Water Woes a 'Hidden Elephant' for Gas Industry

摘要

While climate change and methane have grabbed the lion's share of headlines when it comes to pollution from the gas industry, operators continue to struggle with more under-the-radar issues involving water. At the start of the shale boom, water pollution quickly became a lightning rod for criticism of the oil and gas industry as hydraulic fracturing advances brought drilling closer to residential areas (NGW Dec.28'15). Much of the fervor has died down, at least in the news, but wastewater disposal and water management continue to be thorny areas for gas producers, despite the Trump administration trying to offer more flexibility for industry in that arena.