Is Fracking with Propane a Good Option?
July 23rd, 2010 | Author: admincato
Natural gas fracking using enormous quantities of water scares the hell out of most home owners that live in an area where this process is used to extract gas out of the Marcellus Shale rock.
Now there is a method being used called Propane Fracking that just might be an acceptable procedure for both parties in this argument. The propane is what is used to expand the gas pockets and it ultimately is reclaimed with the natural gas.
We here at Way To Go Green dot org are very concerned about the environment but we are also willing to learn more about technology and new methods to fill our energy needs and to most importantly keep our land and property values in good order.
Primarily we are concerned with things like safe drinking water, air quality, pollution and having a safe place to raise our families. We have been following with interest some of the controversy regarding hydraulic fracturing for gas well drilling.
With new technology the gas well drillers have perfected methods to go down deep into the Marcellus Shale deposits and then actually turn the drill bit horizontally and create a path through a much larger segment of the shale which exposes more gas to the drill hole.
The normal process of this type of fracking then pumps millions of gallons of water and sand mixture under extremely high pressure which fractures the shale into pockets which the sand then remains in and natural gas then seeps in to for extraction.
The largest fears seem to be that this high pressure water system will upset or destroy the drinking water of home owners. The companies that are in the fracking business tell us that the depths at which the horizontal drilling occurs is way below any drinking water sources and the EPA seems to agree with them.
The various state environmental agencies in which this gas drilling process is used say that there are no known claims of damage to domestic water that can be proven. Well that remains to be seen. All you have to do is to search Google and you will find a lot of discussion to the opposite.
We do want to tell you about a site that explains the Propane Fracking process being used in the Marcellus Shale Region, which just might be an acceptable alternative. Transloading.org is a blog that is sponsored by a transportation company that serves the natural gas drilling industry.
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GasFrac has 9 fracking rigs now. Getting the fine silica sand is difficult.
In Colorado, several counties and municipalities have put strong restrictions
On hydraulic fracking.
Hi Wolfgang,
Are these fracking rigs hydraulic or propane fracking?
Good silica sand should be available by rail from Michigan or Wisconsin.
Cato
no..it isn’t that scarry to most ppl in such places. I can see 3 shale rigs from my office at this time. our water has burned for years…long before fox made that crappy flick. the only ppl who have any fear are the ppl who came here looking for a cheep place to spend the golden years, and now won’t get it. too bad
This LPG fracking is growing in popularity although it may not be for the Marcellus. Gasfrac did one treatment in the marcellus in september of 2009 and results have been tight hole since. Interestingly gasfrac also did treatments in texas and opted to locate their first US operating facility there to service the eagle ford shale. As it turns out, the technology used to gel the propane used in the process was developed by Chevron and licensed to gasfrac. Gasfrac in turn developed the pumping equipment to complete the treatments. I hope that this technology proves to be very successful as ending frackings intimate relationship with water would likely assuange many peoples fears, including my own
company that has the patents is http://www.gasfrac.com/
Thak you Gregory. That is helpful information.
Help please!
Who (company) detains propane fracking patents?
Tx.
I would not have any idea, or even if there is a patent for the process. You could Google it and the US Patent Office is online, maybe you could search their database. If those methods are not helpful, find the office of a company that does propane fracking and ask them.
Cato
“The normal process of this type of fracking then pumps millions of gallons of water and sand mixture under extremely high pressure which fractures the shale into pockets which the sand then remains in and natural gas then seeps in to for extraction.” You missed one part of the drilling equation that is most controversial. The water + sand being put down these holes is not what contaminates ground water. There is a fractional, but still significant, due to its toxicity, amount of chemicals (many are known carcinogens) that go into the frac fluid in order to help break up the shale. Drilling companies are not required to disclose the exact mixture (google Halliburton Loophole). These chemicals, along with methane released in the fracing process, are what can and do seep into water wells and ground water aquifers resulting in contamination. Lots of landowners are bound by non-disclosure agreements or we would hear much more about the proof of drilling. If there is a “green” frac fluid, they need to be using it yesterday.
As of late the potential harm from hydraulic fracking has surfaced frequently, in areas where related drilling and exploration is occurring. It will be interesting to study any alternative means of production that will not harm the surrounding environment.
For those that are worried about their drinking water, fracking is also used to stimulate water wells. This is a process that has been in use for over 60 years but there is some reason for concern if the oil wells are located near the aquifers that a population is using. It’s a judgment call.
Discussion on this subject is a good thing.
Thank you for your comment.
Cato