Fracking: Extracting Natural Gas

1110 Words3 Pages

Introduction:
Environmental and socioeconomic debate over an alternative method of extracting natural gas thousands of feet below the surface using horizontal drilling and hydraulic “fracking” has risen in last twenty years. Fracking is the technique of drilling deep wells under high pressure with sand, water and a variety of chemicals to crack open rocks to release natural gas (hydrogen carbons) and oil from shale or coal bed methane deposits. Townships in Colorado like Lafayette and Fort Collins, voted on a moratorium to ban fracking within city limits. Environmental organizations like the Clean Water Action and Sierra Club claim that that fracking causes environmental degradation, health issues and impacts negatively on communities and their infrastructure. Whereas organizations like the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA), Halliburton and other oil and gas industry and construction groups, and some local, state and federal politicians, claim that fracking is a safe method of onshore drilling. By burning natural gas which is considered a clean fuel reduces the amount of greenhouse gases that coal does as well as lower carbon energy use in the future. Fracking decrease dependence on foreign oil and gas, improves ability to generate electricity and heat home cheaply. Fracking supports local economies and provides much needed jobs (energyfromshale.org).

Name natural resources and ecosystem services affected by fracking
Natural resources potentially impacted by fracking could alter the aesthetic appeal of rural and natural areas with pipelines and infrastructure.

3. History section that answers the following questions:
Halliburton Oil and Gas Company first introduced hydraulic fracturing in 1949 to extract natu...

... middle of paper ...

..., Gas Association Sues Fort Collins over Fracking Moratorium." The Coloradoan. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20131203/NEWS01/312030027/State-oil-gas-association-sues-Fort-Collins-over-fracking-moratorium "Colorado." Energy From Shale. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://www.energyfromshale.org/hydraulic-fracturing/colorado-natural-gas http://www.pennenvironment.org/sites/environment/files/reports/The%20Costs%20of%20Fracking%20vPA_0.pdf

"Colorado Oil & Gas Association Takes Legal Action against Fort Collins, Lafayette Fracking Bans." 9news.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://www.9news.com/news/article/366962/339/COGA-takes-legal-action-against-CO-fracking-bans "Colorado Energy News." Colorado Energy News RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
http://coloradoenergynews.com/2013/03/fracking-ban-approved-fort-collins-city-council

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