The concern that hydraulic fracturing of shale formations to extract natural gas is contaminating groundwater is overstated, claims a new report. Charles "Chip" Groat, associate director of Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, led the study.
Fracking, though, has become highly controversial, with claims that the pressurised fluids can find their way into water courses and drinking supplies, and also trigger small earthquakes.
There are even examples of householders who live near fracking operations being able to ignite gas coming through their water taps.
The Energy Institute team did not look at all of these issues in detail, preferring in the first instance to concentrate on the groundwater contamination reports.
Their study looked at three prominent shale plays - the Barnett Shale in North Texas, the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, New York and portions of Appalachia, and the Haynesville Shale in western Louisiana and northeast Texas.
TVNL Comment: This study is in direct contrast to conclusions about the dangers of fracking drawn by the EPA. The oil and gas industries hailed this study with great enthusasm. How many grants does this university get from oil and gas operations?" Just asking....