Five States Require Drillers to Use FracFocus.org Registry

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FracFocus.org, the national hydraulic fracturing chemical registry where the public can look up information about the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing on a well-by-well basis, is co-sponsoring a “Let’s Talk About It” meeting in Williamsport, PA this Wednesday (see this page for more details). The meeting runs from 5-7:30 pm and will provide details on how hydraulic fracturing works. Note: FracFocus.org via Energy in Depth is currently a sponsor advertising on MDN.

Many drilling companies voluntarily use FracFocus.org to disclose the volumes of chemicals and water they use in the process of fracking, and do so for each well they drill. Four states already require drillers within their borders to use FracFocus.org. You can now add Texas as the fifth state to that list.

Starting Feb. 1, Texas becomes the latest state to require drilling companies to disclose the volumes of chemicals and water they use in "fracking," which involves the high-pressure injection of chemically treated water and sand deep underground to release entrapped oil and gas.

Texas is the fifth state to require the disclosure of well-by-well data with an online public clearinghouse, FracFocus.org. Colorado, Montana, Louisiana, and North Dakota also require posting of data with FracFocus.

Pennsylvania, where the Marcellus Shale natural gas boom has been under way since 2008, last year required drillers to submit detailed accountings of the material within 30 days of completing a well. The public information is retained at the Department of Environmental Protection’s regional offices.

Though Pennsylvania does not require online disclosure, the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry trade group, on Jan. 1 began requiring its members to post their data with FracFocus. The coalition’s membership covers most major gas producers in the state, but 27 smaller Pennsylvania operators are not registered with FracFocus.

*Philadelphia Inquirer (Jan 22, 2012) – More states ordering disclosure of fracking chemicals