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Ohio Study Finds No Methane Contamination from Gas and Oil Drilling Adapted from Information by the University of Cincinnati Since 2012, geologists with the University of Cincinnati (UC) have been study- ing the drinking water in three counties in Northeast Ohio to see if increased nat- ural gas drilling is leading to methane contaminating private water wells. The study, the first of its kind in Ohio, focussed on rural Carrol l , Stark, and Harrison counties with researchers col- lecting 180 groundwater samples from homes in the area. They were looking for evidence of methane, the primary com- pound in natural gas. They also studied changes in the acidity or pH of the water, and changes to its conductivity. They dis- covered no increases in methane concen- tration or composition in groundwater over the four-year study, despite the presence of new shale gas wells drilled in the study area. They were also unable to find higher methane levels in close proximity to shale drilling. “Some people had elevated concentrations of methane in their groundwater, but the isotopic composition showed it wasn’t from natural gas,” said Amy Townsend-Small, associate professor of geology in UC’s McMicken College of Arts and Sciences. “What we found is in most cases it was probably from underground coal in the area or biological methane produced in groundwater.” Using gas chromatography, isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and radiocarbon dating, researchers were able to identify the chemical composition of the water which helps identify whether the source of methane is from: natural gas extrac- t ion, organic decomposi t ion, or the digestive systems of nearby cows. Wh e n UC f i r s t l a u n c h e d i t s methane study, Ohio had 115 drilling permits in the region. By the end of the study in 2015, nearly 1600 permits had been issued. Ini t ial ly, researchers believed methane concentrations in the wa t e r we l l s t hey samp l ed wou l d increase with the growth of natural gas drilling in the area. However, that’s not what UC’s water tests revealed. The study concluded the methane detected in groundwater was “biogenic,” or natu- rally occurring, and independent of nat- ural gas drilling. Car rol l County Commi ss ioner Robert Wirkner said the findings were good news. Like many of his neighbors, he gets drinking water at his house from a private well on his property. Wirkner said gas companies test the drinking water of nearby homes before and after they drill a well to observe any changes in water qual ity. “My water has been tested multiple times,” he said. “So we’re happy to hear the findings.” For more information, contact Dave Schulenberg E-mail: contactus@mwwda.org www.mwwda.org Montana Water Well Drillers Association Convention & Trade Show Radisson Colonial Helena, Montana Wednesday, January 30 th Exhibitor and Silent Auction Set-up, Early Registration, and MWWDA Hospitality Room Thursday, January 31 st Registration, Silent Auction Opens, Seminars (each 1CEU), Lunch and Annual Meet ing, Trade Show, Banquet, Awards, Auction, and Entertainment. Friday, February 1 st Regist rat ion, Seminars (each 1CEU), Past Presidents’ Meeting, and Board of Directors’ Meeting Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2019 28 JANUARY 2019 UC students Jacob Deighton and Laurie Heldman, pose with UC Geology Professor Amy Townsend-Small. Blasting by: Heartland Chapter of International Society of Explosives Engineers Annual Blasters Training (KS & MO) February 27 - March 1 ~ Olathe, KS phone: 816-350-9103 www.heartlandblast.org Construction by: ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) ASCE Week Panama: A Continuing Education Event February 11-15 ~ Panama City, PANAMA phone: 703-295-6300 www.asceweekinternational.org Gas & Oil by: NASTT (North American Society for Trenchless Technology) & Northeast Gas Distribution Council NASTT’s Cured-In-Place-Liner (CIPL) Good Practices Course February 5 ~ Edison, NJ e-mail: mhill@nastt.org www.nastt.org Groundwater / Water Well by: Princeton Groundwater, Inc. Pollution & Hydrology February 25 - March 1 ~ Tampa, FL phone: 813-964-0800 www.princeton-groundwater.com Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) by: Arizona State University’s Del E. Webb School of Construction & Benjamin Media, Inc. HDD Academy: Mastering Crossing Applications February 25-26 ~ Tempe, AZ phone: 330-467-7588 www.hddacademy.com Irrigation by: Rain Bird Academy Training February 4-8 ~ New Orleans, LA February 4-8 ~ St. Louis, MO February 11-15 ~ Nashville, TN February 11-15 ~ Boston, MA February 18-22 ~ Tucson, AZ February 25 - March 1 ~ Orlando, FL phone: 800-498-1942 www.rainbirdservices.com Education Connection G&O WorldWide Drilling Resource ®