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Pros And Cons Of Hydraulic Fracturing

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In Gasland, Josh Fox’s documentary concerning natural gas development and hydraulic fracturing, Fox profiles many homes in his quest to determine the effects of this controversial practice (Fox, 2010). Fox encounters groundwater contamination as the primary negative consequence of hydraulic fracturing; many of the homeowners he interviewed had water sources that lit on fire and contained toxic chemicals or needed new water sources entirely (Fox, 2010). However, the oil and gas industry states that the process of hydraulic fracturing is safe with limited cause for concern (Fox, 2010; Mooney, 2011). The controversy surrounding hydraulic fracturing has made it difficult to determine its negative effects. Hydraulic fracturing has not been adequately studied to determine its short- or long-term environmental effects, but as a key component in the US energy industry, it has been, and will continue to be, a source of political controversy and strife. Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking to the general public, is a process that fractures rock beds, commonly shale, to release stored, previously unobtainable natural gas (Holloway and …show more content…

None of these reasons concern potential future environmental impacts resulting from hydraulic fracturing. Holloway and Rudd list many negative impacts of hydraulic fracturing, both directly and indirectly related to environmental concerns, including groundwater contamination, noise pollution, increased traffic, landscape development, and chemical spills (Holloway and Rudd, 2013). In an article concerning the necessity of increased research into the environmental effects of fracking, H. Wiseman states that, “all of the reports and articles reported to-date, whether sponsored by a government agency or a non-profit group, suggest that, at least in some regions, fracing has potential environmental effects” (Wiseman, 18,

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Humans need oxygen and water for survival, the toxins of Hydraulic Fracking is contaminating not only the water but also the oxygen from what we as humans breath from (The Ethical Issues of Hydraulic Fracturing, 2013). The environmental risk factors of Hydraulic Fracking are that the water used to Fracking has been nonrenewable water due to the massive toxins in the water which have demolished water streams and ruin landscapes. American citizens continue to grow defenseless as federal government stand by. Natural Resource Defense Council also known as NRDC have created a Community Fracking Defense Project in which communities can determine if and how fracking can be allowed within its

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856 Words | 4 Pages

Scientists have found methane levels in the surrounding underground water sources are seventeen percent higher than more circumstances ("Pros"). Residents in the areas of gas well sites claim, and actually have video evidence, of holding a hand-held lighter to their sink water and being able to ignite it. If that itself isn't frightening enough, well companies can actually hide the chemicals they use in the process of fracking from the public ("New Yorkers"). The companies use up to six-hundred chemicals in the process, that go into the ground and can affect the water the public drinks but now of them have to be disclosed to the public ("Natural"). Also, the act of fracking can release naturally-occurring radioactive chemicals into well-water that, in other circumstances, could never possibly reach the public's

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Hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock deep in the ground. The fracking rig drills a pipe many miles below the ground and then injects highly pressurized fracking fluids into the shale area to release the shale gas. This process uses millions of gallons of water and hundreds of thousands of gallons of chemicals. The United Kingdom (UK) government is introducing a new range of licenses that if approved would allow fracking in more areas of the UK and Scotland . Hydraulic fracking should be banned because this process is detrimental to the local environment by damaging vital eco-systems and even damaging the atmosphere.

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1275 Words | 6 Pages

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is a very controversial method of capturing oil and natural gas. It involves shooting a solution of water, sand, and almost 600 chemicals at extreme pressure into underground wells, causing the rock formations to crack. This allows the oil and natural gas to flow more freely, allowing previously trapped resources to be harvested. Fracking is so controversial because the potential monetary gains are enormous, yet the environmental impacts are devastating. The documentary “Gasland”, directed and narrated by Josh Fox, provided first hand insight into the fracking industry.

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Fracking has become a major issues not only in the United States, but throughout the world. With the recent fracking boom in North America, ranging from south central Canada to Texas, the topic has become more of a controversy. There is a thin line balancing the environmental and economic impact. In the end, fracking adjusts to both sides and should be implemented around the globe. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is the process of sending high pressure fluid mixtures, made up of water, sand, and chemical additives, to created hairline fractures in rocks.

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A controversial engineering issues that has people on both sides fighting for and against it is fracking. Fracking or by its actual name “hydraulic fracturing is a type or drilling that involces safely tapping shale and other tight-rock formations by drilling a mile or more below the surface before gradually turning horizontal and continuing several thousand feet more using high pressured water, sand and chemicals” (BBC UK). The high pressure of the mixture will create small cracks on the surface of the material that they are trying to mine, and the purpose of the sand is to keep the cracks from closing back in so that the pressure of the mixture can bring the material up. The material that is mined through fracking is gas and oil. Fracking on one side of the battle is very important to the US energy because it is allowing us to produce our oil fuel supplies

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Hydraulic fracturing has become an increasing popular method of creating natural gas wells in order to mine fossil fuels from the Earth. In fact, 9 out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States today were created from the process of fracking (Schmidt 2015). Through this process of fracking, millions of gallons of water, sand, and chemicals are pumped down into the Earth as deep as 10,000 feet below the surface, and then propelled horizontally through rock layers. At such high pressures, this mixture causes the rock to split open so that natural gas from the shale can flow upward through the well that has been created. The gas harvested is then stored in tanks and is ultimately piped to the commercial market.

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Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is a technique that involve the injection of more than a million gallons of water, sand and chemical at high pressure down and across into horizontally drilled wells. This pressurized mixture will causes the rock layer to crack. These fissures are held open by the sand particles so that natural gas from the rock layer can flow up the well. This technique allows us to extract energy sources such as tight oil, coal seam gas and oil shale. It has been around since the late 1940s when petroleum engineers were looking for other ways to increase well productions.

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Since fracking was introduced in 1949, well over 2 million frack treatments have been pumped without a single documented case of treatments polluting a water aquifer (Worstall). This shows that with the correct management and prevention of risks fracking can be seen as a positive. Fracking is also a positive as it dives down gas prices allowing the utilities the American people receive from the gas goes up as they spend less money on it and also fracking has begun to create jobs that are available to Michigan residences. However, many skeptics believe that fracking can be seen as a negative as it pollutes the air and water, thus damaging the Earth. The Earth is already beginning to be negatively impacted by pollution and the burning of greenhouse

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In today’s global fight for the growing demand of energy and promotion of saving energy, fracking has become very controversial. The dangers to our society and health are at the forefront in conducting safer practices. To obtain the natural gas, fracking or hydraulic fracking must be conducted. Fracking is defined as blasting high-pressure water, sand, and chemicals deep underground, and allowing the formations to fracture. This practice releases the natural gas out of the formations and is used for power.

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It involves high-pressure injections of water and chemicals into rock formations, which in turn release natural gas (Thompson, “Hydraulic Fracturing Should Be Banned”). However, fracking can result in many negative outcomes. For instance, scientists who conducted the earthquake study for Geology discovered that not only did fracking cause the biggest earthquake in Oklahoma, but it also caused more earthquakes in states that hardly experienced any seismic activity (“Wastewater Injection Spurred Biggest Earthquake Yet, Says Study,” The Earth Institute Columbia University). In fact, quakes have hit so frequently in Oklahoma, that state and oil regulators decided to shut down five disposal wells due to the increasing number of earthquakes in a city named Cushing (“Oil Regulators Shut Down Two Disposal Wells After Earthquakes Near Cushing”, State Impact: NPR).

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The amount of fracking has increased by access to the oil reserves and natural gas in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois and many other states. During the late 1900's there have been many arguments on whether fracking does contaminate water or not. The EPA (environmental protection agency) have studied this problem at a site in Alabama. Over the time there weren't any evidence on contamination or any problem in the aquifers. Also another research conducted by the U.S department of energy, found that the fracking is a "safe and effective" technology from deep geological formations.

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Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as fracking, is a form of collecting natural gas by driving a drill with a high pressure of water, sand and chemicals in through dense rock formations such as shale, tight sandstone or coal beds to rupture the rock and free gas. Fracking commenced in the late 1940’s drilling into the Earth to free oil and gas confined in bedrock. Over throughout the decades, the use of hydraulic fracturing to gather oil and gas around the world accumulated. Some people say hydraulic fracturing will beneficially affect people all around the US while others think hydraulic fracturing will defectively affect people all around the US. Hydraulic fracturing is dangerous to the environment, requires a vast amount of water, and

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Hydraulic fracturing can affects land use and water consumption, methane emissions, air emissions, water contamination, noise pollution, and health. Water and air pollution are the biggest risks to human health from hydraulic fracturing. Research is underway to determine if human health has been affected, and rigorous adherence to regulation and safety procedures is required to avoid harm. (wiki) New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo will ban fracking.

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1. Introduction 1.1 What is hydraulic fracturing? Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is the process of drilling down into the earth’s surface, followed by a high-pressure water mixture, which is directed at the rocks to release the gas and oil that is inside of them. Furthermore water, sand, chemicals and other substances are injected into the rock at a high pressure, in order to allow the gas in the rock to flow out and up to the top of the fracking wells.

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