The American Petroleum Institute (API) Tuesday said it supported the creation of a registry by the Groundwater Protection Council (GWPC) and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) for the voluntary disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

“The states are the proper authority for determining requirements for chemical disclosure; so a program developed by the GWPC and endorsed by the IOGCC is a step toward a solution on disclosure,” said API CEO Jack Gerard.

“But it is critical that we ensure confidential business information is protected and we will work with the GWPC to improve the reporting elements, which ultimately should enable maximum participation and enhance the program’s overall effectiveness.”

Other industry groups have said they support the effort as well (see Shale Daily, Dec. 3).

In late September the 20-member board of directors of the national GWPC unanimously called for a complete disclosure of chemicals used in the fracking process associated with the production of shale gas wells (see Daily GPI, Sept. 30). The nonprofit association resolved to protect the nation’s groundwater by implementing an Internet-based system to obtain, store and publish information concerning chemicals used in the fracking process on a per-well basis. The GWPC is composed of members of state groundwater regulatory agencies. The frack fluid registry effort was announced in October (see Shale Daily, Oct. 21).

The GWPC’s voluntary, state-based electronic registry will have two phases — the first phase being a voluntary reporting registry, where companies will provide data on a well-by-well basis, disclosing for all wells including those located on federal, state and private lands, API said. This first phase is tied to a longer-term registry, which will be developed over the next few years.

The longer-term plan will be built using the GWPC’s Risk-Based Data Management System as a platform. The platform already is used by 25 state agencies that regulate and oversee oil and gas activities, according to API.

The system was developed by the GWPC under the guidance of the Department of Energy.