fracking

Gov. Gavin Newsom tours the Chevron oil field west of Bakersfield, where a spill of more than 800,000 gallons flowed into a dry creek bed in McKittrick, Calif. in July 2019.

National

California Governor Cracks Down On Fracking, Requires Audits And Scientific Review

9:08pm November 19, 2019

by Richard Gonzales

Gavin Newsom's initiatives follow a massive oil release from a Chevron facility in Kern County suspected of being caused by a high-pressure steam process for releasing oil from underground rock.

President Trump claims credit for surging U.S. oil and gas production, but the trend began before he took office.

Energy Boom That Trump Celebrates Began Years Before He Took Office

9:00am August 13, 2019

by Scott Horsley

President Trump tours a Pennsylvania petrochemical plant Tuesday to highlight the U.S. energy boom. Trump claims credit for surging oil and gas production, but the trend began before he took office.

Permit Delays Raise Concerns For Atlantic Coast Pipeline Owners

4:19pm January 23, 2019

by David Boraks, WFAE

Legal delays on key environmental permits for the $7 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline are starting to hit home for the pipeline's owners - and raise concerns among investors.

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Environment

Report: Amount Of Water Used For Fracking Has Risen Significantly

7:17am August 16, 2018

by Eddie Garcia

A new study from Duke University shows that a massive amount of water is being used for hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. That is the process used to extract shale gas and oil.

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Workers move equipment at a natural gas well site near Burlington, Pa., in 2010. A federal report said Thursday natural gas production is on track to make the U.S. a net exporter of energy by about 2030.

National

U.S. Likely To Become Net Exporter Of Energy, Says Federal Forecast

7:44pm January 05, 2017

by Jeff Brady

The Energy Information Administration reports the shift will probably happen by 2030, and it credits domestic natural gas production. The agency says it is watching variables such as new technology.

Oklahoma Shuts Down Energy Companies' Disposal Wells In Area Of Strong Quake

9:25am September 04, 2016

by Bill Chappell

Saturday's large quake immediately raised suspicions that it was linked to injection wells that oil and gas companies use as part of fracking and other operations.

A fracking site is situated on the outskirts of town in the Permian Basin oil field in the town of Midland, Texas.

Federal Judge Strikes Down Obama Administration's Fracking Rules

10:12am June 22, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

A U.S. judge in Wyoming said the Bureau of Land Management can't regulate hydraulic fracturing — because more than a decade ago, Congress specifically excluded fracking from federal oversight.

Politics & Government

Trump Wants To Make Energy Production Great Again — Even As It Sets Records

11:09am May 27, 2016

by Scott Detrow

Since 2012, the U.S. has produced more oil and gas than any other country even as solar and wind power have also experienced huge growth.

Cover detail of Heat & Light, by Jennifer Haigh.

Books
Arts

A Dying Coal Town Falls Into 'Fracking Frenzy' In 'Heat & Light'

6:55pm May 10, 2016

by Maureen Corrigan

Jennifer Haigh's new novel explores the fallout of the natural gas boom in a small Pennsylvania town. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls Heat & Light an "exquisitely designed, semi-satirical social novel."

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This USGS map displays potential to experience damage from natural or human-induced earthquakes in 2016. Chances range from less than 1 percent to 12 percent.

U.S. Geology Maps Reveal Areas Vulnerable To Man-Made Quakes

5:59pm March 29, 2016

by Christopher Joyce

Parts of Oklahoma and Texas have about the same risk of an earthquake as parts of California, the maps show. Why? Wastewater that oil and gas operations are pumping into wells adds pressure on faults.

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