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Coal Vs Natural Gas

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Recommended: Fracking and its effect on the environment

Natural gas is a growing industry around the world including the United States. This expanding production, consumption, transportation, and usage of this fairly new energy source will cause many consequences. It will affect a variety of things, whether it be big businesses, small businesses, nature, and everyday citizens.
One of the biggest hurdles of today's energy production is to reduce greenhouse gases. Natural gas is much better than CO2 at containing heat. It does not produce as much greenhouse gas as coal which helps the environment. This gas is extracted through a process called fracking. However, when using this process, leaks can occur, in turn polluting underground water systems that are used in people's homes. Companies such as …show more content…

Natural gas, coal, and oil dominate the energy industry. In 2012, global subsidies had oil, with 277 billion dollars, natural gas, with 124 billion, and coal, with 7 billion. But some of these energy sources are better than others. Burning natural gas, for instance, produces nearly half as much carbon dioxide per unit of energy compared with coal according to the Smithsonian (“Natural Gas Really Is Better Than Coal”). Natural gas is also better at reducing greenhouse gases than coal. In fact, compared to coal, depending on the application, natural gas allows 50% to 80% reduction of greenhouse gases. According to a 2017 study done by AGA (American Gas Association) is the lowest since 1967. There are over 160,000 vehicles in the US that run on natural gas and 5.4 million world wide. 5.4 million businesses and schools use natural gas in the …show more content…

“The EDF analysis estimates that the state's oil and gas wells and infrastructure leak more than 520,000 tons of methane annually, largely due to faulty equipment”(Far More Methane Leaking at Oil, Gas Sites in Pennsylvania than Reported). This means that natural gas is a big contributor to global warming. When drilling for natural gas, chemicals can leak into underground water systems getting into peoples water supply. This happens when the companies shoot millions of gallons of chemicals into a well to extract the gas and accidently puncture the bedrock making a crack. This leakage of methane can also be caused by transporting the gas. The Natural Gas Act of 1938 was made to prevent already corrupt companies, that extract natural gas, from charging high prices to their customers. With the new tarifs, natural gas extracted in the US will not be able to meet the prices that China and other countries are importing

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My general overview of this article is the methods used to obtain fossil fuels is hurting people and nature all around the world. People are beginning to come to a realization about how fracking is harming the world. However, people in cities like “Buffalo, New York, Pennsylvania, and the author’s hometown

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Lennon says, “Within the first 20 years, methane escaping from within and around the wells, pipelines and compressor stations is 105 times more powerful a greenhouse gas then carbon dioxide” (pg#). This is really good use of this strategy because this makes an appeal to logos. This make Lennon more credible because he is using very good shocking facts in his article. This makes the readers trust him and helps his audience side with his argument of how bad fracking is. This is so because this is how the gas is getting produced is from the dangerous fracking which doesn’t just release bad greenhouse gases but also fouls our wells and makes our water undrinkable.

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2027 Words | 9 Pages

According to the EarthWorks government site there are some seriously negative health effects that come with fracking. This is due to all the chemicals used to make the fracking fluid and how they can make their way into contact with humans. These chemicals can be ingested in water, contact with skin, or even be respired by way of vapor. These chemicals can lead to health hazards in almost every area imaginable such as EarthWorks cited Natural Gas Operations from a Public Health Perspective by Theo Colborn where he broke these hazards into the 12 categories seen here: “skin, eye and sensory organ, respiratory, gastrointestinal and liver, brain and nervous system, immune, kidney, cardiovascular and blood, cancer, mutagenic, endocrine disruption, other, and ecological…”. There are 71 chemicals used in fracking that are known to cause 10 or more health effects individually.

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1841 Words | 8 Pages

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAP), the methane released from the Weld County gas wells in Colorado is equal to the carbon emissions of 1-3 million cars. Pollutants due to fracking which include ground level ozone (also known as smog), particle matter, and dust, have been linked to illness, cancer, and even birth defects. Crystalline silica, which is used in the shape of sand, can cause silicosis in workers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), found that at 11 fracking sites the crystalline silica exceeded the health criteria. In 31% of the samples taken, even if the workers were wearing the proper breathing equipment they still wouldn’t be properly protected.

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Natural gas produces “roughly 95% fewer pollutants than gasoline or diesel fuel when burned”. We have enough reserves to last for about 87 years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2011 took a major step forward to promote natural gas. This act renewed the tax credit on natural gas fuel for five years, it gave new credits for buying and producing natural gas vehicles, and it gave a tax credit for building new natural gas stations. Doyle supports this type of legislation.

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1603 Words | 7 Pages

Academic Analysis: “Natural Gas Fracking Addresses All of Our Major Problems” In his essay, “Natural Gas Fracking Addresses All of our Major Problems,” Richard Pierce argues that by using horizontal drilling and fracturing of shale formations to obtain natural gas will solve many of our nation’s issues. He cites that by accessing our abundant supply of natural gas, the economy, environment, and geopolitical conditions will improve. He backs these claims by listing examples of recently discovered natural gas basins in the United States and abroad and by showing that the current gas supply has put downward pressure on oil prices. Lower oil prices make many products more affordable and improve the global economy.

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375 Words | 2 Pages

Fracking began on June 1998 Pro- Some people think that it 's a good thing because we get natural gas that way. natural gas can be used a lot without affecting the environment. a lot of the natural gas has been extracted through fracking in recent years that us carbon emissions

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1536 Words | 7 Pages

That can be reduced through the enforcement of regulations that the fracking companies would have to adhere to. For those who disagree and would rather have clean and green sources of energy, think of hydraulic fracturing and the use of natural gas as an option for energy to buy us time to make a plan until better technology is created for clean

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1016 Words | 5 Pages

After the process of fracking was “perfected” all gas companies hoping to stay competitive and make a profit were forced to move away from flaring. Unfortunately, trading an extreme profit margin for an increase in environmental awareness is nearly unheard of in the corporate world. To stop pulling the lever, when its repercussions will never be seen by the gas company, would show a complete lack of any of business sense. It also shows a complete lack of compassion. The benefits of fracking are short-term and the consequences long term.

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There is so much natural gas underground and fracking is the only way to get all the natural gas. Because of so much energy natural gas can produce fracking is a really reliable source of energy.

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Air Impacts Fracking effects on human health: Fracking releases a gas known as carcinogens. This type of gas is harmful to

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Now you better strap in your seat belt because I’m gonna give you so much facts you might not be able to handle it. Did you know that coal gives the world 40% energy and nearly 70% of the energy in china? Coal is converted to electricity by being burned in a furnace with a boiler then the boiler water is heated until it becomes steam, then after that the steam then put in these spinning turbine thingies and generators to create the electricity. Different types of coal contain different amounts of carbon.

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It is impossible for large fracking corporations to guarantee environmental and human safety; the Energy Policy Act of 2005 removes fracking from the federal Safe Dinking Water Act of 1974. This loophole allows for corporations to keep toxic fracking ingredients secret to avoid contamination lawsuits (Lallanilla). Senator Bob introduced the FRAC Act, which helps eliminates the gas and oil drilling loopholes from the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Air act. If the FRAC Act passes fracking becomes a “federal regulated activity”. Many acts similar to the FRAC have been introduced but congress has not taken any action.

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Coal seam gas is a by-product of coal. It is a non-renewable energy resource. The pureness of this gas has attracted a lot of commercial interest. In light of this, one of the most significant issues that Australia is facing today is the development of a responsive and balanced regulatory framework. Mining companies must evaluate the economic, environmental and social issues that comes with this progression (Hepburn, 2012).

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Humans have been using natural gas for thousands of years, in fact, the Chinese are believed to have used it as early as 500 B.C. to boil and purify water. According to Paykani (2013), natural gas was used to fuel streetlights as early as 1785, and was the primary source of light during the 19th century. The invention of the electric light bulb in 1879 then forced natural gas companies to find other uses for the resource, and as a result, natural gas has become a very popular source of energy. Natural Gas vehicles have been documented as early as the 1930’s, although it is unclear exactly when, or who, invented them. According to Random History (2008), as far back as the 1930s, natural gas and manufactured gas were used in motor vehicles,

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