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High Risk Energy Sources

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The earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan raised new concerns about the risk of another nuclear reactor disaster.  The explosion of the FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT gives our citizens cause to re-examine the risk assumed by the public. At this writing, the full extent of the damage to the plant, the community, and the environment is unknown - it will take years.

At the same time concerns over the high risks associated with extracting natural gas and as noted in a Financial Times article is "energy that comes from the same place as our drinking water. Extracting it had better be safe. The political fault lines over hydraulic fracturing (hence the term fracking) have been easy to predict for anyone paying attention to the controversies over climate change and genetically modified organisms. France’s national assembly voted to ban fracking while in the US its been full steam ahead in 32 states. These are high risk alternative energy sources. 

 

Curated by mokiethecat

Natural Gas Wells in Pennsylvania: an infographic

This infographic and animation tracks cumulative natural gas wells drilled in Pennsylvania from January 2005 to April 2012, highlighting the state's transition from conventional vertical to horizontal drilling.

Horizontal wells, primarily in the Marcellus, Utica, and Geneseo/Burket shale formations, increased significantly. Concurrently, less productive vertical wells declined, resulting in an overall decrease in new well counts.

For a comprehensive analysis, read the full Today in Energy article here.