nspugh
@NatResWales - #fracking
I asked Natural Resources Wales in relation to fracking / unconventional gas extraction
"Can you tell me what are the implications of High Radon presence in the Vale Of Glamorgan in relation to flow back waste water and cuttings waste?"
Response from Natural Resources Wales
"Natural gas, whether from conventional oil and gas wells, or from unconventional sources such as shale beds or coal seams, includes some radon. Radon from these sources was exempt from permitting by the Natural Gas Exemption Order, 2002 and in 2011 was excluded from regulation under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010. This was on the basis of its low risk, widespread use and that it was not amenable to regulation. In 2001, the risk to the public from radon by burning natural gas was assessed by the National Radiological Protection Board (now Public Health England (PHE)).
Drill cuttings and drilling muds will contain naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) at the concentrations normally found at those depths. Deep drilling is undertaken for a variety of reasons, for coal and mineral exploration, water, geothermal energy, etc. The wastes from all of these drilling operations will contain some NORM, as does all soil and rocks whether deep, or on the surface. Internationally, these drill cuttings have not proven to be of significance for radiation protection and are not controlled as radioactive wastes, they are generally classed as mining wastes. Radon is a noble gas and there will be traces of radon dissolved in any water generated by drilling, including flow-back water. Flow-back water is collected in tanks on site and transferred to treatment plants elsewhere by road tankers, there will inevitably be some losses of radon from these tanks, but we are confident that this will not be of significance to public health (note. radon is present naturally in all of the air we breath). Similarly, there will be traces radon generated by the radium in the drill cuttings, but this will be even less significant.
During production of coal bed methane or shale gas, the principal source of radon is the natural gas itself, most of which will be captured and used, but there will some losses of methane (“fugitive emissions”) local to the well, as well as the possibility of short-term flaring of natural gas, this gas will include some radon, but in either case it will be rapidly dispersed in the atmosphere. The impact of the radon from fugitive emissions and flaring has yet to be fully assessed, but is not likely to be of significance to public health. “High levels” of radon in the Vale of Glamorgan are not foreseen from this source.
PHE have recently published a consultation draft on the health implications of chemical and radioactive pollutants from shale gas extraction, and this makes some reference to radon. We suggest that further information on the implication for public health can be obtained from Public Health England through Public Health Wales.
I trust this addresses your concerns.”
My next thoughts or questions in response...
• Being a high radon area, does this effect the “norm”?
• Are there treatment plants available to treat the flow back, if so, currently where...as the North West doesn't have that facility?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25902272
• To what scale would that facility have to be to treat flow-back on currently sold unconventional gas licenses in Wales?
• Does that scale of facility already exist?
• Is it the case the deeper you drill the "norm" of excepted radon & radiation in the water & cuttings increase?
• When deposited at scale/ concentration elsewhere surely this surpass the norm, for open air exposure?
• How is the waste water treated to remove all chemicals. And then where does the disposal of that by product (contaminated sludge) go?
Fracking water very hard to clean energyblog.nationalgeographic.com/2013/10/04/fracking-wat...
www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/10971603.MP_demands_an...
• Is the radioactive, radon flow back and cuttings just left to disperse in open air ever?
• At cost effective production scale, what are the considerations towards local populations health in regards to existing scientific studies. As none exist in the UK?
www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/31/natural-gas-birth-defec...
Acting on behalf of Frack Free Wales. www.facebook.com/pages/Frack-Free-Wales/399311250153926
When I saw this image in a permaculture garden in an old oil drum I new it would translate.
photo by @nspugh twitter.com/nspugh
@NatResWales - #fracking
I asked Natural Resources Wales in relation to fracking / unconventional gas extraction
"Can you tell me what are the implications of High Radon presence in the Vale Of Glamorgan in relation to flow back waste water and cuttings waste?"
Response from Natural Resources Wales
"Natural gas, whether from conventional oil and gas wells, or from unconventional sources such as shale beds or coal seams, includes some radon. Radon from these sources was exempt from permitting by the Natural Gas Exemption Order, 2002 and in 2011 was excluded from regulation under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010. This was on the basis of its low risk, widespread use and that it was not amenable to regulation. In 2001, the risk to the public from radon by burning natural gas was assessed by the National Radiological Protection Board (now Public Health England (PHE)).
Drill cuttings and drilling muds will contain naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) at the concentrations normally found at those depths. Deep drilling is undertaken for a variety of reasons, for coal and mineral exploration, water, geothermal energy, etc. The wastes from all of these drilling operations will contain some NORM, as does all soil and rocks whether deep, or on the surface. Internationally, these drill cuttings have not proven to be of significance for radiation protection and are not controlled as radioactive wastes, they are generally classed as mining wastes. Radon is a noble gas and there will be traces of radon dissolved in any water generated by drilling, including flow-back water. Flow-back water is collected in tanks on site and transferred to treatment plants elsewhere by road tankers, there will inevitably be some losses of radon from these tanks, but we are confident that this will not be of significance to public health (note. radon is present naturally in all of the air we breath). Similarly, there will be traces radon generated by the radium in the drill cuttings, but this will be even less significant.
During production of coal bed methane or shale gas, the principal source of radon is the natural gas itself, most of which will be captured and used, but there will some losses of methane (“fugitive emissions”) local to the well, as well as the possibility of short-term flaring of natural gas, this gas will include some radon, but in either case it will be rapidly dispersed in the atmosphere. The impact of the radon from fugitive emissions and flaring has yet to be fully assessed, but is not likely to be of significance to public health. “High levels” of radon in the Vale of Glamorgan are not foreseen from this source.
PHE have recently published a consultation draft on the health implications of chemical and radioactive pollutants from shale gas extraction, and this makes some reference to radon. We suggest that further information on the implication for public health can be obtained from Public Health England through Public Health Wales.
I trust this addresses your concerns.”
My next thoughts or questions in response...
• Being a high radon area, does this effect the “norm”?
• Are there treatment plants available to treat the flow back, if so, currently where...as the North West doesn't have that facility?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25902272
• To what scale would that facility have to be to treat flow-back on currently sold unconventional gas licenses in Wales?
• Does that scale of facility already exist?
• Is it the case the deeper you drill the "norm" of excepted radon & radiation in the water & cuttings increase?
• When deposited at scale/ concentration elsewhere surely this surpass the norm, for open air exposure?
• How is the waste water treated to remove all chemicals. And then where does the disposal of that by product (contaminated sludge) go?
Fracking water very hard to clean energyblog.nationalgeographic.com/2013/10/04/fracking-wat...
www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/10971603.MP_demands_an...
• Is the radioactive, radon flow back and cuttings just left to disperse in open air ever?
• At cost effective production scale, what are the considerations towards local populations health in regards to existing scientific studies. As none exist in the UK?
www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/31/natural-gas-birth-defec...
Acting on behalf of Frack Free Wales. www.facebook.com/pages/Frack-Free-Wales/399311250153926
When I saw this image in a permaculture garden in an old oil drum I new it would translate.
photo by @nspugh twitter.com/nspugh