Increased stray gas abundance in a subset of drinking water wells near Marcellus shale gas extraction

Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are transforming energy production, but their potential environmental effects remain controversial. We analyzed 141 drinking water wells across the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province of northeastern Pennsylvania, examining natural gas concentrati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2013-07, Vol.110 (28), p.11250-11255
Main Authors: Jackson, Robert B., Vengosh, Avner, Darrah, Thomas H., Warner, Nathaniel R., Down, Adrian, Poreda, Robert J., Osborn, Stephen G., Zhao, Kaiguang, Karr, Jonathan D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Contamination
Deformities
Drilling
Drinking water
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Electricity distribution
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
Gas wells
Gases
Groundwater
Groundwaters
Hydraulic fracturing
Methane
Natural gas
Natural water pollution
Physical Sciences
Pollution
Pollution, environment geology
Potable water
Propane
Shales
Water samples
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are transforming energy production, but their potential environmental effects remain controversial. We analyzed 141 drinking water wells across the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province of northeastern Pennsylvania, examining natural gas concentrations and isotopic signatures with proximity to shale gas wells. Methane was detected in 82% of drinking water samples, with average concentrations six times higher for homes
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1221635110