hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and offshore drilling in flagler county city council workshop june...
TRANSCRIPT
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING (FRACKING) AND OFFSHORE
DRILLINGIN FLAGLER COUNTY
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
JUNE 9, 2015
“WHAT IS CONVENTIONAL DRILLING (OIL EXTRACTION)?”
OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION IS THE EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION
OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS FROM WELLS. THE INDUSTRY
GENERATES WASTEWATER FROM THE WATER EXTRACTED FROM THE
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS AND FROM CHEMICALS USED DURING
EXPLORATION, WELL DRILLING AND PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS.
SOURCE: ~ US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) 2015
“WHAT IS FRACKING?”
OIL AND GAS COMPANIES UTILIZE HYDRAULIC FRACTURING (FRACKING) AS A MEANS TO EXTRACT NATURAL GAS OR OIL FROM TARGET ROCK FORMATION. FLUID IS PUMPED AT HIGH PRESSURE TO RELEASE
TRAPPED FUEL. FRACTURING FLUID IS COMPRISED OF DIFFERENT SUBSTANCES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO WATER, SAND, HYDROCHLORIC ACID, METHANOL, HYDROTREATED LIGHT PETROLEUM, AND
ADDITIVES (SINGLE OR MULTIPLE INGREDIENTS).
SOURCE: ~ US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) 2015
“WHERE ARE THE WELLS?”
Source ~ Florida Departmentof Environmental Protection(DEP) 2015
Over 1,000 permitted wells have been drilled since 1943. During this timeframe, the petroleum industry has safely produced 611 million barrels of crude oil and 689 billion cubic feet of natural gas in Collier, Hendry, Lee, Dade, Escambia, and Santa Rosa counties. ~ DEP
SOME EXISTING LAWS
Chapter 377, Florida Statutes: Energy Resources
• 377.371(1) A person drilling or producing oil, gas, or petroleum products, or storing gas in a natural gas storage facility, many not pollute land or water; damage aquatic or marine life, wildlife, birds, or public or private property; or allow any extraneous matter to enter or damage any mineral or freshwater-bearing formation
• 377.22(2)(d) To require the drilling, casing, and plugging of wells to be done in such a manner as to prevent the escape of oil or other petroleum products from one stratum to another
• 377.22(2)(w) To require that geophysical operations requiring a permit be conducted in a manner which will minimize the impact on hydrology and biota of the area, especially environmentally sensitive lands and coastal areas
2015 LEGISLATION THAT FAILEDHOUSE BILL 1205 / SENATE BILL 1468
SAMPLE OF PROPOSED REVISIONS (NOT ALL)
• Empower Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to issue a single permit that authorizes multiple Program activities;
• Define “high-pressure well stimulation” as a well intervention performed by injecting more than 100,000 gallons of fluid into a rock formation at high pressure that exceeds the fracture gradient of the rock formation in order to propagate fractures in such formation to increase production at an oil or gas well by improving the flow of hydrocarbons from the formation into the wellbore;
• Require DEP to conduct a study on the potential effects of performing high-pressure well stimulations and provides an appropriation for the study;
• Prohibit a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state from adopting or establishing programs to issue permits for any activity related to oil and gas drilling, exploration, or production;
PERSPECTIVES
WaterFragile
environment
Limited studies
Jobs Home rule Tourism
STAFF IS SEEKING DIRECTION FROM CITY COUNCIL FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION ON A MORATORIUM ON FRACKING AND OFFSHORE
DRILLING IN FLORIDA
(FLAGLER COUNTY RESOLUTION ATTACHED AS GUIDELINE)