In the southern United States, oil drilling is rooted deep into the economy’s culture, and the industry’s presence on college campuses is commonplace. More than a dozen universities in states such as Texas, Ohio, West Virginia and Montana drill into natural resources on their campuses.

And with hydrofracking making oil drilling possible in New York state and Pennsylvania, the scene of tanks and oil rigs near campuses — and possibly Syracuse University — could be a reality in upcoming years.

Hydrofracking is a relatively new technology used by the oil and gas industry to extract natural gas from shale in areas where oil and gas do not flow as easily from higher permeable rock. Since shale, commonly found on the East Coast and specifically in New York state, has small pore spaces, enhanced extraction methods are needed to release the natural gas.

In Pennsylvania, where drilling is being considered on six campuses, a new state law requires that universities with wells receive half the fees and royalties from the property leases, NPR reported on Nov. 20. Another 15 percent of the royalties would subsidize student tuition.

Two techniques, horizontal drilling and hydrofracking, are combined to release the shale gas. Horizontal drilling extends a drill hole vertically through the rock and then horizontally along the shale gas bed, reaching a much greater volume of shale in one single drilling platform. Hydrofracking increases the flow of gas to the horizontal well, creating a network of fractures in the shale.

Millions of gallons of water mixed with sand and chemical additives are injected into the well to create extreme pressure and fracturing.

In New York state and Pennsylvania, the process brings oil drilling to places where it hadn’t existed before, causing East Coast residents to become anxious about the “new industry,” said Donald Siegel, an earth sciences professor at SU. Anxiety stems from fears about the quality of drinking water, concerns about the disruption caused by drilling and the broader concern of further burning fossil fuels, which harms air quality.

The controversial industry has recently become a hot topic in New York state politics because of the clash between economic benefits — direct profit for some landowners and an increase in jobs related to the extraction process — and environmental concerns, said Grant Reeher, a professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Additionally, the high level of uncertainty about hydrofracking among the majority of the public and the mixed views on the industry among scientists create a “recipe for more heated than light” discussion, Reeher said.

Colleges across the country are already prospering from oil rigs. The University of Texas at Arlington has earned $10 million from producing natural gas, and is developing a significant, long-range revenue stream expected to provide vital financial security for the next few decades, said Kristin Sullivan, UT Arlington’s assistant vice president for media relations.

There are 22 wells on the school’s site that are in what she calls the “production phase,” meaning gas is flowing from the wells and being transported via pipelines to the markets, so there is minimal on-site activity.

To ensure the process is safe for the campus community, Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc., a Houston-based company, is using advanced technology and security cameras, and participating in ongoing street cleaning and maintenance, Sullivan said. It also has a detailed emergency plan.

The university receives a 27 percent royalty on natural gas extracted from university property, which it uses to fund undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and faculty and staff recruitment and retention, she said.

At Indiana State University, the main location for its recently-established drilling operation will take place several blocks from main campus, on an old industrial property now owned by the university, said Tara Singer, the university’s assistant vice president for communications and marketing. Horizontal drilling will be used, pumps will be submerged and the tanks will be screened behind a fence.

“We do not anticipate any disturbance to campus,” she said.

Siegel, the earth sciences professor, said that while the operations are “messy and disruptive,” he thinks the operation is fine as long as it is in a more rural or abandoned location.

“If it’s away from main campus, that’s fine,” he said. “Reap the profit from that, I have no problem with that.”

With hydrofracking slowly seeping into the East Coast’s culture, future oil drilling on campuses in New York state and Pennsylvania isn’t out of the question.

Just last week, the State University of New York at Buffalo announced it was closing its newly formed Shale Resources and Society Institute due to controversy surrounding the center’s financial backing. When the institute’s first study drew criticism for being biased in favor of the oil and gas industry, rumors surfaced that the companies were funding the institute.

President Satish Tripathi addressed the campus community in a letter, saying the institute lacked sufficient faculty presence and was not consistent enough in disclosing its financial interests.

The credibility of the research was therefore questioned because of concerns about its financing, he said in the letter.

Peter Black, a professor emeritus at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, said he believes colleges profiting from an industry that harms the environment send a bad message to university students.

“The major issue is that we should not be developing more fossil fuels,” he said. “We are committing suicide. We may not be choosing the method, but the evidence is building up.”

Published on November 28, 2012 at 1:34 am

Contact Marwa: meltagou@syr.edu | @marwaeltagouri