Chemical clues in waters near Marcellus Shale gas wells in rural Pennsylvania can identify new drilling-related sources of methane contamination, according to scientists.
Chemical clues in waters near Marcellus Shale gas wells in rural Pennsylvania can identify new drilling-related sources of methane contamination, according to scientists.
The findings provide a new tool for distinguishing potential environmental impacts of shale drilling from pre-existing methane levels commonly found in Pennsylvania waterways, the researchers said.
Scientists also found that methane contamination may be more likely to occur when drilling takes place in certain geological settings, like those found in the study area in Lycoming County.
"This study provides new clues about where we might expect to find potential environmental impacts related to shale drilling and how to better identify new incidents after they occur," said Joshua Woda, a graduate student in geosciences at Penn State.
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Image: Joshua Woda, a graduate student in geosciences at Penn State, measures methane concentrations in the air. Gas bubbles out of the water in the nearby stream. (Credit: Joshua Woda / Penn State)
