Natural gas community pledges support for hydraulic fracturing chemical registry

America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA), the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC) support the efforts of the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) to create a state-based system for disclosing the contents of hydraulic fracturing fluids on a public registry. 
The registry, being developed by the GWPC and the IOGCC, is expected to launch this month and would represent the first time such information is collected and made available to the public in one place. 
“The natural gas community is committed to the safe and responsible development of this clean energy resource,” said ANGA President and CEO Regina Hopper. “That commitment means being responsive to the questions raised in communities where we work. It is our hope that with this greater transparency will come greater public confidence in the safety of the hydraulic fracturing process.” 
In September, the GWPC announced that it would create a voluntary, state-based registry that would be accessible to the public online. The effort will take place in two stages. The first is the launch of the public website where companies will provide data on a well-by-well basis, voluntarily disclosing for all wells including those located on federal, state and private lands. The second stage will take place over the course of the next two to three years developing customizable solutions for state regulators. The system will be an extension of the current Risk Based Data Management System used by the majority of producing states. 
“States have effectively regulated the use and risks of hydraulic fracturing for decades,” said IPAA President and CEO Barry Russell. “They are the only appropriate organizations to undertake the challenge of collecting and presenting information on the chemicals needed for the fracturing process.” 
“The work that our member companies have put into reaching a consensus to participate in this registry is testament to the commitment they have made to making these disclosures and earning the public trust,” said AXPC President Bruce Thompson. 
Abundant, American natural gas supplies are ready to play a vital and growing role in boosting America's national security, improving air quality and providing affordable energy at a scale large enough to fuel significant portions of the nation's power generation and transportation fleets. 
Hydraulic fracturing, the primary method used to produce our natural gas resource, has been routinely utilized for over 60 years on more than 1 million U.S. wells. The natural gas community continues to explore innovative ways to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and demonstrate that economic and environmental benefits can be advanced together with responsible development of natural gas.
Source: Press release