Drilling firm says it doesn't know what fracking chemicals it uses, can't find out from most vendors

A Texas-based gas driller doesn't even know what chemicals are in the fluids it uses for hydraulic fracturing, court documents show. As part of a state Environmental Hearing Board appeal filed against Range Resources Corp. and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection by a Washington, Pa., resident over contaminated water, "A judge ordered that Range disclose every proprietary chemical, substance and product the company used during the drilling process relating to the company’s Yeager impoundment in Amwell Township, " Rachel Morgan reports for Shale Reporter.The company was unable to do so and had to request the information from vendors, but was only able to obtain the ingredients for four of its 55 products, Morgan writes. (Associated Press photo by Keith Strakocic: A Range site in Claysville, Pa.)

In 2011, "Amwell resident Loren Kiskadden reported to the DEP what he suspected was contamination of his water because of a nearby Range drilling site and impoundment," Morgan reports. After an inspection, the DEP said that chemicals found in his water—including butyl alcohol, chloroform, methane and acetone—could not be linked to drilling activity occurring 3,000 feet from Kiskadden's home. But it was later revealed that the DEP omitted water test results and intentionally left out a portion of test results.

Citing state and federal regulators, Range has said the water and air are fine and that if anything is contaminated, it isn't the company's fault. Critics say not knowing what chemicals Range uses makes it difficult to determine whether they are responsible for contaminating the water, Morgan writes.

Steve Hvozdovich, Marcellus Shale coordinator for Clean Water Action, told Morgan, "It’s problematic for multiple reasons. I would think from an industry perspective, you’d want to know that what they were providing you will be effective ... and certainly if something happens with the water supply and you don’t know what chemical you used, how are you possibly going to know if you are the one who introduced that chemical? It’s an irresponsible way to practice.” (Read more)