To Frack or Not to Frack

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Recommended: Positives and negatives of fracking

“We are the Saudi Arabia of natural gas.”-Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., May 2010. Most know Saudi Arabia has the most oil in the world. Most also know that the United States should cut back on oil use. What better way than using the natural gas that the U.S. has stored in the ground. However many have doubts about the natural gas revolution. Several reports of water contamination have occurred as well as over one thousand documented cases of neurological, sensory, and respiratory damage near fracking wells. Linking fracking to several environmental issues such as, water pollution and disrupting ecosystems, utilizing this technique should not transpire.
In an advertisement from ExxonMobil, they explain how fracking works. “First once the necessary infrastructure is in place a drilling rig is assembled and inspected in accordance with the required safety and environmental standards.” After drilling a hole about a mile and a half away from groundwater layers of steel and cement casing are inserted. Then a perforating device creates tiny hole in the casing and rocks. Comprised of mostly sand and water, fluid, also called fracking fluid, is pumped into the wellbore. The gas trapped inside the shale zone is released and brought up to the surface where it can provide a cleaner energy source for over a hundred years. (ExxonMobil).
“Many people are excited about fracking because the U.S. has a lot of natural gas and fracking allows us to get at natural gas that we couldn’t get before. They say it is better to get our fuel from our own country than from foreign countries. Fracking can also create lots of jobs, which our country needs.” (“The Fracking Controversy”) Aubrey McClendon of Chesapeake Energy states, “Every company—big company in ...

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...ftover water called wastewater.” (“The Fracking Controversy”).

Works Cited

Burns, Rebecca. “A Fracktious Debate.” In These Times. Aug. 2013: p. 8. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
ExxonMobil. Youtube. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVJA36YGAEQ
“Fracking Gas.” Narr. Dan Rather. Dan Rather Reports. 13 Apr. 2010. Transcript. eLibrary. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Heinberg, Richard. “America’s Natural Gas Revolution Isn’t All it’s ‘Fracked’ Up to Be.” Christian Science Monitor. 23 Oct. 2013: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Slocum, Tyson. “Fracking up America|Interview with Tyson Slocum.” Interview by Abby Martin. Youtube. Breakingtheset, 25 July 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. https://www.youtube/watch?v=xWppHgYTyz0.
“The Fracking Controversy.” NewsCurrents Read to Know. 28 Jan. 2013: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.

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