Fracking expert aims to inform public

As legislators debate whether N.C. rift basins could be subject to hydraulic fracturing, one self-proclaimed fracker said he is out to inform the public.

Larry Murdoch, a professor at Clemson University, spoke at the Tate-Turner-Kuralt auditorium Tuesday about the benefits and consequences of fracking.

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, involves using a pipe to drill into the soil and injecting a gel-like fluid to increase pressure in the hole.

As the fluid is pushed out of the pipe, natural gas is pushed out of the hole and used as an energy source.

“We are a society that craves energy, whether we want to warm our houses in the winter or cool ourselves in the summer,” Murdoch told a crowd of about 80 people.

“So 10 years ago, the industry created a technique to get gas from shale by drilling vertically, then horizontally into the ground,” Murdoch said.

Murdoch said the process brought wealth to energy and oil companies, but created serious environmental consequences.

Fracking can leak toxic chemicals, contaminate groundwater and release methane gas into wells and the environment, Murdoch said.

He added that there are few rules for the companies that drill into the ground for natural gas.

Murdoch said legislators are currently deciding how to deal with the aftermath of fracking on the environment and how to monitor the process.

“There are a lot of environmental issues, such as contamination, and fracking has developed into a partisan and controversial issue that is being worked out now,” he said.

Members of a group called Croatan Earth First! protested the speech, saying Murdoch benefits financially from the fracking industry.

Murdoch admitted he supports certain applications of fracking. His company, FRx Inc., uses fracking in soil, bedrock and groundwater remediation.

“I’m a fracker, I’ll admit it from the start, but I do not have a professional stake in the production of natural gas,” he said.

Tony Reevy, senior associate director of the Institute for the Environment, which sponsored the speech, said Murdoch’s involvement in the fracking industry does not detract from the information he presented.

“Hydraulic fracturing in the energy industry is a controversial matter, and we are trying to bring information to folks so they can learn about it and make an informed opinion about it,” he said.

Jarrett McDowell, a senior Hispanic linguistics and biology double major, said he thought Murdoch was unbiased, but he is skeptical about fracking.

“I think that the idea sounds interesting, but there needs to be a fair amount of research done before I can make an opinion,” he said.

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.