Safer Fracking What Would It Look Like? Based on a presentation by Louis Allstadt Former Executive Vice President Mobile Oil Corporation Presented by Susan Krala U.S. Coast Guard Regional Response Team IX

Safer Fracking Fluid No toxins. No carcinogens. Nothing prohibited in any industrial process. No exemptions from State or federal regulations.

Safer Drilling Add a chemical marker to identify the fluid if it migrates to groundwater. No fracking of natural fissures that lead to aquifers.

Compliance With Environmental Laws Rescind exemptions from compliance with the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Contain the Fracking Fluid Cement the entire casing. Inspect the casing before each frack. Construct a closed system for fracking and flow-back fluids. Recycle flow-back fluids. Check for subsidence that can disrupt aquifers.

Develop Response Plans Have contingency plans in case monitoring shows that fracking fluid has migrated out of the well zone, or if the well blows out.

Reduce Well Impact Reduce water use by using propane or nitrogen. This also reduces the number of transits by trucks. No open lined pits for flow-back and waste fluids. Store fluids in steel tanks.

Improve Regulation Adequately staff all inspection services provided by the State. Create separate state agencies for revenue and licensing versus environmental protection. Educate property owners that individual leases can require use of safer practices. Establish limits for re-fracking existing wells based on local geology.

Ensure Adequate Fluid Treatment Ensure there are adequate treatment plants. Fracking wastewater can contain massive amounts of brine (salts), toxic metals, and radioactivity. Standard municipal water treatment plants are not designed to handle the level of contamination, especially radioactivity, found in these waters.

Siting Wells Require safe setbacks from groundwater, fractures, schools and other features that might pose a danger of groundwater contamination or damage from subsidence. Ensure local government input on the siting of wells. License drillers and sub-contractors to ensure positive track record, knowledge of safety requirements, and financial viability.

Multi-Well Pads Favor multi-well drilling pads because they are only slightly larger than single wells. Multi-well pads cause less surface disruption and can be monitored more easily.

Liability Funds Require a multimillion dollar bond on each well until it is plugged and abandoned. Establish an industry-funded clean-up trust in case the spiller is unable to fund a complete clean-up.