Have there been any issues with fracking in Michigan?

The process of hydraulic fracturing itself has never caused environmental damage in Michigan. That said, and similar to many other industrial processes, there are risks to water resources involved with oil and gas development in general and hydraulic fracturing in particular.

When did fracking start in Michigan?

1952
The first reported hydraulic fracturing in Michigan was in 1952 on a well in Elk Township, Lake County, located in the northwestern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, 80 miles north of Grand Rapids.

Is there fracking going on in Michigan?

But fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is occurring in northern Michigan and at a great rate. Fracking has been employed in Michigan since the late 1980s throughout the northern lower peninsula’s Atrim shale and Collingwood/Utica shale, which contain vast sources of natural gas.

When was fracking approved?

1949
Hydraulic fracturing in the United States began in 1949. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), by 2013 at least two million oil and gas wells in the US had been hydraulically fractured, and that of new wells being drilled, up to 95% are hydraulically fractured.

How does fracking affect the economy?

Economic and National Security Impacts Under a Hydraulic Fracturing Ban explains why a ban would have far-reaching and severe consequences, including the loss of millions of jobs, price spikes at the gasoline pump and higher electricity costs for all Americans—and the likelihood of increased CO2, SO2, and NOx emissions …

Do they drill for oil in Michigan?

Unlike in other states, where big deposits of oil can be sucked out, much more targeted drilling is required in Michigan. There are more than 4,500 active oil wells and nearly 12,000 active natural gas wells — all in the Lower Peninsula, according to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Who benefits the most from fracking?

Not only does fracking help to create jobs and save Americans money, but it also helps to increase wages in the United States. In counties where shale resources are extracted through fracking, there has been an increase in average incomes by 10 to 20 percent.

Is there a ban on fracking in Michigan?

Anti-fracking groups have launched a third push for a moratorium on fracking in Michigan and hope to gain enough signatures to qualify the ban for the November 2016 ballot. During its first eight months of production, Crawford County’s Beaver Creek well used how many gallons of clean water?

How many oil and gas wells are in Michigan?

Michigan is home to about 12,000 wells. The advent of horizontal fracking in recent years allows drilling companies to access deposits up to 10,000 feet deep, and requires significantly more water than vertical well drilling, up to 20 million gallons or more.

Where did the Michigan fraccident incident take place?

High profile incidents (“fraccidents”) related to the country’s oil and gas drilling boom have occurred in and around Michigan. Click on each fraccident to learn more: