"Discerning Frack from Fiction: What's Relevant"

The Aspen Times ^ | March 14, 2013 | Melanie Sturm

[Aspenhuskerette]

Last week, political, media and celebrity worlds converged to produce headlines worthy of “News of the Weird.” Sean Penn eulogized anti-American strongman Hugo Chavez as “a friend (America) never knew it had,” while Dennis Rodman declared North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un “an awesome guy.” Upon returning from the starving gulag-state, Rodman scored a Sunday interview with George Stephanopoulos, and CNN declared him a “diplomatic triumph.”

But perhaps the most captivating cause celebre — likely to transform advocates into media and campus darlings — is the crusade to halt the drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”). However, if you expect those aspiring to star in the next “China Syndrome” to possess more scruples than Rodman or Penn, Think Again. Though fracking has opened up vast reserves of clean, cheap and reliable natural gas in shale deep underground, making America the world's largest natural-gas producer, it's a bete noire to enviro-stars such as Matt Damon.

In his new movie “Promised Land,” Damon doubled down on alarming claims made in Josh Fox's Oscar-nominated documentary “Gasland,” even copying the signature scene of a man lighting tap water on fire. Wanting another environmental blockbuster like “The China Syndrome” — whose release days before Three Mile Island's near-meltdown devastated the nuclear-power industry — Damon aimed to stoke natural-gas fears. However, not only has mass hysteria not materialized, his film is a box-office and financial bust for investors, including oil-rich United Arab Emirates.

[Aspenhuskerette]

Didn´t know anything about Allan Savory. He´s the real eco-star. This could be the anti-dote to the enviro-extremists.

[thackney]

drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing

For the record, it is not a drilling technique. It is a post-drilling activity. Hydraulic Fracturing begins after the drilling is done.

It is a well completion technique. It is not done with a drilling rig.

[New Jersey Realist]

If Jong was just a normal person like us Rodman wouldn’t have given the creep the time of day!