State officials confirm that Barnett Shale drilling contributes as much pollution as car, truck traffic

by PegNews wire

State environmental officials have confirmed results from a study published by SMU professor Al Armendariz in which he finds that natural gas drilling in the Barnett Shale contributes as much pollution as car and truck traffic in the DFW metroplex.

In the nine-county area, Armendariz concluded that natural gas drilling produces about 112 tons per day of pollution, compared to 120 produced by car and truck traffic. When the area is expanded to 20 counties, to include a number of the surrounding rural counties, that figure jumps to 191 tons per day. State officials produced numbers close to Armendariz's results.

The bulk of the pollution comes from pipeline compressor motors, venting tank batteries, and the common practice of venting natural gas into the atmosphere when a well is complete.

Although a problem has been identified, its unlikely to be addressed, at least for drilling. Most of the drilling occurs in rural areas, which the EPA is focusing as strongly on as urban areas. According the EPA, it's also just easier to reduce pollution from car and truck traffic.

Posted by Erin