Pros and Cons of Natural Gas Drilling in the Drillers Are Coming by Mark Fischetti

Although fracking promises a short-term solution to our need for fossil fuels, as with other attempts to correct the situation, there could possibly be longer-term effects that we will have to pay for in the future. There are not enough legal statutes that can protect people from the problems that fracking can cause. Although fracking poses many threats to our health, out environment and our economy, the process still continues. In an attempt to control fracking and its side effects, governments should do what is necessary to regulate fracking in order to reduce the impacts it can have on the environment, people’s health and the community. Not only should this program be regulated, but there should also be some kind of accountable funding from oil and gas companies to ensure that they will take care of the unavoidable damages that fracking can cause.

Our environment is greatly affected by the fracking fluid used the penetrate the shale rock formations, " ... recently reported that the amount of chemically tainted soil from drilling waste increased nearly 5,100 percent over the past decade" (Steve Tilton). In order to continue fracking in the future years, we need to have land to frack on. If the land is tainted with chemicals, you will be unable to frack due to health hazards, and then a large energy source that natural gas is will be lost. To keep this energy source- which is fairly cheap and has high demand- companies will need to find safer alternatives to use. On the other hand, companies argue that the cost benefit analysis of spending the time and money to find safer chemicals is not worth it.

Opponents, however, are well aware of the cost. As the practice of hydraulic fracturing has grown, so has its environmental impact. Increased fracking activity has raised concerns primarily over its relationship with drinking water sources due to toxic chemicals used in the process. In relation to the pending Environmental Protection Agency study to determine hydraulic fracturing’s impact on drinking water sources, existing regulations surrounding fracking are unequipped to address incr... ... middle of paper ... ...Jacquelyn. “Natural Gas Development and Hydraulic Fracturing: A Policymaker’s Guide.” National Conference of State Legislatures.

Increased energy demands are expected to grow at least fifty percent by 2050 while crude oil means are rapidly diminishing without a feasible replacement. Shifting global dependency away from fossil fuels is a step closer in the management of greenhouse emissions. The U.S department of Energy has set a goal to have thirty percent of its liquid petroleum replaced by biofuels with the intent of encouraging a moveme... ... middle of paper ... ...ustainable energy. The environmental impacts are more attractive to the ones that petroleum refinement expels into the atmosphere. Biofuels are exceptional for petroleum replacement since the biomass that creates biofuel is removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Initially, air pollution is considered as a negative effect of exploring and extracting the fossil fuels due to the increasing content of carbon dioxide and air dust. Since fossil resources were found and applied, the global warming issues become worse due to the increasing content of carbon dioxide. For instance, Arup(2013) states that 759 million tons more carbon dioxide will be produced if coal production keeps expanding over the level of 2011 and this will push emissions over carbon budget, causing the failure to control the climate change. Moreover, the increasing content of solid particles or air dust during this procedure may also a threat to general air quality. According to G... ... middle of paper ... ...& Johnston, C. A.

Although my opponents claim that hydrocracking create jobs and reduce oil imports but it also poses environmental disaster that outweighs its profits which could be irreversible. Environmental disaster such as pollution increase, water contamination and risk to the public health in inevitable if gas companies are allowed to continue for drilling America’s soil. As energy demand is increasing throughout the world, America is not least, its demand for energy is increasing and energy supply dependability is at risk. The calls for cleaner energy is at its momentum with production of natural gas using hydrocracking method are deployed vast major cities across America. According to Analysis environment journal released on May 2011 has stated that new Environmental Protection Agency have “found that greenhouse gas emissions from fracturing are almost 9,000 times higher than previously calculated” this is no surprising because there are no federal regulation on hydraulic fracturing techniques (Nelson 24).

Petroleum oil is always considered as a cheap energy source; however, the price of oil per barrel and per gallon has gone up significantly worldwide. The price of oil has already passed $60 per barrel, due to the energy crisis and oil shortages (Crude Oil Futures Prices – NYMEX, 2005). The increased oil prices and the limited energy resources will have a great impact to the global economy where stock prices fall, unemployment rates increase, economic recession and inflation can occur. Burning fossil fuels are not only causing the existing energy crisis in the world but are leading to global warming as well. Due to the excessive burning of fossil fuels, the ... ... middle of paper ... .... Website: http://www.cintelliq.com/res_photo.htm Renewable Energy (2005) The Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia.

Just saying the words ‘renewable energy’ you receive a feeling of hope for the sustainability of the planet’s wellbeing. The sad truth is that pound for pound oil and coal produce more energy than any other renewable energy source in a cost convenient form in America and across the globe today; then what do the current advances in technology and sustenance in the energy supply sector reveal about the future of America’s dependency on fossil fuels? America’s dependence on oil is destabilization the country’s security by tying the U.S to unstable countries, hence increasing the risk of conflict around the globe as accessible reserves in stable regions have been exhausted, oil extraction has gradually shifted to more precarious corners of the globe. Currently, the world’s subsequent oil provider includes a catalog of misfortune areas, which include Angola, Chad, Sudan, and Venezuela. Renewable energy can reduce oil dependence and improve the country’s security in several ways.

Extensive and successful extraction in the United States has sparked other global regions in exploring the potential held within this possibly new lucrative energy source. The U.S. domestic natural gas production was previously in decline but following advances in drilling technologies – horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing – production rates have boomed. The trend is predicted to continue with the U.S Energy Information Administration (“EIA”) forecasting that by 2035 over 50% of onshore natural gas production will be accounted for by shale gas (Continental Economics 2012)1. The increase in shale gas production has changed the balance of energy markets regionally and globally. It alters supply and demand levels, impacting on surrounding energy sources.

During the presidency of George W. Bush, a bill exempting oil and gas companies from federal environmental restrictions was passed, thus paving the way for natural gas companies to expand production across the nation utilizing a new drilling technology, enabling easier extraction of shale gas. The drilling process of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” has become synonymous with controversy. Why? Fracking involves injecting dangerously toxic chemicals, mixed with large quantities of water and sand, into wells at extremely high pressure, to release natural gas. Promoted by the natural gas industry as a cleaner, safer alternative to coal, the process of fracking has made shale gas plentiful, which sounds to some Americans as the best answer to their energy prayers.