So, just what kinds of chemicals are involved in Fracking...below is the NY State list (or at least that part of it that has made its way into the public domain) as well as a small list of terms that you might want to familiarize yourselves with.
The (un)Natural Gas industry would have us believe that these chemicals are harmless...IE, they have been quoted as saying things like, "They are common things you would find in your household detergents". OK...so we take the first item on the list Benzisothiazolin-2-one...and we find the following warning:
The acute health risks from exposure to N-butyl-1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one are potentially significant due primarily to its corrosive nature to the skin. However, the precautionary and first aid statements on the product label, as well as label directions requiring personal protective equipment (PPE) and other protective measures adequately mitigate the potential health risks to persons who may come in contact with the pesticide.
Gee...the acute health risks from exposure are POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT due primarily to its corrosive nature to the skin. First, how many citizens around fracking sights have complained of SKIN RASHES? Secondly, how many of these citizens are being provided the protective equipment (PPE) and are cautioned to take the protective measures necessary to MITIGATE this potential health risk?
OK, lets pick another one from the list...say, 1,4 Dioxane. Mind you, the (un)Natural Gas industry is throwing wells up in Suburban areas, wanting to put up thousands of wells here in New York in some of our most pristine lands, in NY's biggest water shed, but the EPA and these companies assure us that Dioxane is SAFE...is it? You be the judge...
1,4 Fioxane- Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure to high levels of 1,4-dioxane has caused vertigo, drowsiness, headache, anorexia and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs in humans. It may also irritate the skin. Damage to the liver and kidneys has been observed in rats chronically (long-term) exposed in their drinking water.
Perhaps you should go look at some of the citizens complaints that speak of the negative health effects they are experiencing living near a Natural Gas well that is employing Hydro-Fracking techniques to increase gas capture. You will find many of them mimic the symptoms that are mentioned above, yet the industry says, "Prove it is our CHEMICALS!" We'll be exploring more of these chemicals in the days and weeks to come as we get more familiar with the issue.
"Chemical Constituents in Additives/Chemicals" used in Fracturing (New York State list)
(Extracted from http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/ogdsgeischap5.pdf)Terminology
- Fracture Gradient
- The pressure to fracture the formation at a particular depth divided by the depth. A fracture gradient of 18 kPa/m (0.8 psi/foot) implies that at a depth of 3 km (10,000 feet) a pressure of 54 MPa (8,000 psi) will extend a hydraulic fracture.
- ISIP - Instantaneous Shut In Pressure
- The pressure measured immediately after injection stops. The ISIP provides a measure of the pressure in the fracture at the wellbore by removing contributions from fluid friction.
- Leakoff
- Loss of fracturing fluid from the fracture channel into the surrounding permeable rock.
- Fracturing fluid
- The fluid used during a hydraulic fracture treatment of oil, gas or water wells. The fracturing fluid has two major functions 1) Open and extend the fracture; 2) Transport the proppant along the fracture length.
- Proppant
- Suspended particles in the fracturing fluid that are used to hold fractures open after a hydraulic fracturing treatment, thus producing a conductive pathway that fluids can easily flow along. Naturally occurring sand grains or artificial ceramic material are common proppants used.
- Concise slang
- "Fracing" (sometimes spelled "fracking") is a shortened version of fracturing.
