Fracking Accidents

Fracking lawyers at the national law firm of Arentz Law Group, P.C. can help defend the rights of citizens whose property and health is threatened by this dangerous practice.  Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a method by which water, sand, and chemicals are pumped into holes in the ground to stimulate the production and harvesting of natural gas.  While this method of obtaining natural gas does help make production of natural gas much more efficient than it used to be, it can also lead to extensive property damage and very serious health risks to nearby residents whose water becomes contaminated with harmful chemicals.  If you live in an area where fracking is practiced, it’s important for you to be aware of the threats this method poses to your health and your property.  Read on to learn about some of the many parts of the United States where fracking is employed.

What is Hydraulic Fracking?

Much of the natural gas supply we depend on is contained beneath the surface of the earth, and a new method known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, has been adopted to extract this gas.  During fracking, high pressure injections of water, sand, and chemical additives are used to break the solid rock formations located above the gas.  The fractures this creates in the rocks create pathways by which the gas escapes into wells.  The sand used during fracking then settles into these cracks to keep the fractures open so that the gas can continue to escape.

The chemicals used during the hydraulic fracking process have been the source of complaints from environmentalists and people who live near the fracking sites who claim these chemicals which are left behind long after fracking is finished contaminate local underground water supplies.  While the specific chemicals used during fracking are not often disclosed, some of the chemicals known to be used (such as diesel fuel) are known carcinogens and pose significant health risks when ingested.

Effects of Hydraulic Fracking

While the full effects of hydraulic fracking are still being studied, the following effects have been reported by people whose water has been contaminated by fracking:

• Cancer
• Acute myelogenous leukemia
• Acute lymphocytic leukemia
• Respiratory problems and disease
• Reproduction problems
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Drowsiness
• Skin rashes
• Death

If you live in or near an area where hydraulic fracking is being conducted, it is important that you are aware of the signs of water contamination, which could include:

• Rashes or irritated skin after showering
• Cloudy water
• Particles floating in water
• Smell of fuel or petroleum
• Black or gray sediments in water

Dangers of Fracking Contaminated Water

Water contaminated by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, can cause a number of very serious health issues.  Recent research by the Endocrine Disruption Network found that up to 25% of fracking chemicals may lead to a cancer diagnosis, and 40-50% of these chemicals may adversely affect the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems.  A Pennsylvania resident who has spoken out against fracking, Dr. Jan Hendryx states, “[o]ur exposure to the chemicals used in the hydrofracturing process will most likely cause a marked increase in cancer and other illnesses. Our environment, drinking water, air quality, property values, roadways, and quality of life are being destroyed at a rapid pace.”

Is your Water Contaminated by Fracking?

Oil and gas companies have publicly stated that fracking is safe and does not contaminate nearby water sources.  However, many people who live near fracking sites notice that their water smells foul and there have been multiple reports of health problems like allergic reactions and gastrointestinal problems affecting people who live near fracking sites.  If you believe your water source may have been contaminated by fracking, it is a good idea for you to have your water professionally tested.  If high levels of methane, benzene, chromium, ethane, boric acid, lead, or other toxins are found, you could have a fracking water contamination lawsuit.

Fracking and Property Damage

A number of landowners in the United States feel that they have been duped into signing lease agreements that allow fracking companies to dig wells on their land.  Not only can fracking cause serious health risks through water contamination, it can also cause excessive property damage.  According to University of Pittsburgh Public Health professor Dr. Charles Christian, fracking can lead to “severe ground subsidence because of extraction, drilling, and unexpected subterranean conditions, and triggering of small scale earthquakes.”  Earthquakes that are confirmed to be linked to hydraulic fracking have been recorded in England, and many experts feel that we are only beginning to see the deleterious effects fracking can have on property, wildlife, and agriculture.

Across the United States, property owners who believe that they were fooled into selling their gas and oil rights to fracking companies or whose land has been damaged by fracking without their consent are speaking out.  Rebecca Roter, a resident of Pennsylvania who has seen first-hand the toll fracking can take on her neighbors’ properties, sums up landowners’ concerns: “What Oil and Gas is doing in PA, WY, CO, WV, they have done for decades in third world countries… [W]e are the new Native Americans to be cleared from the land; drill rig workers have told us we are in the way. Seismic testing companies have started working on land where no gas leases were signed and when confronted they said, ‘we are oil and gas and we will do what we want.’”

Fracking Locations in the United States

Nearly all of the natural gas and oil wells in the United States employ fracking at this time.  Below are some of the many areas where fracking is currently underway in the United States:

• Barnett Shale ( North Texas – Denton, Tarrant, Wise, and other counties)
• Eagle Ford Shale ( South Central Texas – Atascosa, Dewitt, Fayette, Frio, Gonzales, Karnes, LaSalle, Lavaca, Live Oak, Maverick, Webb, Wilson, and other counties)
• Haynesville Shale ( East Texas)
• Palo Duro Basin Shale ( Texas Panhandle – Briscoe, Hall, Motley, and Floyd counties)
• Pearsall Shale ( Southwest Texas)
• Antrim Shale (MI)
• Caney Shale (OK)
• Chattanooga and Ohio Shale (VA, WV, KY, & OH)
• Conesauga Shale (AL)
• Fayetteville Shale (AR)
• Floyd Shale (Al & MS)
• Gothic Shale (CO)
• Haynesville Shale (LA)
• Marcellus Shale (WV, PA, & NY)
• New Albany Shale (IL)
• Utica Shale (NY)
• Woodford Shale (OK)

Mineral Rights Legal Matters

Landowners may recover substantial profits through ownership of mineral rights, but the laws surrounding mineral rights can be complex and confusing.  If a land or mineral rights lease is drafted incorrectly, the landowner may be left vulnerable to future costs and damages.  It’s important that landowners retain the counsel of an experienced mineral rights lawyer to ensure their rights are protected.  At Arentz Law Group, P.C., our environmental lawyers are highly experienced in all areas of law relating to mineral and natural resource rights, including:

• Property sales
• Mineral servitude
• Sales of mineral rights
• Multiple royalties
• Construction of wells and oil rigs
• Environmental regulation

Contact a Lawyer Experienced in Fracking Defense and Litigation

If you live near a site where fracking is used, your health and property could be at risk.  To learn more about fracking water contamination lawsuits and landowner rights in fracking disputes, contact Arentz Law Group, P.C. to schedule a free legal consultation with an experienced fracking lawyer.