[Green] Deep Rock Deep Background

Tue Sep 15 21:17:42 CDT 2020

Thank you George.  This will give us a better understanding of the process going forward.  Jim G.

-----Original Message-----
From: Green <green-bounces at fuusm.org> On Behalf Of gbanz42--- via Green
Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 1:07 PM
To: green at fuusm.org
Cc: gbanz42 at suddenlink.net
Subject: [Green] Deep Rock Deep Background

Green Sanctuary Committee:

    A lot has happened with our organized opposition to the application from Deep Rock Disposal to he USACE., especially since statewide and regional groups, like Sierra Club, and even independent oil& gas producers (would you believe?). There was a "people's hearing" by these groups held on August 27. Someone from Sierra Club is hand-delivering the transcript from this meeting to the USACE. I did participate in that meeting. 

     I have prepared the summary of how fracking waste is produced, transported, and injecting into the ground. I am not a petroleum engineer--but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night!!.  :-) 

    Seriously, it has been my observation that fossil-fuel lobbyists and public officials, whose ears they have, portray environmentalists as naive, uniformed, and misinformed on issues related to the scientific and engineering aspects of hydraulic fracturing (we should initially refer to the process with these words rather than "fracking"). With that in mind I have prepared the summary below for the edification of all those involved with the Deep Rock issue.  I think that we should all know as much as we can about this whole process while we are engaged in opposing what companies like Deep Rock are doing. 

    I have consulted with two petroleum engineers in preparing this summary. 
There may be a few mistakes in my summary, but I think for the most part it is pretty accurate although my opinions peak through in some cases. If some people are already aware of these facts, I apologize for the redundancy. 

    Please forward this entire message to the mailing list you have --many thanks. 

    The Journey of Fluids (Waste) from Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) 

1. Hydraulic Fracturing Process. In the fracking process vertical wells are drilled 5,000-8,000 feet below the surface of the earth from drilling pads on the surface.  Perforated piping is then run horizontally in 200-foot sections into geological formations that contain oil and/or gas. A water mixture (up to one million gallons per well) is then pushed through the piping, which is encased in cement material.  This mixture is over 90% water but it also contains sand, acid, and other chemicals, some of which  are considered toxic under other circumstances (disposal companies are not obliged by law to reveal  this mixture of chemicals, even though at  about one per cent of the mixture of one million gallons they do not amount to teaspoon quantities).  Some of this fracking waste is radioactive. As the mixture passes through the perforations, it fractures the rock and releases the oil or gas. When the mixture of oil/gas and water comes to surface, it is placed into separation tanks. The water mixture goes to the bottom of the tank, and oil and gas (in somewhat different ways) go to the surface. The fracking fluids are then transported to injection wells. 

2. Transportation. In southeastern Ohio fracking waste is transported in trucks on state highways and local roads. Deep Rock Disposal asserts that transport by barge would be better for the environment and safer than truck transport.. They have not yet responded to the question whether the total amount of fracking waste will be greater if their application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the re-purposed barge off-load facility is approved—that is, will truck transport be completed eliminated if they start transporting by barge? It should be pointed out that barge transport of fracking waste from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia will be traveling by barge on the Ohio River. Ohio receives $.05/barrel of fracking waste from OH and $.25/barrel for waste from WV and PA. 
In 2019 Ohio received 2.5 million barrels of fracking waste. Some think that this is an under-estimate. Washington County leads the state in fracking waste disposal sites with 15. Although barges with the fracking waste will be transported on the Ohio River, which is situated in WV (up to the bank on the OH side), neither the U.S. Coast Guard nor any agency in WV has reviewed the Deep Rock application. There are many other questions about  the Deep Rock application which have been posed to  the USACE at their August 7 virtual public meeting and at the Peoples Hearing, sponsored by the Sierra Club and several other organizations. In order to receive USACE responses and Deep Rock responses to the many questions posed by those interested in this issue, I had to submit a request through the Freedom of Information Act. I have requested through the FOIA the USACE responses to the questions raised at the August 7 meeting, but at this writing I have not yet received them. 

3. Injection Wells. .Once fracking waste is received at the injection well sites, it is injected into wells to a depth of about 3,000 feet. Injection wells are prohibited from injecting into geological formations with oil & gas reserves and in close proximity to oil & gas-producing wells. Questions have been raised about whether the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for issuing permits for injecting fracking waste, closely monitors these rules. As is the situation for hydraulic fracturing, injection well pipes are encased to prevent leakage and fractures of the piping. Water aquifers are usually located
200-300 feet below the surface. Under ideal circumstances fracking waste should not be seeping into water aquifers or into oil & gas reserves. However, some independent oil & gas producers are reporting that fracking waste is  coming out of their producing wells and destroying them for oil & gas production. These producers have raised this concern to at least one state legislator who has been in contact with ODNR. On September 4, 2020 ODNR announced that they will be conducting an investigation into whether fracking waste is entering water aquifers. It is unlikely that any evidence will be found of fracking waste in the aquifers of the region at this time, but given the shear amount of fracking waste being injected into the ground in this region and the questions about ODNR oversight of rules governing injection of fracking waste, such contamination is possible. These local oil & gas producers are involved in some legal action i
--
George Banziger
202 Lawton Road
Marietta, OH 45750-1111
740-434-5685
cell: 740-434-3354

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