Is the industry monitoring the level of methane reaching the surface in areas where fracking has occurred?

The natural gas industry follows – and often exceeds – strict regulations to safeguard our environment, especially our water resources.

As you may know, natural gas – or methane – has historically been, and continues to be, present in communities across Pennsylvania. Shallow, naturally-occurring methane can migrate into private water wells. In fact, a recent analysis by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a legislative research arm of the General Assembly, found that 20 percent of private water wells have methane present that is not related to natural gas development.

This is in part a function of our regional geology. Moreover, Pennsylvania is one of only several states that does not have private water well construction standards. As a result, pathways exist for methane to migrate into water wells.

To help explain this complex and important issue, the MSC produced a web video to inform stakeholders on the science and geology associated with methane as well as the host of regulations and operational practices that natural gas producers take to address this issue.