Water

California’s thermal electric generation plants, most of them natural gas-fired, have become more efficient and drought-resilient, according to the chairman of the California Energy Commission (CEC), which introduced a new mapping technology Monday for tracking water-energy usage statewide.

California’s new rules covering well stimulation, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking), completed the state’s environmental review and went into effect Wednesday as called for in a state law passed two years ago (SB 4). They replace interim regulations that have been effective since the start of 2014.

California's thermal electric generation plants, most of them natural gas-fired, have become more efficient and drought-resilient, according to the chairman of the California Energy Commission (CEC), which introduced a new mapping technology Monday for tracking water-energy usage statewide.

California's new rules covering well stimulation, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking), completed the state's environmental review and went into effect Wednesday as called for in a state law passed two years ago (SB 4). They replace interim regulations that have been effective since the start of 2014.

The amount of water required by producers to fracture oil and natural gas wells varies across the country, but one thing is certain — the annual volumes used are increasing dramatically, according to the first nationwide map of usage by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The amount of water required by producers to fracture oil and natural gas wells varies across the country, but one thing is certain — the annual volumes used are increasing dramatically, according to the first nationwide map of usage by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

A Pennsylvania senator has introduced legislation that would limit the liabilities for any oil and natural gas producer that uses treated coal mine water to drill and stimulate its wells.

A Pennsylvania senator has introduced legislation that would limit the liabilities for any oil and natural gas producer that uses treated coal mine water to drill and stimulate its wells.

A draft assessment of the potential impacts to drinking water from hydraulic fracturing (fracking), released Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said the agency found no systemic impacts to date to drinking water, but there are "potential vulnerabilities."