News and Reports (in a generally reversed chronological order):

EPA finding on fracking’s water pollution disputed by its own scientists (Inside Climate News, 19 Nov 2015). “The panel … criticized the EPA’s central finding that fracking has not led to “to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States.” The oil and gas industry has seized on the conclusion to argue that broad concerns about fracking’s impact on drinking water are overblown … “Potential impacts on drinking-water resources are site specific, and the importance of local impacts needs more emphasis in the Report.”

California produce growing strong on oil water (Earth Justice, 28 Sept 2015)

Study reveals fracking pollution (Shorthorn, 24 June 2015)

A human rights assessment of hydraulic fracturing and other unconventional gas development in the UK (GNHRE, 30 Oct 2014).

Confirmed: California aquifers contaminated with billions of gallons of fracking wastewater  (Desmoblog, 7 Oct 2014). See press release from the US Centre of Biological Diversity (6 Oct 2014)

Scientific studies 

Warner, N.R. et al. 2014. New tracers identify hydraulic fracturing fluids and accidental releases from oil and gas operations. Environment Science and Technology, 20 Oct 2014. DOI: 10.1021/es5032135 . Here’s a write-up in Nation of Change, 22 Oct 2014.

Kimberly, M. et al. 2014. Enhanced formation of disinfection byproducts in shale-gas wastewater-impacted drinking water supplies. Environmental Science and Technology, 9 Sept 2014. DOI: 10.1021/es5028184

Souther, Sara, Morgan W. Tingley, Viorel D. Popescu, David T.S. Hyman, Maureen E. Ryan, Tabitha A. Graves, Brett Hartl, Kimberly Terrell. 2014. Biotic impacts of energy development from shale: research priorities and knowledge gaps. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. Article published online Aug. 1, 2014. DOI: 10.1890/130324.

Jackson Robert, B. 2014. The integrity of oil and gas wells. July 29, 2014. PNAS vol 111 no.30. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1410786111

Environmental impacts of shale gas extraction in Canada (Council of Canadian Academics, 2014) – “… The assessment of environmental impacts is hampered by a lack of information about many key issues, particularly the problem of fluids escaping from incompletely sealed wells….”

Radioactive shale gas contaminants found at wastewater discharge sites (Duke University, Oct 2013): “Impacts of Shale Gas Wastewater Disposal on Water Quality in Western Pennsylvania” Nathaniel R. Warner, Cidney A. Christie, Robert B. Jackson, Avner Vengosh (Published Oct. 3 2013 in Environmental Science & Technology DOI: 10.1021/es402165b)

How safe are America’s 2.5 million miles of pipelines (Scientific American, 16 Nov 2012)

Consideration of Radiation in hazardous waste produced from horizontal hydrofracking (Ivan White, Oct 2012)

Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow aquifers in Pennsylvania (Warner et al. May 2012)

A review of the current options for treatment and safe disposal of drilling wastes (Ball et al. 2012, Waste Management Research May 2012 vol.30 no.5 p.457-473)

Safety rules for fracking disposal wells often ignored (Scientific American, 20 Sept 2012)

Methane contamination of drinking water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing (Osborn et al. in PNAS, Jan 2011)

Chemical and Biological Risk Assessment for Natural Gas Extraction in New York (R. Bishop, Jan 2011)

Radiation Protection and Management of Radioactive Waste in the Oil and Gas Industry (IAEA Safety Reports Series No. 34, 2003)

—————————————————————————————

Contamination and Impacts on the Marine Environment:

Crude oil impairs cardiac excitation-contraction coupling in fish (Brette et al., 14 Feb 2014 in Science)