The newest energy bonanza is natural gas extracted from shale. One or two miles down in the earth is a hard shale (a crystaline rock). When the shale is cracked open, it releases natural gas that can be captured by gas wells. This is a big deal. Along the eastern mountain range of the U.S. and in southern states there is a lot of shale. Estimates are that natural gas reserves are twice the size of the largest oil reserves in Saudi Arabia.
If your home has shale below it, energy companies will pay you big money for the rights to drill on your property. It creates instant millionaires. You would have to put up with an oil (gas) rig in your back yard but hell, with millions of dollars, you could move to any place you wanted.
All good things come with potential issues. There have been areas that have allowed the drilling process to take place. To crack shale, huge amounts of chemicals under high pressure must be pumped two miles into the ground. The chemicals and pressure explode the shale releasing the gas. The released natural gas is intended to be pumped to the earth surface and shipped around the country. Some natural gas escapes on the way to the surface and has been known to find it’s way into ground waters. Home owners with water wells can turn on their water faucets in their homes and light the water with a match. Yep, water burns.
So now the dilemma. You could become an instant millionaire if you allow drillers to tap shale under your home for natural gas. You would not be able to drink water from the tap in your house because it could burn. I wouldn’t want to take a shower or bath in “gas” contaminated water. It would be dangerous to sit on your toilet not knowing whether it might explode (now there is a mental picture).
The gas companies are denying that their process is contaminating ground waters. Yeah, and I believe in the Easter bunny and the Tooth Fairy.
The question is, “if somebody offered you millions of dollars to drill for gas on your property and risk bad water for the rest of your life, would you sell drilling rights”?
It sounds to me like this new gas drilling process isn’t all it is cracked up to be.
There is a big Badger football game this weekend. Wisconsin travels to Michigan. Michigan is a dangerous team because they have a “darting rabbit” for a quarterback. He is tough to contain in the “pocket” and he can hurt the Badgers by running as well as passing. Micheal Vick for the Philadelphia Eagles destroyed Washington last night. Vick is a “darting rabbit”. UW is prime to get surprised by Michigan. Let Michigan surprise someone else.
Thanksgiving just over 1 week away.
Stay warm.
Love,
Dad