Low oil prices reduce fracking?

Low oil prices reduce fracking?

A Bureau of Land Management auction of oil and gas leases in Reno last week came to little when only one of 97 parcels offered was bid on. BLM and petroleum execs spun the story as a case of sage grouse protections scaring off oil companies, but environmental spokespeople said the facts don't fit that scenario.

“Fascinating, since sage grouse parcels were all removed from the sale before it began,” said wildlife biologist Erik Molvar of Wild Earth Guardians in an email message to an associate. “The real answer is probably that low crude oil prices make horizontal fracking operations unprofitable.”

Fracking is forcing a water/chemical/sand mixture into the earth tap shale for fossil fuels. It is relatively unregulated. Nevada does not require disclosure of the ingredients being forced into the ground, nor does any other state, and the federal government exempts fracking from clean air and water laws.