Essay On Fracking

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Introduction
Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is used to extract oil from the ground. This is a new technology that has boosted the amount of natural gas and oil that have been extracted from the ground. In the last five years, fracking has caused a boom in domestic oil and gas production. The combination of another technique called horizontal drilling, natural gas companies have been able to drill into untouched reserves. Fracking is a common way to remove natural gas and oil from the ground in the United States. Nine out of ten natural gas wells in the United States use the process of hydraulic fracturing (fracking). One problem with fracking is that scientists are afraid that hydraulic fracturing could damage the underground including the underground water aquifers.
Fracking Industry
Fracking involves a lot of water being injected into the ground. There is more than a million gallons of water injected into the ground at high pressures along with sand and chemicals. The well is inserted into the ground vertically until it hits the formation of Marcellus Shale and then turns horizontal. The drill goes down below the surface about ten thousand feet. The mixture of sand, chemicals, and water causes the shale to crack. The fissures that are caused by the cracks are held open by the sand particles, so that the natural gas and oil can run up the well back to the surface. The well is encased by steel and cement to help stop the release of frack water and gas from leaking out. Explosives are used to make holes in the steel casing which allow the gas in the shale to flow up the vertical portion of the well. Then the sand that holds open the fissures allows natural gas to go to the surface.
Climate Change
Hydraulic fracking ...

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...n how much domestic oil and natural gas they have been able to drill out of ground. Natural gas and oil production has gone up in the last five years because the United States has been able to use this process of hydraulic fracking. Hydraulic fracking is a fossil fuel technology and fossil fuel technologies emit greenhouse gases in the air. Because of these greenhouse gases that are emitted into the air, which is mostly methane, the climate of the earth has become warmer because of the greenhouse effect. Sadly, this is not the only downfall to hydraulic fracking. Fracking has the potential risk of polluting the water supply around the drill because of water waste, but with a good water waste disposal system that problem could be diverted. Fracking has really helped the United States be able to produce more natural gas and oil which has helped the U.S. economically.

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