Drilling and Production Activity Related to Unconventional Gas Development and Severity of Preterm Birth

Details

• Personal Author:
  Marshall AK ; Symanski, Elaine ; Whitworth KW
• Description:
  BACKGROUND: Studies of unconventional gas development (UGD) and preterm birth (PTB) have not presented risk estimates by well development phase or trimester. OBJECTIVE: We examined phase and trimester-specific associations between UGD activity and PTB. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of women with singleton births in the Barnett Shale area, Texas, from 30 November 2010 to 29 November 2012. We individually age- and race/ethnicity-matched five controls to each PTB case (n=13,328) and truncated controls' time at risk according to the matched case's gestational age. We created phase-specific UGD-activity metrics: a) inverse squared distance-weighted (IDW) count of wells in the drilling phase ≤ 0:5 mi (804.7 meters) of the residence and b) IDW sum of natural gas produced ≤ 0.5 mi of the residence. We also constructed trimester- and gestation-specific metrics. Metrics were categorized as follows: zero wells (reference), first, second, third tertiles of UGD activity. Analyses were repeated by PTB severity: extreme, very, and moderate (<28, 28 to<32, and 32 to <37 completed weeks). Data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: We found increased odds of PTB in the third tertile of the UGD drilling {odds ratio (OR) = 1.20 [95%confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.37]} and UGD-production [OR=1.15 (1.05, 1.26)] metrics. Among women in the third tertile of UGD-production, associations were strongest in trimesters one [OR=1.18 (1.02, 1.37)] and two [OR=1.14 (0.99, 1.31)]. The greatest risk was observed for extremely PTB [third tertile ORs: UGD drilling, 2.00 (1.23, 3.24); UGD production, 1.53 (1.03-2.27)]. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence of differences in phase- and trimester-specific associations of UGD and PTB and indication of particular risk associated with extremely preterm birth. Future studies should focus on quantifying specific chemical and nonchemical stressors associated with UGD. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Benzene Chemistry Endocrine System Hazardous Substances Hydrocarbons Occupational Health Oil And Gas Industry Particulate Matter Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Safety Vehicle Emissions Volatile Organic Compounds

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• Keywords:
  Airborne Particulates Air Contamination Benzenes Chemical Properties Diesel Emissions Drilling Endocrine Disruptors Equipment Operation Fracking Gas Industry Health Effects Health Hazards Hydraulic Fracturing Oil Industry Particulates Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Toxins Trucking VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds

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• ISSN:
  0091-6765
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  126
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20051216
• Citation:
  Environ Health Perspect 2018 Mar; 126(3):037006
• Contact Point Address:
  K. W. Whitworth, UTHealth School of Public Health, San Antonio Regional Campus, 7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1100, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
• Email:
  Kristina.W.Whitworth@uth.tmc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Health Perspectives
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:fb1ee1230f6085701f656aaf4f931e53ded3ebeffa7dd039da8005da70351d00f2c6ab22bffb16e9f9f2eaf90a4cf7eb492fb7a91706eed8dc9a6245a5b40882
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/211294/cdc_211294_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 122.71 KB ]