American Oil and Gas Reporter - December 2016 - 22

IndustryDigest
EPA suspicions released in
December 2011 that fracturing may
have contaminated water supply wells
in Pavillion, EID noted at the time,
"generated nearly 1,000 stories in 12
countries within 24 hours of its release
(AOGR, January 2012, pg. 40)."
Anti-fracturing activists quickly
jumped on the report as proof of the
dangers of fracturing, despite "EPA's
own reluctance to blame fracturing,"

Hildreth cites, quoting then EPA
Administrator Lisa Jackson, who told
reporters, "In no case have we made a
definitive determination that the
(fracturing) process has caused
chemicals to enter groundwater."
Indeed, Hildreth states, "EPA
officials privately admitted their
findings were misunderstood at best and
misrepresented at worst. Internal emails released under the Freedom of

Information Act show EPA officials
fuming over the 'inflammatory and
irresponsible' coverage of the draft
Pavillion report, which failed to note
'these limited findings are not final.'"
In March 2012, the U.S. Geological
Survey was asked to conduct its own
study of Pavillion groundwater, and
according to Hildreth, "criticized EPA's
testing procedures and suggested EPA
could have introduced 'bias in the
samples' because of faulty construction
of its monitoring wells."
WDEQ's final report, as well as
other state, federal and independent
analyses, confirms that suspicion,
Hildreth contends. He concludes, "State
and federal officials have been studying
the Pavillion case for many years.
Multiple investigations have revealed
that water quality issues in the region
most likely are the result of natural
causes. This report is the final definitive
chapter, fully revealing that antifracturing activists' claims about
Pavillion are without merit." ❒

Industry Coalition Files
FOIA Requests Over
NTL On Gulf Assurance
WASHINGTON-Four trade groups
representing Gulf of Mexico operators
are seeking information on changes to
federal offshore financial assurance and
bonding rules.
The National Ocean Industries
Association, Independent Petroleum
Association of America, Louisiana MidContinent Oil & Gas Association, and
Gulf Economic Survival Team
submitted Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) requests to the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management and Department of
the Interior.
The requests follow NOIA's October
FOIA application to the Bureau of
Safety & Environmental Enforcement
on that agency's revised estimates for
well plugging and abandonment, and
platform decommissioning costs in the
Gulf (AOGR, November 2016, pg. 22).
The four groups are asking for
immediate consideration of the FOIA
requests, and urge those agencies, as
well as BSEE, to respond to industry
concerns regarding Notice to Lessees
No. 2016-N01, which changes the
framework for decommissioning
liability for the offshore oil and gas
22 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER
American Oil and Gas Reporter - December 2016

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