Editor:
I was disappointed by the interview with Tom Murphy on the Marcellus gas drilling (Agriculture changing as Marcellus Shale drilling gains ground).
Today with the media being scrutinized for bias reporting, I would expect Farm and Dairy to do a better job researching a topic before they publish this stuff. There are a lot of farmers who subscribe to your paper and trust the source of information that you publish.
The fact is that a lot of farmers have land, and they may be approached to lease their land to these gas companies. They need to be as informed as possible to make a decision that could affect their livelihoods.
It would have taken the reporter an extra hour to research further to find the truth in this matter.
Fact No. 1: These gas companies don’t have any regulations that they are required to follow. Our former Vice President Dick Cheney created the loopholes for these corporate vampires to pollute our air and water.
Fact No. 2: The EPA can’t do anything to protect you, regarding any contamination, after you lease your land.
Fact No. 3: They do not just use brine water to “frack” the wells. They use a cocktail of toxic chemicals that they have never disclosed to the EPA or the public.
The known chemicals from testing on waste water are known cancer-causing agents.
Studies were done by investigators (nonprofit) after land owners who leased their property became ill or farm animals became ill.
Tom Murphy’s agenda is not to tell the truth, either out of ignorance or because he can’t. He gets paid to alleviate public concern about gas drilling.
I am a water specialist, and I talk to people weekly who are frustrated because their well water is not consumable. The EPA testing will come back as drinkable because they are only testing bacteria (like any cultures could grow in gas).
The gas company, after receiving a complaint from a property owner, asks them, “How do you know it was caused by us?”
Then, basically, says “prove it.”
Land owners, who are considering allowing any drilling to take place, need to take into consideration their neighbors as well.
Allowing drilling can have a huge impact on not only water, but also the wildlife and air.
The documentary Gasland that just aired on HBO was done by a land owner in Pennsylvania who has traveled across the U.S. interviewing a number of land owners who regret ever allowing this drilling to take place.
The effects are disturbing to say the least. This is a serious consideration many are facing in today’s economy, and having thousands of dollars presented to you sounds great, but you might be making a deal with the devil.
Brandy Thompson
Beloit, Ohio
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Wow I’m glad we had an oilfield specialist clear that up for us.
Now let’s hear from a real Oilie with 13 years HANDS ON experience in drilling, completion, and production in Ok, Tx, La, Wy, Ks, WV, and Pa.
Fact one. B.S. the oilfield has D.E.P and E.P.A. rules that we have to go by daily. We have emergency numbers and spill containment plans and M.S.D.S. sheets in hand ( actually on my dash). As I type this I am watching a tank truck vacuum up water from melted snow off of a rubber liner laid down to contain spills during a frac.
Fact two B.S. again E.P.A. and D.E.P. can and will fine or send cease and desist orders or both. This I have seen personally. Btw I had D.E.P. sitting on location last week observing operations.
Fact Three I’ll give you E for effort but your 1/2 wrong. Yes the chemicals are hazardous. BUT they are pumped 7000 to 16000 ft below surface with at least 4 strings of pipe and cement separating the gas formation from the water formation which is less than 300 ft below the surface on the average.
Cancer causing maybe but what isn’t cancer causing today.
So what you’re saying is according to investigators all land owners and livestock are sick where there is a gas well. Well I guess I better cancel the lease on my wife and I’s land. And somebody better start planning my funeral because I average 300 8 to 24hr days a year up close and personal with live oil and gas and god forbid frac fluid.
On the water note my water well is 2 years old. When it was drilled it was pure clean water. Now at times its grey with iron and manganese bacteria, has high chlorides, and at times over 1part per million H2S.
And this only happens when the strip mine 1/2 mile me blasts the high wall. And according to ODNR it’s on me because they were there first and they couldn’t be messing up my water. And the nearest gas well is 6 miles away.
Gasland is a fear factor not a documentary (please nobody make a documentary about the sky falling)
With all that off my chest.
1. I will say accidents and mistakes do happen in the oilfield but it’s rare in comparison with other industries.
2. Any oil company with any standing will make it right an at times go above and beyond to right a wrong.
3. Always have everything in writing when signing leases.
4. If the oilfield is such a big problem
A. please park your car,
B. turn off your electricity and gas to your house
C.dont buy anything with a petrol based product in it.
If you choose to do so it wouldn’t really hurt my feelings, because then I might have some time to spend with my wife, family and friends and try this thing called relaxing that I have heard so much about.
Any person with a well on their property can also contact North Coast Environmental Laboratories, Inc. in Streetsboro Ohio to have their water tested before and or after a well has been drilled in their area. They have several different packages with specific parameters to test for based on Ohio EPA, Ohio DNR and PA-DEP reccomendations.
800-586-4666
If that’s not a bias opinion I don’t know what is… of course you wouldn’t cut off your own nose. The proof is in the water!!!
Well it took 6 years for that response. Still fact not opinion. Actually the environmental aspect is a hair greying nightmare now. And the mine has reclaimed everything and I have 4 well pads around my section of land now. And guess what…….. my water is now manageable without any fluctuations. Who’d a thunk it.