I drank fracking fluid, says Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper

[LiberalAndProud]

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper went to unusually great lengths to learn firsthand the strides the oil and gas industry has made to minimize environmental harm from fracking.

The first-term Democrat and former Denver mayor told a Senate committee on Tuesday that he actually drank a glass of fracking fluid produced by oilfield services giant Halliburton.

The fluid is made entirely “of ingredients sourced from the food industry,” the company says, making it safe for Mr. Hickenlooper and others to imbibe.

“You can drink it. We did drink it around the table, almost rituallike, in a funny way,” he told the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. “It was a demonstration. … they’ve invested millions of dollars in what is a benign fluid in every sense

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2013/feb/12/colorado-gov-hickenlooper-i-drank-fracking-fluid/#.URqUq39uhQo.twitter

Ritual-like, sorta like communion? I am reminded that DDT was "so safe you could eat it."

[dipsydoodle]

1. Now try drinking it after its been used.

and gone into the water table.

[backscatter712]

20. That's one of the issues.

It's one thing if you're talking about a fracking fluid that's freshly made and clean - depending on the fluid, you very well might be able to drink it.

But what's in that fluid after it's been pumped out of the ground? Heavy metals? Carcinogens? Other toxins? That's why people don't like fracking.

Also, which fracking fluid? There's endless formulations - some of which are edible, some of which aren't.

Then, there's the issues with natural gas or oil seeping into the water table (which leads to poisoned water supplies, sinks you can light on fire.)

Then there's the pollution from all the drilling and pumping equipment - diesel engines running 24/7, spills... Case in point: http://www.9news.com/news/article/316565/222/Workers-stop-fracking-fluid-leak-after-30-hours

[gateley]

2. I hope he pukes for a month.

[Bennyboy]

3. Same story, different lie...

I remember Jerry Brown doing the same thing with malathion when spraying... Brown did it in public however....

[Glassunion]

4. Is this him?

[LiberalAndProud]

9. That must be somebody who shared his cup.

[octoberlib]

17. LOL! nt

[MrMickeysMom]

35. Nah... that's just normal Colon Blow!

Wait a while.... He should continue drinking it... But, if anything really happens, his doctor WON'T be able to publicly call our attention to it...

No-No-No-No!

[Warren DeMontague]

37. But see? He's SMILING!

[denverbill]

5. That explains the beer I used by get at the Wynkoop.

[Paladin]

32. My Thoughts, Exactly.... (nt)

[Blue_Tires]

6. According to legend, a guy who developed and sold aviation hydraulic fluid (skydrol)

Would actually drink a glass of it while pitching it to airline boardrooms to prove its non-toxicity...

(previous generations of hydraulic fluid were very dangerous and potentially fatal for aviation maintenence crews)

[ret5hd]

26. skydrol will burn your skin off.

[joeybee12]

7. Would that be called a bait and switch...the damage from fracking is not

whether the water is toxic, but that it is being used in this method and then stored underground.

[joshcryer]

8. Fracking fluid can be almost any fluid.

They put waste into the ground.

If they really were putting ingestible shit into the ground they would, you know, allow for disclosure. But because they're using toxic waste (as a side business, gotta put it somewhere), they do not want to allow disclosure.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. Oh, joshcryer, stop being such an alarmist.

They wouldn't frack if it were actually toxic.
/sarcasm

“If we were overzealous in forcing them to disclose what they had created, they wouldn’t bring it into our state,” he said.

Environmentalists will find very few political allies in this, I'm afraid.

[joshcryer]

12. That's perfect logic, btw.

"It's purely ingestible stuff. Not poisonous at all. But we won't make them disclose and have periodic random testing, because, yaknow, they wouldn't bring it into our state if it was poisonous."

Just brilliant logic, really, I'm astounded.

[panzerfaust]

10. The guy who invented leaded gasoline washed his hands in TEL at a press conference

and deliberately inhaled its vapor for sixty seconds in order to show how safe it was. He said he could do this every day for a year without ill effects.

Shortly thereafter, he then vanished for a year whilst he was treated for lead-poisoning (the second time he had been so treated).

Interestingly, he - Thomas Midgley - also invented the first chlorofluorocarbon, Freon.

This single person may well be responsible for more deaths and environmental destruction than all the wars of the twentieth century: death and destruction which continues to this day.

Look him up.

[TwilightGardener]

16. I read that in Bill Bryson's "A Short History Of Nearly Everything".

That's exactly what this reminded me of.

[LiberalAndProud]

21. Now I want to read it.

I scanned Midgley's bio on wiki. His death was ironic if not karmic.

[TwilightGardener]

22. It's one of my favorite books of the last decade--he covers Midgley in a really interesting way.

[joshcryer]

23. Great book! :)

[Downwinder]

13. If it was the acid frack we used to put down

he will never have to worry about colon problems. He won't have one.

[forestpath]

14. I bet he wouldn't let his kids (or grandkids) drink it.

[TwilightGardener]

15. Oh, Hick...why? Come on, man!

[indie9197]

18. Every location has a different fracking liquid "formula"

but many of them contain a biocide to kill or prevent bacteria growth. Here is the MSDS of one of the two common biocides:

http://www.closedsystemlabs.com/Pdf%27s/MSDS%20-%20Quaternary%20Ammonium%20Chloride.pdf

Usually used in concentrations of one or two gallons per 1000 gallons fracking fluid

[Fumesucker]

19. The jokes, as they say, write themselves n/t

[LiberalAndProud]

24. I wonder if he'd be interested in a bottle from this well.

http://www.9news.com/news/article/316565/222/Workers-stop-fracking-fluid-leak-after-30-hours

WINDSOR - Oil-laden fracking fluid gushed from an oil well near Fort Collins for nearly 30 hours before it was stopped Tuesday afternoon.

A hydraulic failure around 9:30 a.m. Monday caused a piece of equipment to fall onto a valve and break it at the drilling site 4 miles east of Fort Collins. A horizontal stream of green-tinted fluid flowed from the valve for nearly a day and half before crews gained control of it.

[Puzzledtraveller]

25. On purpose?....

Reminds me of one of my favorite lines from Clerks

"My girlfriend sucked 37 @#cks!...." " In a row?..."

[Johonny]

27. I breath in carbon dioxide all the time so what is the big deal about climate change

says the person purposely misleading the conversation...

[maryland native]

28. He did NOT drink Fracking fluid

He drank the petroleum industry's Kool Aid...

[kentauros]

29. I believe it was MiddleFingerMom that shared this quote:

"All mushrooms are edible at least once."

[Omaha Steve]

30. HAZARDOUS placard for fracking fluid photo

http://www.marcellus-shale.us/fracking.htm

Who wants to drink this?


Hydrochloric Acid
Hazmat placard 1789


What some of the "one-half of one percent"
actually looks like


SOME OF THE CHEMICALS USED
Source of chemical list: FracFocus
Chemical descriptions: Multiple sources
TRADE NAME PURPOSE INGREDIENTS CHEMICAL ABSTRACT NUMBER (CAS #)
Acid, Hydrochloric 15% Acid Hydrochloric Acid 7647-01-0


Concentrated hydrochloric acid (fuming hydrochloric acid) forms acidic mists. Both the mist and the solution have a corrosive effect on human tissue, with the potential to damage respiratory organs, eyes, skin, and intestines.
WIC-641L Iron Control Agent Citric Acid 77-92-9
WAI-251LC Corrosion Inhibitor Ethylene Glycol 107-21-1


Ethylene glycol has been shown to be toxic to humans and is also toxic to domestic pets such as cats and dogs. Ethylene glycol is a toxic, colorless, odorless, almost nonvolatile liquid with a sweet taste and is occasionally consumed by children and dogs for its sweetness. Following ingestion the symptoms of poisoning follow a 3 step progression starting with intoxication and vomiting, before causing metabolic acidosis, cardiovascular dysfunction, and finally acute kidney failure.
Dimethyl Formamide 68-12-2


Dimethylformamide (DMF) has been linked to cancer in humans, and it is thought to cause birth defects. In some sectors of industry women are banned from working with DMF.
*Proprietary* *N/A*
Decanol 112-30-1


Decanol causes a high irritability to skin and eyes, when splashed into the eyes it can cause permanent damage. Inhalation and ingestion can be harmful; it is harmful in the environment.
Isopropanol (Isopropyl Alcohol, Propan-2-ol) 67-63-0
Octanol 111-87-5
2-Butoxyethanol (Ethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether) 111-76-2


Moderate respiratory exposure to 2-butoxyethanol often results in irritation of mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. Heavy exposure via respiratory, dermal or oral routes can lead to hypotension, metabolic acidosis, hemolysis, pulmonary edema and coma. Acute exposure to high levels of the glycol ethers in humans results in narcosis, pulmonary edema, and severe liver and kidney damage. Chronic exposure to the glycol ethers in humans results in fatigue, lethargy, nausea, anorexia, tremor, and anemia. 2-Butoxyethanol has come under scrutiny in Canada.
EC6110A Anti-Bacterial Agent Glutaraldehyde 111-30-8


The following health effects have been reported in hospital workers exposed to glutaraldehyde: Throat and lung irritation; Asthma, asthma-like symptoms, and breathing difficulty; Nose irritation, sneezing, and wheezing; Nosebleed; Burning eyes and conjunctivitis; Rash-contact and/or allergic dermatitis; Staining of the hands (brownish or tan); Hives; Headaches and Nausea.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds N/A


Quaternary ammonium compounds can display a range of health effects, amongst which are mild skin and respiratory irritation up to severe caustic burns on skin and gastro-intestinal lining (depending on concentration), gastro-intestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea and vomiting), coma, convulsions, hypotension and death.
Ethanol 64-17-5
EC6629 Scale Inhibitor *No hazardous components* *None*
WFR-61LA Friction Reducer Petroleum Distillate Hydrotreated Light 64742-47-8


Distillates (Petroleum), Hydrotreated Light can cause dizziness, headache, drowsiness, nausea, unconsciousness from inhalation; and cough, diarrhea, sore throat, and vomiting from ingestion. Swallowing the liquid may cause aspiration into the lungs with the risk of chemical pneumonitis. NIOSH states that it is harmful to aquatic organisms. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system.
Sodium Chloride 7647-14-5
Alcohols ethoxylated
C12-16 68551-12-2
Quarternary Ammonium Chloride 12125-02-9


Quaternary ammonium compounds can display a range of health effects, amongst which are mild skin and respiratory irritation up to severe caustic burns on skin and gastro-intestinal lining (depending on concentration), gastro-intestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea and vomiting), coma, convulsions, hypotension and death.
WGA-15L Gelling Agent Petroleum Distillate Hydrotreated Light 64742-47-8


Distillates (Petroleum), Hydrotreated Light can cause dizziness, headache, drowsiness, nausea, unconsciousness from inhalation; and cough, diarrhea, sore throat, and vomiting from ingestion. Swallowing the liquid may cause aspiration into the lungs with the risk of chemical pneumonitis. NIOSH states that it is harmful to aquatic organisms. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system.
*Proprietary* Polymer *N/A*
WBK-134 Breaker Ammonium Persulfate 7727-54-0


Ammonium Persulfate airborne dust may be irritating to eyes, nose, lungs, throat and skin upon contact. Exposure to high levels of dust may cause difficulty in breathing in sensitive persons. This product has moderate oral toxicity and sensitive persons may develop dermatitis and asthma.

Chemicals in Natural Gas Operations

[Duer 157099]

31. Hmmm. Interesting argument here.

So, if I aim a fire hose at his house and blow his windows out, can I argue that "it was just water!" as my defense?

[Lint Head]

33. Light up a spigot and then stick your mouth on it idiot.

You'll develop a taste for fire water.

[Cal Carpenter]

34. A) Gross B) Not The Point n/t

[politicat]

36. Who is our lite gov again?

Because dude, Hick, are you trying to give him a title bump?

Other things "sourced from the food industry" that can kill:

Lye (used in pretzels, tripe, meat processing)
Lime (used in corn processing)
Ricin (byproduct of castor oil production, deadliest poison known)
Cyanide (hello, almonds)

[Hard Assets]

41. Joe Garcia

He's currently being considered for Secretary of Labor by Obama. I'm not sure what's going on there...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

38. The comic routines of politicians save them from being completely useless.

[smirkymonkey]

39. Well. I guess that explains the brain damage then.

[Hard Assets]

40. That's why I'm ready to primary his ass out.

Hickenlooper does not belong on the Governor's seat.

We can find someone better. Only because he owned a beer distillery (Wynkoop Brewery) made him a popular guy around the state.

If he finds the fracking fluid safe to drink, the I challenge him to put it on his distillery and see what happens.