The Fracking Prize – $3,000 – Open to all – Due June 1, 2012

Posted on 9:01 am in June 2012, Open To All, Over $1000 by Lynnie

Hydraulic Fracturing or “fracking” involves the hig pressure pumping of water, sand and chemicals into oil and gas wells in order to fracture the underground geologic formations so that they release the trapped oil and gas back to the well.

Requirements

Make a 2-3 minute video following these instructions:
1. Download the position document on the website and address the points inside your video as best you can.
2. Use a minimum of 2 actors. Try and keep it to between 2 and 5 minutes long.
3. Add dialogue, be creative as you see fit, but be sure to address both sides of the issue.

Issues:
What dangerous compounds are the oil and gas industry injecting into the ground?
Does the fluid from fracking find its way into our groundwater and drinking water supply?
How can the EPA and the government test for chemical contamination of it doesn’t know what chemicals are being used?
What role did the energy industry have in drafting this legislation in connection with the office of Vice President Dick Cheney?
Position: For
Domestic drilling for oil and natural gas is vital to our economy and our nation’s securuty and the
proprietary hydraulic fracturing formulations used by our nation’s oil and gas companies need to be protected so that they stay competitive and can produce badly needed domestic sources of fuel.
Domestic drilling is key to reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. New techniques in oil and gas drilling like horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have increased domestic drilling and expanded production and recovery rates of domestic sources of energy that did not exist previously.
Drinking water is at the surface and is a far distance from the depths at which fracturing and drilling operations are occurring.
The EPA is performing a study on the effects of Hydraulic Fracturing and its potential impacts on drinking water resources. The results are not in yet. And we shouldn’t take any action until this final version of this study is released in 2014.
Position: Against
The disclosure of the chemical formulations is only part of the issue. The protection of the chemical formulations removes the ability of the EPA to regulate these companies and hold them to account for failing to drill responsibly and protecting drinking water sources.
We have all seen videos of people being able to light there tapwater on fire after drilling contaminated their drinking water. Other people have reported receiving chemical burns from bathing in contaminated water. In addition pets and livestock have become sick from drinking contaminated water. Oil and gas companies should be held responsible for this. And they should be required to develop techniques that don’t contaminate drinking water supplies.
Oil and Gas drilling is an economic issue should be less of a political issue. If the cost of finding and producing the oil and gas is lower than the market price then companies will invest money to explore for it and deliver it to market. They can invest that money in compliance with the SDWA as it was written and still bring to market domestic sources.
The EPA study of public drinking water in Pavilion, Wyoming found “methane, other petroleum hydrocarbons and other chemical compounds” they concluded that “The presence of these compounds is consistent with migration from areas of gas production.”