This resource is meant to be an introductory guide about the basics of hydraulic fracturing and more specifically the effects of wastewater disposal on induced seismicity.
So is there any fracking going on in Idaho?
New conventional oil and gas development is occuring in southwest Idaho. Alta Mesa has been targeting small reservoirs of natural gas that are trapped underground. Because they are extracting the natural gas from a reservoir, this is considered a conventional resource and not hydraulic fracturing. According to the Idaho Geological Survey, there is a lot of produced water coming out of the wells that will need to be disposed of.
To date, there is no fracking in Idaho, but there is an unconventional resource that has potential for development by natural gas companies like Alta Mesa in southeast Idaho.
Because there is a chance that hydraulic fracturing technology could be introduced to idaho in the future, it is critical that residents of Idaho become informed about the risks and benefits of unconventional natural gas and oil development especially those involving wastewater disposal and induced earthquakes.
While the information included on this page is a good start to understanding hydraulic fracturing technology and induced seismicity, there are many other resources available on this topic.
Here is a list of additional resources that should be consulted as well as the sources that were used to create the information on this page. Note that these resources are influenced by a variety of perspectives. Some of them are about hydraulic fracturing, while others focus on the impacts of fracking on the economy, environment, or energy sector.
Resources:
The Science Beneath the Surface, Don Duggan-Haas, Robert M. Ross, Warren D. Allmon
How Man-made Earthquakes Could Cripple the U.S. Economy
U.S Energy Information Administration
FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry
Pros and Cons of Fracking: 5 Key Issues
Sources used in creating this site:
The Science Beneath the Surface, Don Duggan-Haas, Robert M. Ross, Warren D. Allmon
J.L Rubenstein and A.E. Mahani, “Myths and Facts on Wastewater Injection, Hydraulic Fracturing, Enhanced Oil Recovery, and Induced Seismicity”
Vengosh A. et al. “A Critical Review of the Risks to Water Resources from Unconventional Shale Gas Development and Hydraulic Fracturing in the United States”