Hydraulic Fracturing Imagine once living in a quiet, scenic town and one day you wake up to loud, disrupting noise from traffic and machinery. One major issue that most are unaware of is the practice of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking or horizontal-drilling. Fracking is a gruesome process performed by gas companies to obtain natural or shale gas. Some people believe fracking is nearly harmless, but scientists and environmentalists have evidence to prove it is not only dangerous to the environment, but also to human beings. Fracking is a process where gas companies drill about 8,000 feet below the earth to blast water, sand, and chemicals under enormous pressure. This intense pressure breaks apart the sedentary rock, much like a mini earthquake, and releases the gas. Fracking is currently happening in 28 states and land containing shale (fine-grained, sedimentary rock) is a prime target (“Stop Fracking Now”). The Marcellus Shale, located in the northeast, holds a large portion of natural gas in the United States. This is the foundation of New York State and any fracking process done here not only jeopardizes waterways and pollutes the air, but also disrupts nearby ecosystems. Pollution of Water Humans have a finite amount of water available on planet Earth. The amount of water Earth has today compared to 100 years ago, is relatively the same, but the only difference is that we are polluting it more and more. Up to eight million gallons of water may be used to frack a well and 40-70 percent of that stays underground. The water containing fracking chemicals is left underground to fill the spaces in the fractured rocks and may eventually flow into the local ground-water system, making it unsafe for drinking (... ... middle of paper ... ...ojects? The United States government is not looking into the future on the effects of supporting this addiction, therefore, Earth is in grave danger. Professor Koeddermann teaches Environmental Ethics here at Oneonta, and he used a great analogy to describe planet earth in relation to gas. When it comes to the use of gas, Earth is like a “five year old with a racecar that does not know where he is going, but he will crash.” If humans keep relying on gas the way they are, Earth will not be able to handle the damage and will eventually crumble. The negative effects of fracking should make society think more and use less. We can live without gas, but we cannot live without water so why not cut back on gas and focus on conserving water? With the help of hardworking, eco-friendly individuals, it is possible to find alternatives to alleviate issues behind fracking.
In today's global economy, energy is one of the most crucial and sought after commodities. Who supplies it and how much they supply determines how much influence they have over other countries as well as the global economy. This is why hydraulic fracturing is currently such an important and controversial topic in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as "fracking" or hydrofracturing, is the process of using pressurized liquids to fracture rocks and release hydrocarbons such as shale gas, which burns more efficiently than coal. This booming process of energy production provides a much needed economic boost, creating jobs and providing gas energy for Americans. The efficiently burning shale gas reduces carbon emission from electricity production plants, reducing carbon footprints on the environment. However, the process of hydraulic fracturing uses millions of gallons of pressurized liquid, which contains toxic chemicals, and some of this water is left over undealt with. The air near fracking sites is often also polluted and unsafe for nearby community residents. Injecting millions of gallons of water laced with toxic chemicals into the rock thousands of feet deep can cause earthquakes, causing a safety hazards for all nearby areas. Hydraulic Fracturing makes rare natural gases easily attainable, boosting the economy and reducing carbon emissions. However, the negative side effects such as contaminated water and air, make hydraulic fracturing a process that may not be worth the benefits.
In the past couple of years the word fracking has been prevalent in the media whether its been mentioned in the news or in the movie Matt Damon stared in titled “Promised Land”. Many people know it as a method of extracting gas from the earth and don’t inquire further into what hydraulic fracturing actually is. Before the process is explained we should understand why it has become prevalent in the last decade. The reason Hydraulic fracturing has become so popular in the last couple of years is because of the passage of the energy policy act of 2005, which contained the Halliburton loophole. The Halliburton loophole stripped the Environmental Protection Agency of its authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing (New York Times 2009). Allowing Hydraulic Fracturing allowed companies to finally access the abundant sources of natural gas legally. This act made it possible to access the vast amounts of natural gas contained in the Marcellus Shale, which created a boom in hydraulic fracturing. What exactly is hydraulic fracturing? Hydraulic fracturing is a method of extracting oil and gas, that is not accessible by conventional drilling methods. The process, injects chemically treated water and sand at high pressures into shale rock to release the oil and gas (Pritchard 2013).
Fracking can cause harm to people, animals, and nature. When they drill into the ground they are pumping chemicals to extract the gas and oil, and this contaminates the water sources around it. “An editorial on gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale in the Post-Star, a newspaper in Glens Falls, New York, contends, “New York state simply can’t take the risk. There are plenty of places to find fuel. It’s not so easy to find a new water supply for 17 million people.”” (Hydrofracking
Fracking is quickly becoming a debatable topic in our society today. The practice involves injecting fluid into the ground to fracture rock in order to release natural gas. It sounds like it would be a safe way to harness fuels in the earth’s surface, but it actually is a danger to our environment. Because of the dangers of fracking, what little fresh water remains on earth is being contaminated. It is also releasing toxins into the airs creating contaminated air and acid rain. Because of the many health and environmental dangers of fracking, it should be stopped immediately to help prevent more worldwide health issues down the road.
Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas from layers of shale rock deep within the earth. One of the world’s largest plays of natural gas is in the Marcellus Shale, is located in the Appalachian basin and extends across New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, eastern Ohio and portions of Kentucky and Tennessee. “Plays” are areas where companies are actively looking for natural gas inside shale rock formations. Plays are drilled for natural gas by hydraulic fracturing in a two step process. First, a production well is drilled down into the ground for thousands of feet and then gradually leveled so that the tip of the drill is travelling horizontally through the ground. The second part of the process is where it gets the name of “fracking” because the second step in the process is where a mixture of sand, water, and chemicals, many of which are known to be harmful, are forced under extremely high pressure down into the shale through the horizontal part of ...
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking, is a widespread practice in the United States. Fracking is a method used to extract oil and natural gas. Scientists and citizens report detrimental side effects of hydraulic drilling. New York and Vermont have banned fracking statewide. Maryland has set a two year moratorium on fracking, so that more research can be done to show the impacts of fracking on the environment. Nationwide, many other cities and counties have banned fracking as well. All states should look into finding alternative sources of energy, instead of using devastating practices like fracking to extract non-renewable resources.
What is Fracking? Hydraulic fracturing, also known as ‘fracking’ is a technology that involves the extraction of natural gases through the injection of harmful chemicals, sand, and water. This technique includes the process of drilling a hole deep within the surface layer of the environment. As a result, it deteriorates the density of the land, pollutes the air, and contaminates underground drinking water sources. According to Bill Freemans’s “Fracking Is Not Harmful to the Environment,” the author argues that fracking is a technique that does not harm the environment and that instead, it helps the United States achieve energy independence. In contrast to his statement, hydraulic fracturing should not be
The search for a good oil supply has been going on ever since cars first started to run on gasoline. Although while there are great ways to drill, there are extremely dangerous environmental hazards and risks to animals that come along with it. Fracking, many argue, is the best form of drilling that we have today. Fracking is the use of sand, water, and chemicals injected at high pressures to blast open shale rock and release the trapped gas inside. Still, many debate the use of fracking because while it provides jobs and helps the economy, fracking is awful for the environment because it uses many chemicals in the drilling process and it contaminates large supplies of drinking water.
Before one can see the devastating effects of fracking, one must first understand how fracking works. As previously stated, the main intent of hydro-fracking is to access and harvest natural gas that lies below the surface of the Earth. Having formed over 400 million years ago by the collision of tectonic plates (Marsa 3), the Marcellus Shale plays host to a gold mine of natural gas, which is currently at the center of the fracking debate in the Northeastern region of the United States. Unfortunately, access...
Fracking is dangerous to America’s water supply, water quality, and to other resources. Due to fracking America’s water supply and quality could be compromised. Fracking is also a large scale operation. Evidence of how fracking is a large scale operation would be the use of 400 tanker trucks to transport all the
Fracking is a pressurized, chemically treated mixture of water and sand to release and extract natural gas and petroleum from shale rock. There are many articles, studies being done, and organizations fighting for what they think is right. Environmentalist want the technique of fracking banned because it plays a part in global warming, affects our water, and causes human health problems. If fracking cannot be banned because of its necessity then it should be made safe and eco-friendly. The process involves a well being drilled vertically to the desired depth, then turns ninety degrees and continues horizontally for thousands of feet into the shale believed to contain the trapped natural gas. A mix of water, sand, and various chemicals is pumped into the well at high pressure in order to create fissures in the shale through which the gas can escape. Natural gas escapes through the fissures and is drawn back up the well to the surface, where it is processed, refined, and shipped to market. Flowback returns to the surface after the
In regards to a lack of advancement, many people are concerned that due to how easily we can attain natural gas through fracking reaching difficult deposits, we will not look into a situation that proves harder-finding renewable and alternative energy resources. Rather than search for solar, geothermal, or wind energy perhaps, we will continue to pump harmful chemicals into the ground and cause global warming much more rapidly due to our excessive use of fossil and atmosphere-damaging fuels. Based on this point, it is no wonder that another con to fracking pertains to the conflict of air pollution. In regards to the prospect of seismic activity, based on the 2014 Annual Reviews of Environment and Resources paper, between 1967 and 2000, geologists observed a rate of 21 earthquakes level 3.0 Mw or greater in the central US per year. In 2001, when fracking was used to provide shale gas and other “unconventional” energy sources more frequently, the number increased to 100 earthquakes of that caliber, with 188 in 2011 alone. Supplemental research in Texas and Oklahoma also suggest that fracking can cause risky changes on seismic activity. Lastly, one of the greatest concerns with fracking- water pollution. The water that is pumped into the ground during fracking is filled with chemicals, and is not always properly
Fracking is a highly controversial practice that utilizes the injection of water, chemicals and abrasives to extract relatively inaccessible pockets of natural resources. Although fracking has the potential to benefit the economy, it may also pose a significant impact on the environment, the ecosystem and safety.
Fracking is a method of obtaining oil and natural gas from deep areas of the earth by mining very deep into the ground and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order to fracture the rock. When the rock is fractured, natural gas is released and harvested by large hydraulic fracturing rigs (Brooks, 2013). Though the process is an effective way of obtaining energy sources, it is a highly controversial topic so it is not massively used worldwide. Fracking works great and provides effective results but there is a diverse amount of downsides to the mining technique that have caused many people to take anti-fracking stances. The main argument against fracking is that it comes with environmental downsides, using immense amounts of water, infecting the earth with hazardous chemicals, and leaking methane into the atmosphere. Though many of the environmental downsides of fracking have been proven, the benefits of the energy source outweigh the downsides.
Fracking is a process in which a drill is inserted into the ground in search of water or other resources. This process can be very harmful to the environment and can even be harmful to humans. It can lead to the contamination of drinking water supplies with the help of a combination of tap water and sufficient amounts of methane. The processes of fracking do more bad than good to humans in their own homes and many people believe that they should stop fracking as a whole, rather than change it.