Cookie Control

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer.

Some cookies on this site are essential, and the site won't work as expected without them. These cookies are set when you submit a form, login or interact with the site by doing something that goes beyond clicking on simple links.

We also use some non-essential cookies to anonymously track visitors or enhance your experience of the site. If you're not happy with this, we won't set these cookies but some nice features of the site may be unavailable.

By using our site you accept the terms of our Privacy Policy.

(One cookie will be set to store your preference)
(Ticking this sets a cookie to hide this popup if you then hit close. This will not store any personal information)

New Oil-Gas Well Database Offers Tool for Environmental Reporters

April 2, 2014

The federal government certainly won't tell you. But the nonprofit research group FracTracker will give you data and maps on some 1.1 million oil and gas wells in 36 U.S. states. It's a great starting point for stories on the environmental impacts of drilling and fracking in your area.

FracTracker collected the data from state agencies — the ones that actually regulate drilling — and they are constantly extending and updating the database. It is free and online. Data from Texas is not available from FracTracker, because that state, with the nation's most wells, charges for it. Data for Maryland and North Carolina are unavailable for other reasons. FracTracker's site presents the data in map form and downloadable data are in shapefile format.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Topics on the Beat: 
Visibility: