How healthy is Barnett Shale?

The hydraulic fracturing process carried out in horizontal shale gas wells has had a lot of criticism for its environmental record. The process is very water-intensive and there are many claims that it can contaminate nearby drinking water. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, meanwhile, has carried out a study into air pollution from 94 oil and gas sites in the Barnett Shale area of Northern Texas – all within half a mile of residential areas – and found elevated concentrations of benzene, a known carcinogen, in several places.

The TCEQ