title: The shale gas revolution from the viewpoint of a former industry insider.
abstract: This is an interview conducted with an oil and gas worker who was employed in the industry from 1993 to 2012. He requested that his name not be used. From 2008 to 2012, he drilled wells for a major operator in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Bradford County is the center of the Marcellus shale gas boom in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In 2012, he formed a consulting business to assist clients who need information on the details of gas and oil drilling operations. In this interview, the worker describes the benefits and difficulties of the hard work involved in drilling unconventional gas wells in Pennsylvania. In particular, he outlines the safety procedures that were in place and how they sometimes failed, leading to workplace injuries. He provides a compelling view of the trade-offs between the economic opportunities of working on a rig and the dangers and stresses of working long hours under hazardous conditions.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bamberger
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oswald
mesh_terms: D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059206:Natural Gas; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health; D060051:Occupational Injuries; D010414:Pennsylvania; D017751:Safety Management; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D059206:Natural Gas
keywords: drilling rig; gas drilling; hydraulic fracturing; shale gas; worker safety