Environmental groups sue to prevent fracking in California
Posted by: Maven on February 7, 2012 at 8:04 amFrom California Watch:
“The Center for Biological Diversity and Sierra Club are suing the Bureau of Land Management to prevent gas drilling known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, on federal lands. The lawsuit contends that the bureau leased more than 2,500 acres in Monterey and Fresno counties to oil company representatives without doing a thorough analysis of the potential environmental impacts of fracking.
The leases were auctioned in September for $257,051 to Neil Ormond, an agent for Austin-based Vinton Exploration; LoneTree Energy & Associates, a Colorado-based broker for an undisclosed oil and gas exploration company; and Vintage Production California, LLC, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum. … “
Continue reading from California Watch by clicking here.
Commentary: Hydroelectric power isn’t clean or renewable
Posted by: Maven on February 6, 2012 at 7:21 amFrom the Record Searchlight, this commentary by Caleen Sisk:
“In our creation story, the Winnemem Wintu bubbled out of our sacred spring on Mt. Shasta, and we’re a water people who tend to view water differently.
The water in our rivers is the blood running through the world’s veins, and water can hold goodness just like the human heart can. We believe if we sing to water and pray to water that will make it healthier and cleaner.
When water is churned through a hydro-project’s turbines or grows stale in a reservoir, it hurts the water’s spirit and makes it “mad water.” How is that water going to be good to drink?
But you don’t have to be Winnemem to understand that hydropower and dams are anything but clean and renewable and that dams actually contribute to climate change. … “
Continue reading from the Record Searchlight by clicking here.
Editorial: Cheap, renewable electricty — but not for California
Posted by: Maven on January 23, 2012 at 6:26 amFrom the Record Searchlight, this editorial:
“How long — and how expensively — can California pursue the goal of expanding renewable, low-carbon energy while ignoring reality?
That question is prompted not by the widespread conservative skepticism about climate change, which most scientists say is the real deal.
Rather, we wonder after reading a report out last week from the Worldwatch Institute, an environmental research group, on the dramatic increase in the world’s use of hydroelectric power. The total wattage of the planet’s dams and powerhouses, the report found, jumped 5 percent from 2009 to 2010, continuing a surge through the past decade that has humanity getting 16.1 percent of its electricity from hydro.
Worldwatch, whose self-declared mission is to help “create an environmentally sustainable society,” by no means thinks this is an unalloyed good. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Record Searchlight by clicking here.
Ventura County: Oil fracking in state and county raises questions
Posted by: Maven on January 17, 2012 at 7:18 amFrom the Ventura County Star:
“The controversial practice called fracking used to extract oil and natural gas has made headlines around the nation in recent months as questions are raised about potential links to tainted groundwater and earthquakes.
Now, a California lawmaker is pushing for a law that would require all oil and gas companies to disclose where they are fracking and what chemicals are being forced into the ground during the process.
“It’s strange that we have no idea what is going on,” said Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont. “This is an issue that needs more discussion on the toxic materials involved. We have to get disclosure on that.” … “
Continue reading from the Ventura County Star by clicking here.
RELATED:If you are interested in fracking, you will want to check out this webinar being offered by Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemeann & Girard: Hydraulic Fracturing & Permitting – What You Need to Know About “Fracking” and What’s At Stake in California
Oregon project to pour water into volcano to make power
Posted by: Maven on January 17, 2012 at 7:14 amOkay, not necessarily California-water related … but it’s definitely water-related and I found it rather interesting. From the Saint Louis Times:
“Geothermal energy developers plan to pump 24 million gallons of water into the side of a dormant volcano in Central Oregon this summer to demonstrate new technology they hope will give a boost to a green energy sector that has yet to live up to its promise.
They hope the water comes back to the surface fast enough and hot enough to create cheap, clean electricity that isn’t dependent on sunny skies or stiff breezes _ without shaking the earth and rattling the nerves of nearby residents.
Renewable energy has been held back by cheap natural gas, weak demand for power and waning political concern over global warming. Efforts to use the earth’s heat to generate power, known as geothermal energy, have been further hampered by technical problems and worries that tapping it can cause earthquakes. … “
Continue reading from the Saint Louis Times by clicking here.
Water turbine turns canals into clean energy
Posted by: Maven on December 24, 2011 at 7:08 amFrom Earth Techling:
“Hydrovolts is a Seattle, Washington-based start-up with an innovative micro-hydro turbine technology. Instead of relying on natural water resources, the Hydrovolts turbine is designed specifically for use in man-made waterways, such as irrigation canals, water diversion channels, discharge channels for wastewater, cooling water discharges from thermal power plants and large hydropower projects.
The company was a global finalist in the 2009 CleanTech Open, and winner of that year’s National Sustainability Award. It also won the CleanTech Open Sustainability Award for the Northwest Region in 2010. This year, Hydrovolts was recognized as a Global Innovator by launch.org, a business mentoring program sponsored by NASA, USAID, the U.S. Department of State and NIKE. The company also won the ImagineH2O Water-Energy Nexus Business Plan Competition. … “
Continue reading from Earth Techling by clicking here.
Fracking no more risky than other oil and gas wells, says commentary
Posted by: Maven on December 13, 2011 at 7:32 amFrom Reuters, this commentary by John Kemp, a Reuters market analyst:
“It is time to stop demonising hydraulic fracturing. Oil and gas production is a messy, dirty business that produces all sorts of harmful waste. But the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing are no more dangerous than those frequently used in acidizing and other conventional well treatments.
Fracking poses no more risk to the environment than production from conventional wells, which the industry and regulators have learned to manage successfully in recent decades to minimise the impact on local communities.
Much of the political opposition to fracking seems to be driven by general hostility to fossil fuels, and a lack of understanding about how oil and gas are produced from conventional wells, rather than by any special dangers associated with hydraulic fracturing itself.
The risks commonly cited by opponents (contamination of drinking water, disposal of salty waste water and chemicals from fracked wells, and seismic activity) are just as much of a problem when drilling ordinary wells. … “
Continue reading this commentary at Reuters by clicking here.
Suit filed to protect California watersheds from dangerous fracking; Drilling set to begin without proper environmental review
Posted by: Maven on December 9, 2011 at 8:03 amFrom the Center for Biological Diversity:
“The Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit today challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s leasing of more than 2,500 acres of environmentally sensitive land in Monterey and Fresno counties for oil and gas development. The development would include “fracking” — a dangerous process where massive amounts of water, laced with undisclosed chemicals, are blasted into the ground — and would go ahead without a thorough examination of the effects this drilling will have on California’s landscapes, wildlife, watersheds and air quality.
“Opening up these sensitive areas to fracking without even disclosing the risks is flat-out irresponsible,” said the Center’s Kassie Siegel. “Our public lands shouldn’t be sacrificed for more dirty fossil fuel development just when we need to shift as quickly as possible to a clean-energy future.”
“We’ve seen out-of-control and reckless drilling across the country, and now the industry has set its sights on California’s sensitive areas,” said Gary Lasky, Sierra Club California conservation leader in Fresno. “By ignoring the need for an environmental review, the industry is once again putting its profits ahead of the safety of local residents and the protection of our watersheds.” … “
Continue reading this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity by clicking here.
RELATED: Feds Link Water Contamination to Fracking for the First Time, from Pro Publica
Peter Gleick: Energy, water, and climate change in the Western U.S.
Posted by: Maven on November 18, 2011 at 7:51 amFrom the Circle of Blue Water News:
“Water for Energy: Future Water Needs for Electricity in the Intermountain West, examines the water requirements for current and projected electricity generation within the Intermountain West — the area bounded by the Rocky Mountains in the East and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains in the West. While water and energy conflicts are increasing across the United States, this region is of particular interest because it has a growing population (and growing demand for energy and water), a diverse fuel mix for power generation, and worsening water constraints and limitations.
The energy sector has a major impact on the availability and quality of the nation’s water resources. Water is used to extract and produce energy; process and refine fuels; construct, operate, and maintain energy generation facilities; cool power plants; generate hydroelectricity; and dispose of energy-sector wastes. Some of this water is consumed during operation or contaminated until it is unfit for further use; often much of it is withdrawn, used once, and returned to a watershed for use by other sectors of society. … “
Continue reading from the Circle of Blue Water News by clicking here.
Where water & energy converge: New concern
Posted by: Maven on November 17, 2011 at 8:47 amFrom KQED’s Climate Watch:
“For the second time in as many weeks, a major report has emerged warning of consequences from the demand that America’s electricity producers are placing on water supplies.
Today’s findings, from the Union of Concerned Scientists, conclude that water and power are on a collision course in the US, as nearly all major power plants slurp up water for cooling. … “
Continue reading from KQED’s Climate Watch by clicking here.
New study sees growing risk of water-energy conflict in West
Posted by: Maven on November 17, 2011 at 8:44 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“Growing demand for both energy and water could lead to new conflicts between electricity production and water availability in the West, according to a new study from the Pacific Institute.
The study, “Water for Energy: Future Water Needs for Electricity in the Intermountain West,” evaluates water requirements for current and projected electricity generation in the Intermountain West, defined as the region bound by the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains in the west. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
AES reveals plan to rebuild its Redondo Beach power plant
Posted by: Maven on November 10, 2011 at 6:10 amFrom the Daily Breeze:
“A controversial proposal to rebuild the Redondo Beach power plant was publicly unveiled this week, with corporate executives calling the plan an opportunity to modernize the aging gas-fired energy facility along North Harbor Drive.
“We want to significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses. We want to eliminate the use of ocean water for cooling and replace the old power plant with state-of-the-art technology,” said AES Southland President Eric Pendergraft, who described the proposed plant as “lower, smaller, more efficient and more flexible.” … “
Continue reading from the Daily Breeze by clicking here.
A fracking method with fewer water woes?
Posted by: Maven on November 9, 2011 at 7:38 amFrom the New York Times Opinion Pages, this commentary by Andrew Revkin:
” … The clearest connection between drilling and significant seismic activity is not related to the fracturing of rock to liberate gas. It’s from instances where waste fluids — for example, the water used in fracking — are injected deep into the earth. In a piece for Oilprice.com, John C.K. Daly reviews the research, dating back many decades, on how deep-injection wells can trigger modest earthquakes.
So if you want to limit deep-well wastewater injection and also the risks of contaminating aquifers or surface water supplies from fracking, what do you do? Take the water out of the fracking process.
At a small scale so far, that future is on display in hundreds of gas projects in Canada and some states where liquefied propane (in gel form) is used to pressurize and fracture shale and then exits the well in gaseous form to be collected for reuse or other purposes. … “
Continue reading from the New York Times by clicking here.
Report: Water for Energy: Future Water Needs for Electricity in the Intermountain West
Posted by: Maven on November 4, 2011 at 8:28 am
From the Pacific Institute:
“The production of electricity, from fuel extraction to generation, has growing impacts on both water availability and quality. The new analysis from the Pacific Institute evaluates future water needs for different energy futures and identifies a growing risk of conflicts between electricity production and water availability in the U.S. Intermountain West. The new report also identifies strategies to ensure the long-term sustainable use of both resources.
The study, Water for Energy: Future Water Needs for Electricity in the Intermountain West, examines the water requirements for current and projected electricity generation within the Intermountain West, which is the area bound by the Rocky Mountains in the East and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains in the West. While water and energy conflicts are increasing across the United States, the Intermountain West is of particular interest for this study because it has a growing population (and growing demand for energy and water), a diverse fuel mix for power generation, and existing water constraints and limitations that are expected to worsen. … “
Continue reading from the Pacific Institute by clicking here.
How saving water could help keep the lights on
Posted by: Maven on November 4, 2011 at 8:27 amFrom KQED’s Climate Watch:
“The Gordian knot of interdependence between water & power (not the political kind — that’s another story) has been getting a lot of attention lately as the “water-energy nexus.” A new report from Oakland’s Pacific Institute warns that as population grows and a changing climate further wrings water out of the West, “These trends will intensify water resource conflicts throughout the region.”
Oh, goody. Just what the West needs; more water conflicts. … “
Continue reading from KQED’s Climate Watch by clicking here.
EPA to regulate disposal of fracking wastewater
Posted by: Maven on October 21, 2011 at 7:25 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“Federal environmental regulators signaled Thursday they want to increase oversight of the natural gas extraction industry, announcing they will develop national standards for the disposal of polluted wastewaters generated by a drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
Energy companies have dramatically expanded the use of fracking in recent years, injecting millions of gallons of water, sand and chemical additives to unlock gas in deep shale formations in Pennsylvania, Texas and other states. Its prevalence has raised concerns about the potential impact on water quality and quantity. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Despite reports, experts say fracking won’t be used in Whittier hill drilling project
Posted by: Maven on October 18, 2011 at 5:53 amFrom the Whittier Daily News:
“The headline on the Whittier College newspaper said, “Natural gas ‘fracking’ causes controversy” in a story about the Whittier hills proposed oil drilling project.
Resident Barry Stone gets into it at a Friendly Hills Property Owners Association meeting with then-Mayor Greg Nordbak over the issue.
And the Whittier Hills Oil Watch website has a section devoted to “Hydraulic Fracturing.” … “
Continue reading from the Whittier Daily News by clicking here.
Hydro Hall of Fame: Borel: A historical powerhouse overcomes challenges
Posted by: Maven on October 14, 2011 at 8:09 amFrom HydroWorld:
“Every hydro facility built at the turn of the 20th century has unique stories to tell, and 12-MW Borel is no exception. This project was built to provide power for the growing Red Electric Streetcar (also known as Red Car) transportation system in Los Angeles. In addition, electricity from Borel was transmitted using steel towers, which proved this material would not adversely affect long-distance transmission.
But the unique stories did not end once the plant began operating. In the early 1950s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Isabella Dam just 6 miles upstream of Borel to provide flood control. Amazingly, Southern California Edison was able to keep the Borel facility operating during this construction, thanks to a spirit of partnership and cooperation with the Corps. Learn more about the historic Borel powerhouse, the most recent inductee into the Hydro Hall of Fame.
Hydroelectric development on the Kern River in central California began in 1894 when the Power, Transit and Light Company started construction of a small plant at the mouth of Kern Canyon. … “
Continue reading from HydroWorld by clicking here.
Legal alert: Legislature exempts certain renewable energy projects from Water Supply Assessment requirements
Posted by: Maven on October 11, 2011 at 7:37 amFrom Best Best & Kreiger, this legal alert:
“Over the weekend, Governor Brown signed SB 267 into law to facilitate timely approvals for proposed photovoltaic and wind energy generation facilities. Under SB 267 (Rubio), such facilities that have an annual water demand of 75 acre-feet or less are expressly exempted from the requirement to prepare a water supply assessment (WSA). The new law is effective immediately and applies to qualifying projects approved on or after the effective date.
SB 267 expressly exempts photovoltaic or wind energy generation facilities from the definition of a “project” under the WSA statute and the requirement to prepare a WSA if the facility would demand no more than 75 acre-feet of water annually. Notably, the exemption expires after January 1, 2017 unless that date is changed or extended by a later enacted statute. … “
Continue reading from Best Best & Krieger by clicking here.
Water and renewables: What are the options? Water resource availability is playing an increasingly important role in the siting of renewable energy projects
Posted by: Maven on October 11, 2011 at 7:33 amFrom Renewable Energy World:
“While recent technological and policy developments in the U.S. and collaborations with arid nations will offer many benefits, each project will have different goals and present different challenges in addressing water availability issues in respect of renewable energy project development.
Scientists continue to raise concerns about water shortages due to climate change, with receding glaciers, droughts and diminishing mountain snow packs just some of the consequences. Meanwhile, the world’s population continues to expand.
One approach to reducing greenhouse gases has been more reliance on renewable energy. But energy projects, both conventional and renewable, typically require large amounts of water. That means the long-term physical and legal availability of water resources will play an important role in the siting of renewable energy facilities. … “
Continue reading from Renewable Energy World by clicking here.
Calpine plans $700 million Geysers expansion
Posted by: Maven on October 11, 2011 at 7:25 amFrom the North Bay Business Journal:
“Calpine Corporation, the nation’s largest renewable geothermal power producer, plans to build two new power plants adjacent to its existing Geysers steam field in Sonoma and Lake Counties designed to generate a total of 98 megawatts of additional clean energy, pending regulatory approvals.
The first phase of the approval process is set for Oct. 20, when the Sonoma County Planning Commission is set to vote on two land use permits for the plants. Other major permits include an air permit as well as building and grading permits. … “
Continue reading from the North Bay Business Journal by clicking here.
San Diego: Innovative project provides power and water for region
Posted by: Maven on September 21, 2011 at 5:56 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“A 28,000-horsepower turbine at Lake Hodges started churning out power this month as part of what water officials call the only project of its kind in the region.
The Lake Hodges Pump Storage Project is a key element of a $1.5 billion initiative by the San Diego County Water Authority to ensure that a six-month supply of water is on hand for droughts and other emergencies.
The water supply element is straightforward. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Fracking fears are unfounded, says oil economist
Posted by: Maven on September 18, 2011 at 7:24 amFrom the Lompoc Record:
“The chief economist for the American Petroleum Institute defended the safety of oil and natural gas extraction by “fracking” in a local interview last week and said the process is well regulated by state officials.
Concerns about groundwater contamination from the process known officially as hydraulic fracturing are unfounded and more regulation is unnecessary, added the API economist, John Felmy.
“Before you call for more regulation, prove there’s a problem first,” he said, speaking after an appearance on a local radio show. … “
Continue reading from the Lompoc Record by clicking here.
Army Corps of Engineers worried about the impacts of fracking on dams
Posted by: Maven on September 16, 2011 at 8:43 amFrom the NRDC Switchboard blog:
“In late July the Dallas Morning News reported that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has declared a 3,000-foot buffer around its dams and water-control structures in most of Texas and several other states, within which it will not allow new wells, drilling pads or pipelines.
The News also reported that the Corps has a national team studying potential risks to dam safety from minerals extraction, including the potential risk that fracking could cause shifts along natural faults and weaken dam foundations, whether extracting large volumes of gas beneath or near a dam might make rock and soil subside, and whether injecting fracking waste into underground disposal wells can trigger earthquakes. … “
Continue reading from the NRDC Switchboard blog by clicking here.
Lake Hodges project begins pumped storage and power generation operations
Posted by: Maven on September 15, 2011 at 7:42 amFrom the San Diego County Water Authority:
“The first of two 28,000-horsepower pump turbines at the San Diego County Water Authority’s Lake Hodges Pump Storage Project has begun operations. The facility is now available to help meet the region’s water and energy demands, by providing 20,000 acre-feet of emergency water storage and up to 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity for the region, enough power for 13,000 homes.
“This is visionary and innovative infrastructure that will pay water supply and power reliability dividends for decades,” Water Authority Board Chair Michael T. Hogan said. “The hydroelectric operations will also benefit our ratepayers by generating revenue that will help offset the facility’s operating costs.” … “
Continue reading from the San Diego County Water Authority by clicking here.
Electric Power Research Institute wins Dept. of Energy grant to test “Fish friendly” hydropower electricity generator
Posted by: Maven on September 13, 2011 at 7:57 amFrom Lloyd Carter at the Chronicles of the Hydraulic Brotherhood blog:
“The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) announced today (September 12, 2011) it has been selected for a $1.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to deploy and test the Alden turbine, a hydropower electricity generator designed to significantly reduce fish mortality during power production. The award is part of a $17 million DOE and U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) competitive process for research and development projects to advance hydropower technology.
The DOE award requires industry cost share which will bring total project funding to $3 million. … “
Continue reading from the Chronicles of the Hydraulic Brotherhood blog by clicking here.
Fracking Friction: Panelists, electeds talk law and oversight
Posted by: Maven on September 8, 2011 at 7:31 amFrom the Santa Barbara Independent:
“Representative Lois Capps and 3rd District Supervisor Doreen Farr — who, like their constituents, were rattled by the recent discovery that Venoco Inc. is “fracking” on a Los Alamos drilling lease — held a forum last week to discuss the divisive oil-and-gas extraction method and what’s being done to patch the ratty tapestry of legal framework now in place to regulate it.
Their concern, echoed by many of the invited panelists and the attendees who packed the Museum of Natural History’s auditorium, centers on what impacts fracking may have on the health of the North County community’s aquifers, ecosystems, and people. Fracking — short for hydraulic fracturing — is the process by which energy companies inject a pressurized chemical fluid into an existing wellbore, cracking the surrounding rock to harvest as much oil or natural gas from the site as possible. It’s a technique used since the 1940s, and 90 percent of the county’s current wells have been fracked at least once. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Barbara Independent by clicking here.
Departments of Interior, Energy award over $9 million to California-based companies, municipalities for hydropower projects
Posted by: Maven on September 7, 2011 at 7:57 amFrom the Bureau of Reclamation, this press release:
“U.S. Department Energy Secretary Steven Chu and U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced nearly $17 million in funding over the next three years for research and development projects to advance hydropower technology. Sixteen projects in 11 states were selected through a competitive grant process for their ability to contribute to the development of innovative technologies that produce hydropower more efficiently, reduce costs and increase sustainable hydropower generation. The funding will help advance the Obama Administration’s goal of meeting 80 percent of our electricity needs from clean energy sources by 2035.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District will be awarded $5 million in Department of Energy funds for the Iowa Hill Pumped Storage project and $1.5 million for a new small powerhouse at Slab Creek Reservoir. Palo Alto-based Electric Power Research Institute will receive up to $1.5 million in Department of Energy funds to deploy and test the fish-friendly Alden Turbine in Brookfield, New York to generate electricity while allowing safe fish passage. Natel Energy of Alameda will be awarded $300,000 in Department of Energy funds to develop a new type of powertrain for the Schneider Linear hydroEngine and $746,000 jointly funded by the Departments of Energy and the Interior to deploy and test the technology at a Bureau of Reclamation facility in Madras, Oregon. … “
Continue reading from the Bureau of Reclamation by clicking here.
Chances for passage of California fracking bill slipping away
Posted by: Maven on August 31, 2011 at 8:00 amMore on the fate of California’s fracking bill from Platts:
“Proponents of a bill that would require disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluid might run out of time to get the bill out of a California state Senate committee before the end of the legislature’s session early next month.
The bill (AB 591) passed the state Assembly in June but has been held up in the California Senate Appropriations Committee, Jeff Barbosa, a spokesman for the bill’s author, Democratic assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, said Tuesday. The bill’s proponents had hoped to get the legislation to the Senate floor for a vote by the end of August.
“We’re still trying to see if we can get it out before the session ends on September 9,” Barbosa said. “There are still some negotiations going on.” … “
Continue reading this article at Platts by clicking here.
Fracking bill hits roadblock
Posted by: Maven on August 29, 2011 at 7:48 amThe fracking bill making its way through the legislature has been dealt a setback: Read the brief story from Capital Public Radio by clicking here. [Thank you Wes for the link correction!]
Sunday’s top of the scroll: ‘Fracking’: Rock fracturing’s relation to quakes
Posted by: Maven on August 28, 2011 at 7:48 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“The earthquakes that rattled Blackpool, England, in April and May wouldn’t have attracted much notice in California. The strongest rated a mere 2.3 in magnitude.
But their possible connection to “fracking” raised eyebrows on both sides of the Atlantic.
The epicenter of one of the quakes lay less than 500 meters from a well used for hydro-fracturing, the process of pumping pressurized water and chemicals deep underground to crack rocks and release oil or natural gas. The company fracking the well halted operations and started studying the possible link. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Gleick/Cooley commentary: A fracking mess
Posted by: Maven on August 27, 2011 at 7:37 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle, this commentary by Peter Gleick & Heather Cooley:
“Efforts to expand natural gas production through “hydraulic fracturing” or “hydrofracking” are raising tensions across the country. Fracking releases natural gas trapped in underground shale formations by injecting water, chemicals and sand to fracture the rock and release the gas.
Twenty years ago, unconventional gas produced from shales, coal-bed methane and similar formations made up 10 percent of total U.S. gas production. Today it is around 40 percent and growing rapidly – along with controversy over the possible environmental impacts of hydrofracking.
Pundits and fracking proponents argue that stronger regulations are unnecessary to protect the public or that opposition to uncontrolled fracking represents a “politicized agenda to stymie U.S. energy production.” This is ideological nonsense. … “
Continue reading this commentary at the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Fracking in Sacramento: Gasland cometh? Controversial natural-gas ‘fracking’ creeps its way toward Sacramento
Posted by: Maven on August 25, 2011 at 8:29 amFrom the Sacramento News & Review:
“It is coming to the Sacramento Valley. It may signal its arrival with a vibrating rumble. Or it may come on quiet cat feet, but with a snout that digs deep into the earth. Or it may already be here: There are no state rules monitoring it at the moment, so the whereabouts or size and shape of this thing are a little uncertain.
The “it” in question is fracking, or the controversial extraction of oil and gas through high-pressure injection of water, sand and chemicals into deep underground rock. In other states, fracking has generated backlash over environmental and public-health issues.
And now, here in Sacramento, Colorado-based company Venoco plans for up to 20 fracking wells in the area, including the nearby Delta, in addition to Willows and Grimes fields in Sutter and Yuba counties, the Dutch Slough fields 90 minutes southwest of the city, plus others locations in Glenn and Colusa counties and Union Island in San Joaquin County. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento News & Review by clicking here.
California fracking legislation appears poised for final passage
Posted by: Maven on August 18, 2011 at 8:44 amFrom Platts (an energy company):
“The author of a bill pending before the California state legislature that calls for the regulation of hydraulic fracturing has garnered support from a broad cross-section of stakeholders and appears likely headed for passage, the bill sponsor told Platts Wednesday.
Assembly Member Bob Wiekowski said the proposed legislation, AB 591, has been presented to the Senate Appropriations Committee, its final stop before it is moved to debate on the Senate floor, likely some time during the week of August 29.
Representatives of California Governor Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown Jr. have indicated that the governor would sign the legislation after lawmakers bring it to his desk, Wiekowski said. The bill would, for the first time, place the regulation of fracking under the state Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. … “
Continue reading from Platts by clicking here.
MORE: Fracking in California: Expected Increase in State Fracking Operations Prompts Legislative Action, from Sedgewick LLP
‘Fracking’ is a risky way to drill for natural gas, says the San Francisco Chronicle
Posted by: Maven on August 17, 2011 at 8:26 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle, this editorial:
“On the heels of a critical federal study, California’s Legislature is weighing what do about a promising but controversial method of hunting for natural gas and oil called hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking.
The process injects high-pressure streams of water, sand and a dose of chemicals into rocky formations thousands of feet down in order to push the wanted hydrocarbons to the surface. Widely used in other states, the method is making its way across the state’s oil patch of Central California.
Fracking has the potential to boost the sources of natural gas, a cleaner-burning option to oil and coal and less costly than wind or solar. About 25 percent of the nation’s energy comes from natural gas, with hopes to grow the number to 45 percent by 2035. Jobs and energy independence are at issue, too. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: ‘Frack’ oil wells draw California into debate
Posted by: Maven on August 16, 2011 at 8:11 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“Steve Craig is used to oil companies operating near his ranch in the smooth, rounded hills of southern Monterey County.
But Craig draws the line at “fracking.”
A company called Venoco Inc. wants to try hydraulic fracturing in the Hames Valley near Bradley, using a high-pressure blend of water, sand and chemicals to crack rocks deep underground and release oil locked in the stone.
The same technique has revolutionized America’s natural gas business in the past five years, boosting production and driving down prices. It has also been blamed for tainting groundwater near fracked wells, a charge that drilling companies deny. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Ocean wave power projects seek solid footing on West Coast
Posted by: Maven on August 16, 2011 at 7:45 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“The cancellation of three ocean wave-energy projects in Sonoma County leaves a proposal north of Oceanside as the only one of its kind off California’s coast.
There’s wide interest in harnessing the ceaseless power of the ocean because so-called hydrokinetic energy facilities could provide a steady source of energy without air pollution or toxic waste.
But there are so many barriers that the concept hasn’t generated much momentum in California despite aggressive state mandates to ratchet up renewable power supplies. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Water utility expert expresses concerns about the risks of hydraulic fracturing
Posted by: Maven on August 12, 2011 at 7:36 amFrom the NRDC Switchboard blog:
“The American Water Works Association is an international nonprofit educational association dedicated to being an authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy for improving water quality and supply.
A July 2011 article in Opflow, an AWWA publication, asks the question: “Hydrofracking: Is it Worth the Risk?” The environmental manager for the Ft. Smith Utility in Arkansas writes about the risks of hydraulic fracturing when it comes to protecting drinking water supplies. Some of his key points: … “
Continue reading from the NRDC Switchboard blog by clicking here.
Spotlight on pumped storage
Posted by: Maven on August 11, 2011 at 7:51 amFrom International Water Power & Dam Construction:
” … Viewed as one of the only economically viable forms of large-scale energy storage, pumped storage hydropower plays a key role in the energy grid. It’s a technology that can provide balance, energy reserves and grid stability. Various sources cite worldwide generation topping 127000MW, and according to the US Energy Information Administration, pumped storage generates more than 20000MW of energy in the US, enough to power more than 7 million homes. Beyond energy generation, the unique characteristics and benefits of pumped storage make it a clean, low-energy component of the energy grid, an important consideration as many countries focus on mitigating the effects of climate change. … “
Continue reading from International Water Power & Dam Construction by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Santa Barbara County studying delay of all ‘fracking’
Posted by: Maven on August 9, 2011 at 8:53 amFrom the Santa Ynez Valley News:
“In an attempt to regulate hydraulic fracturing, “or fracking,” as much as possible locally, Santa Barbara County is studying the possibility of a moratorium on the common but controversial oil-recovery process.
The decision came after the county Board of Supervisors heard from at least 16 people on Tuesday, Aug. 2 — a number of them advocating for the safety of the process but many others expressing concerns.
The supervisors asked county staff to study the feasibility of a ban and return Sept. 20 with more information. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Ynez Valley News by clicking here.
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