A massive escape of methane gas is underway near Baggs, Wyoming as the result of drilling coal-bed methane wells.
Coal bed methane is obtained by drilling into the aquifer in a bed of coal. Water rushes out, with lots of dissolved methane. The methane is captured. Very nice, except for the dirty water and now what at first looked like a natural geological phenomenon — emergence of methane springs.
Medium concentrations of methane are both poisonous and highly explosive !!
Methane is also a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide on a basis of equal volumes.
This is a big waste of a valuable resource.
Story in the Casper Star Tribune. What Lies Beneath.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project and the creator of The Wildlife News.
