By Staff
On Thursday May 15, SB 786 was filed with the principle clerk. It is called the “Energy Modernization Act” in an attempt to message the content and politically separate the reality of the legislation from the true result. One thing that the legislation would do is make it a Class I felony to disclose the poisonous chemicals that petrochemical companies want to pump into North Carolina’s soil. The new rules also seek to force first responders to sign confidentially agreements in order to receive information about the poisons used following any accident. Both medical providers and fire chiefs would also be bound not to disclose what is being pumped into our ground and ground water. Following the change in rules for the state legislative building, this is simply another attempt to criminalize behavior that cramps the style of the Republican Super-majority.
From voter suppression laws to their hard treatment of the unemployed, the North Carolina state legislature, led by Sen. Phil Berger and Rep. Thom Tillis, have never shied away from being the most extreme corporate advocates in America. While other states have wrangled over disclosure rules, none have tried to make it a crime to reveal what chemicals are used in fracking. Chemical disclosure has been a contentious issue from state to state as large, petrochemical companies have sought to squeeze natural gas from shale rock. Oil field service companies such as Halliburton Co. contend that they spend millions of dollars developing the chemicals used to coax oil and gas out of the ground and want to protect their investment. This, of course, places their financial investment and interest above the most basic health and happiness of the citizens who have been adversely effected by the poisoning of ground water tables and soil in areas where fracking is already taking place.
Even Texas and other states like Pennsylvania have begun to require drillers to post a list of chemicals used in specific wells to FracFocus, a website run by trade groups. [ed. see a posted chemical list below and a link to FracFocus. Come and get us NCGA!] Other states have broad protections for trade secrets, but none have criminal penalties for disclosing the information. A draconian move clearly aimed at whistleblowers and anyone else who might let citizens know what is going into their ground.
The North Carolina legislature’s bill is so extreme that it even contradicts actions currently being taking by oil field service companies themselves. Baker Hughes Inc., one of the largest of these firms, announced in April that it will disclose all its frac fluid ingredients. In Wyoming, the state Supreme Court loosened the disclosure restrictions when it ruled in a case pitting environmental groups against Halliburton, the second biggest oil field service provider in the US. In Pennsylvania, a provision in Act 13, the state law that regulates gas drilling, prohibits medical providers from disclosing confidential information about fracking chemicals. That section has been challenged in court, and a trial is underway to determine whether it’s legal under the state constitution. North Carolina, however, will face years of legal action if the law is passed. Like much of the legislation passed by the Republican Super-majority in Raleigh… the people who benefit most are the lawyers.
See full list and date HERE.
Hydrochloric Acid 007647-01-0 Helps dissolve minerals and initiate cracks in the rock Acid
Glutaraldehyde 000111-30-8 Eliminates bacteria in the water that produces corrosive by-products Biocide
Quaternary Ammonium Chloride 012125-02-9 Eliminates bacteria in the water that produces corrosive by-products Biocide
Quaternary Ammonium Chloride 061789-71-1 Eliminates bacteria in the water that produces corrosive by-products Biocide
Tetrakis Hydroxymethyl-Phosphonium Sulfate 055566-30-8 Eliminates bacteria in the water that produces corrosive by-products BiocideAmmonium Persulfate 007727-54-0 Allows a delayed break down of the gel Breaker
Sodium Chloride 007647-14-5 Product Stabilizer Breaker
Magnesium Peroxide 014452-57-4 Allows a delayed break down the gel Breaker
Magnesium Oxide 001309-48-4 Allows a delayed break down the gel Breaker
Calcium Chloride 010043-52-4 Product Stabilizer BreakerCholine Chloride 000067-48-1 Prevents clays from swelling or shifting Clay Stabilizer
Tetramethyl ammonium chloride 000075-57-0 Prevents clays from swelling or shifting Clay Stabilizer
Sodium Chloride 007647-14-5 Prevents clays from swelling or shifting Clay StabilizerIsopropanol 000067-63-0 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent Corrosion Inhibitor
Methanol 000067-56-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent Corrosion Inhibitor
Formic Acid 000064-18-6 Prevents the corrosion of the pipe Corrosion Inhibitor
Acetaldehyde 000075-07-0 Prevents the corrosion of the pipe Corrosion InhibitorPetroleum Distillate 064741-85-1 Carrier fluid for borate or zirconate crosslinker Crosslinker
Hydrotreated Light Petroleum Distillate 064742-47-8 Carrier fluid for borate or zirconate crosslinker Crosslinker
Potassium Metaborate 013709-94-9 Maintains fluid viscosity as temperature increases Crosslinker
Triethanolamine Zirconate 101033-44-7 Maintains fluid viscosity as temperature increases Crosslinker
Sodium Tetraborate 001303-96-4 Maintains fluid viscosity as temperature increases Crosslinker
Boric Acid 001333-73-9 Maintains fluid viscosity as temperature increases Crosslinker
Zirconium Complex 113184-20-6 Maintains fluid viscosity as temperature increases Crosslinker
Borate Salts N/A Maintains fluid viscosity as temperature increases Crosslinker
Ethylene Glycol 000107-21-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Crosslinker
Methanol 000067-56-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. CrosslinkerPolyacrylamide 009003-05-8 “Slicks” the water to minimize friction Friction Reducer
Petroleum Distillate 064741-85-1 Carrier fluid for polyacrylamide friction reducer Friction Reducer
Hydrotreated Light Petroleum Distillate 064742-47-8 Carrier fluid for polyacrylamide friction reducer Friction Reducer
Methanol 000067-56-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Friction Reducer
Ethylene Glycol 000107-21-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Friction ReducerGuar Gum 009000-30-0 Thickens the water in order to suspend the sand Gelling Agent
Petroleum Distillate 064741-85-1 Carrier fluid for guar gum in liquid gels Gelling Agent
Hydrotreated Light Petroleum Distillate 064742-47-8 Carrier fluid for guar gum in liquid gels Gelling Agent
Methanol 000067-56-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Gelling Agent
Polysaccharide Blend 068130-15-4 Thickens the water in order to suspend the sand Gelling Agent
Ethylene Glycol 000107-21-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Gelling AgentCitric Acid 000077-92-9 Prevents precipitation of metal oxides Iron Control
Acetic Acid 000064-19-7 Prevents precipitation of metal oxides Iron Control
Thioglycolic Acid 000068-11-1 Prevents precipitation of metal oxides Iron Control
Sodium Erythorbate 006381-77-7 Prevents precipitation of metal oxides Iron ControlLauryl Sulfate 000151-21-3 Used to prevent the formation of emulsions in the fracture fluid Non-Emulsifier
Isopropanol 000067-63-0 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Non-Emulsifier
Ethylene Glycol 000107-21-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Non-EmulsifierSodium Hydroxide 001310-73-2 Adjusts the pH of fluid to maintains the effectiveness of other components, such as crosslinkers pH Adjusting Agent
Potassium Hydroxide 001310-58-3 Adjusts the pH of fluid to maintains the effectiveness of other components, such as crosslinkers pH Adjusting Agent
Acetic Acid 000064-19-7 Adjusts the pH of fluid to maintains the effectiveness of other components, such as crosslinkers pH Adjusting Agent
Sodium Carbonate 000497-19-8 Adjusts the pH of fluid to maintains the effectiveness of other components, such as crosslinkers pH Adjusting Agent
Potassium Carbonate 000584-08-7 Adjusts the pH of fluid to maintains the effectiveness of other components, such as crosslinkers pH Adjusting AgentCopolymer of Acrylamide and Sodium Acrylate 025987-30-8 Prevents scale deposits in the pipe Scale Inhibitor
Sodium Polycarboxylate N/A Prevents scale deposits in the pipe Scale Inhibitor
Phosphonic Acid Salt N/A Prevents scale deposits in the pipe Scale InhibitorLauryl Sulfate 000151-21-3 Used to increase the viscosity of the fracture fluid Surfactant
Ethanol 000064-17-5 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Surfactant
Naphthalene 000091-20-3 Carrier fluid for the active surfactant ingredients Surfactant
Methanol 000067-56-1 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Surfactant
Isopropyl Alcohol 000067-63-0 Product stabilizer and / or winterizing agent. Surfactant
2-Butoxyethanol 000111-76-2 Product stabilizer Surfactant
