Fracking Hearing Being Held

The New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission will hold a hearing on a proposed hydraulic fracturing fluid disclosure rule beginning Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. in Porter Hall, 1220 South St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The rule, proposed by the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, would require disclosure of the composition of hydraulic fracturing fluids for new and recompleted oil and gas wells.
“The oil and gas industry heard the concerns of citizens across New Mexico regarding the disclosure of the composition of hydraulic fracturing fluids,” said Steve Henke, New Mexico Oil & Gas Association President. “We believe the proposal before the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission makes a strong statement about the industry’s willingness to embrace transparency and accountability. “Hydraulic fracturing is a proven technology that has been used for more than 60 years to safely enhance the production of natural gas and oil from more than one million wells in the United States. In New Mexico, the majority of the 52,000 oil and gas wells currently in production have undergone fracturing.

Hydraulic Fracturing Explained: After a well is drilled, a mixture of pressurized freshwater, sand, and a specifically formulated fracturing compound is pumped thousands of feet down to create tiny, millimeter-thick fissures in targeted sections of rock. These tiny fractures free the trapped oil and natural gas. The process of hydraulic fracturing occurs at great depths – generally a mile or more underground, thousands of feet below freshwater supplies. Official documents related to the proposed rule are available at the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division website at http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/ocd/Rules.htm.

Fracking Hearing Being Held