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Triana

(22,666 posts)
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 11:18 PM Jun 2014

A single 'frack' uses 5 million gallons of water

Fracking boom depletes, pollutes US water supplies
Valerie Brown
20th June 2013

. . .

Since the onset of the fracking boom almost a decade ago, every state in the US has been examining its geological resources in the hope of finding oil or gas it can access through this extraction method.

Almost half the states are now producing at least some shale gas, with a few - Texas, Pennsylvania, California, Colorado, North Dakota - sitting on massive deposits. Nearly half a million wells in the US were producing shale gas in 2012.

But while many countries now seek to bolster their economies by following the American lead in exploiting this controversial new source of fossil fuels, campaigners in the US are warning of serious collateral damage to the environment: the depletion and contamination of vital water supplies.

A single 'frack' uses 5 million gallons of water

. . .

Fracking a well just once uses upwards of five million gallons of water, and each well can be fracked 18 times or more.


THE REST:

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2445447/fracking_boom_depletes_pollutes_us_water_supplies.html
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A single 'frack' uses 5 million gallons of water (Original Post) Triana Jun 2014 OP
Fracking is obsolete nationalize the fed Jun 2014 #1
That is astounding! nt WhiteTara Jun 2014 #2
Unless they pump saltwater from the sea, that alone should eliminate fracking as a viable operation. MohRokTah Jun 2014 #3
this^ They_Live Jun 2014 #6
No, I'm sorry, using seawater isn't a solution. NYC_SKP Jun 2014 #7
True enough, but they aren't using seawater anywhere. MohRokTah Jun 2014 #8
Not only that, a significant amount of fracking is in water-stressed regions. Spider Jerusalem Jun 2014 #4
The focus should be on the massive water wasted, never mind the toxic chemicals mixed in. Fred Sanders Jun 2014 #5
Of course, two states with the most severe drought conditions... americannightmare Jun 2014 #9
Motherfracking sons of bitches... Blue Owl Jun 2014 #10

nationalize the fed

(2,169 posts)
1. Fracking is obsolete
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 11:23 PM
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MohRokTah

(15,429 posts)
3. Unless they pump saltwater from the sea, that alone should eliminate fracking as a viable operation.
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 11:25 PM
Jun 2014

Using that much fresh drinking water mixed with their sludge of poisons should be enough reason to never allow fracking ever.

Drinking water is too precious to pump under the earth for thousands upon thousands even millions of years.

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
7. No, I'm sorry, using seawater isn't a solution.
Sat Jun 21, 2014, 12:25 AM
Jun 2014

It might be marginally better than tapping the nearest groundwater supply, but the problem of Post Frack wastewater is still there.

I know you don't propose just sending it back out to the sea.

Our oceans are in enough trouble as it is.

 

MohRokTah

(15,429 posts)
8. True enough, but they aren't using seawater anywhere.
Sat Jun 21, 2014, 12:34 AM
Jun 2014

The salts would fuck up their poison mixture.

 

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)
4. Not only that, a significant amount of fracking is in water-stressed regions.
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 11:28 PM
Jun 2014

West Texas, for instance. Which, well. Look at the groundwater depletion:



And the US drought monitor, here: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

pumping billions of gallons of water for fracking doesn't seem like the best thing to be doing, necessarily.

americannightmare

(322 posts)
9. Of course, two states with the most severe drought conditions...
Sat Jun 21, 2014, 01:08 AM
Jun 2014

Texas and California, are among the most active fracking regions. It's madness on a mind-numbing scale.

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