GASLAND Fracking in PA OT

[TerpEagle]

Seemed to me the filmaker was suggesting this administration's position that "the gas is greener" (so to speak) is a function of being corrupted by that industry.

You mean implication that "gas would be greener" if the industry didn't fuck it up and hurt Obama's grand energy plan? I'm still not getting what you're saying and I'm not trying to be obstinate.

My thought was you were implying that fracking and its promotion is a product of the Obama administration rather than something that has been growing over the last decade(s).

But I could have misunderstood your point. I think the politicizing of the documentary is needless as both sides of the aisle want to promote energy that can be considered "green" - when looked at from a certain point of view.

[slag]

Money talks ... even to Obama.

He's like every other politician ... the new day ... the change ... bullshit.

The green he cares about is the same as the other guy.

[TerpEagle]

Money talks ... even to Obama.

He's like every other politician ... the new day ... the change ... bullshit.

The green he cares about is the same as the other guy.

I agree for the most part - especially when it comes to the military and big industry/energy issues.

[Susquehanna Birder]

I've read that he could be an alarmist who uses bad science and misrepresents facts...

...but let's not let that get in the way of a good agenda.

[royal]

Every documentary should just be re-titled to 'why we are all fucked'

I've never seen a positive one.

[inkdrop]

Where'd you hear that nonsense?

From what I've seen ( and I haven't researched it thoroughly) - it looks like Fox is simply making crap up. At least the debunkers seem to have some facts to back them up.

From the industries own studies.

The gas industry has been studying the ongoing problem for decades, and knows it full well. In a report entitled "Well Integrity Failure Presentation," drilling service company Archer reports that nearly 20 percent of all oil and gas wells are leaking worldwide. A 2003 joint industry publication from Schlumberger, the world's No. 1 fracking company, and oil and gas giant ConocoPhillips, cites astronomical failure rates of 60 percent over a 30-year span. Industry reports on the problem point to its persistence and the impossibility of completely preventing it.

This is technically impossible. In most cases the industry only acts to try to repair leaky wells after groundwater has been contaminated. Its track record for fixing leaks is plagued by bad planning, technical problems and mishaps. To imagine gas companies voluntarily committing to an eternity of costly maintenance on wells failing at ever-increasing rates is beyond credulity.

Nor have regulators addressed the problem with any realism. The argument that regulation can lead to "safe fracking" is senseless. To frack a well, you have to cement it, and cement inevitably fails. "Safe fracking" is a contradiction in terms.

http://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Fracking-is-hardly-leakproof-3646458.php

More info...

http://ebookbrowse.com/well-integrity-failure-presentation-pdf-d187525002

http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Shale-Gas-Casing-and-Cementation-Will-Fail-but-When.html

http://www.shalegas.energy.gov/resources/HF1.pdf

[Riccardo]

ah so your main source is Fox again

Ridiculous. And nothing supports your claim that even if the wells do leak, "will leave this area uninhabitable.".

[Diggle]

I would trust inky here. Ive known him and his wife for 15 years and he lives in frackland. Hes got more of his entire existence invested in this than anyone here. The things he posts are true. Hes not into propaganda.

[Riccardo]

Unless he's a geologist or petroleum engineer, I wouldn't

Just living in an area doesn't make one an expert. In fact, these are exactly the people being targeted by these fear-mongers.

[IronEagle]

My mom's family is from NE PA, so I've visited there a lot.

If the fracking industry does the same thing for NE PA that the coal industry did, I think I know how this is going to end up.

[TerpEagle]

Just living in an area doesn't make one an expert. In fact, these are exactly the people being targeted by these fear-mongers.

You'll just trust the companies doing the drilling instead.

You know - the fear mongers that say we need to drill baby drill!

[Riccardo]

No I will trust the science, which doesn't appear to be on the fear-mongers side

As stated before, this isn't a political issue, as much as some here seem to want to pigeon-hole it. Fear-mongering based on poor science is an epidemic in this country.

Here is just another example, and totally unrelated to this topic. Perhaps you saw the headlines yesterday about how fish oil supplements are "confirmed" to cause higher risk of prostate cancer:

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Experts-slam-omega-3-link-to-prostate-cancer-as-overblown-scaremongering/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BDaily&c=O47whxUmwgVRhPT8nCka9A%3D%3D

[Diggle]

you've should visit and see what its like....you'd be like WTF.

[PackWest]

Fracking is just the next desperate step of an overwrought addict who will do ANYTHING for his next fix

The long term repercussions are irrelevant, just get me my next fix
Damn the torpedo's full speed ahead

[TerpEagle]

As stated before, this isn't a political issue, as much as some here seem to want to pigeon-hole it. Fear-mongering based on poor science is an epidemic in this country.

Here is just another example, and totally unrelated to this topic. Perhaps you saw the headlines yesterday about how fish oil supplements are "confirmed" to cause higher risk of prostate cancer:


http://www.nutraingredients.com/Rese...T8nCka9A%3D%3D

The source behind the explanation of the science (or part of the science being provided) is the concern. Anything directly from the industry is going to draw strong skepticism from me. They obviously have an agenda to keep their business interests going.

The agenda of the people who live where fracking is occurring is not to be killed or have their property damaged. Which is agenda more interested in the truth?

There are other concerns being raised by fracking as well, including the effects on geological stability.

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6142/1225942

Both of these articles refer directly to a published article in Science yesterday.

http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/07/earthquakes-triggered-more-earthquakes-near-us-fracking-sites

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fracking-can-cause-earthquakes

I think the biggest issue with fracking is that there are a lot of unknowns but it is rapidly advancing. Even if Gasland is erroneous in parts, it's drawing attention to fracking beyond the glee of cheap natural gas. And that needs to occur.