns, it there is only a problem if the job is handled improperly.
“In general, if fracking is done right it shouldn’t be a problem. It’s usually done quite a ways away from drinking water and it’s usually separated by several thousand feet of rock,” Towler said. “There is also a cement wall to protect drinking water and, if it’s a good cement job, then there shouldn’t be a problem.”
