A recent post about this subject misrepresented the facts. That post is not surprising, it is a part of the ongoing misinformation campaign by the anti oil and gas movement (anti- American movement) in this country.

I find two facts interesting about this study - First: the main researcher is an avowed anti fossil fuel advocate (biased). Second: the study was funded by anti fossil fuel organizations. Remember - any time a study in favor of oil and gas development comes out the anti groups scream as loud as possible that the study is illegitimate because it was funded by "the industry". The anti fossil fuel crowd is a bunch of hypocrites.

Here are some highlights of the article I cite. The link to the full article follows.

After numerous failed attempts to link fracking to water contamination in Pennsylvania, Texas and Arkansas, Duke professor Avner Vengosh has now turned his attention to North Dakota.

Unsurprisingly, Vengosh’s new Natural Resources Defense Council-funded study follows the similar theme of his past work: it finds no evidence linking water contamination to the fracking process, but still surmises fracking is somehow to blame.

Unfortunately, some reporters will likely just read the press release accompanying the study and take the latter claim at face value, resulting in some very misleading headlines. But a close look at the report reveals Vengosh and company are just offering up the same old tired distortions.

Here are five facts to know about Vengosh’s latest study falsely linking fracking to water contamination.

Fact #1: The study focuses exclusively on brine spills — not the fracking process — but blames contamination on fracking anyway

Fact #2: Study exaggerates number of severity of spills in North Dakota

Fact #3: Study focuses on spill sites that are still being cleaned up

       "...we have not seen the widespread groundwater, drinking water contamination that is claimed.”

Fact #4: Fails to acknowledge spills are decreasing in proportion to rise in oil production

Fact #5: Study funded by anti-fracking group and conducted by a researcher who opposes shale development

Conclusion

Opponents of shale development have long focused efforts to prove water contamination from fracking on Dimock, Pa., Pavillion, Wyo., and Parker County, Texas. But all of those efforts have failed and been thoroughly debunked, while the EPA’s landmark study found, “hydraulic fracturing activities have not led to widespread, systemic impacts to drinking water resources.” This has left the anti-fracking movement desperately scrambling to find a new focal point to push one of its central talking points.

To be blunt, North Dakota ain’t it. In fact, it turns out the case for proving water contamination from fracking in the Bakken is even shakier than the “big three” sites activists have focused their efforts on in the past. This study not only focuses on brine spills rather than fracking, it also fails to prove brine spills have contaminated drinking water.

Granted, all industrial processes come with some sort of risk and oil and gas production is no different. If we shut down all industry based on these risks, there would be no industry to speak of. So it is essential to weigh the risks against the benefits  – which include lower energy prices and the fact the U.S. has become the number one oil producer in the world, changing the balance of world power to our favor. The fact that brine spills have significantly decreased when compared to skyrocketing oil production in North Dakota further illustrates that the risks are being managed.

http://energyindepth.org/national/duke-study-claiming-water-contami...