The Pros And Cons Of Fracking

Domestic Energy or the Environment: The Controversy of Fracking

The use of fracking as a way to extract tight natural gas and oil is becoming more widespread and more controversial due to the many benefits and damages it causes. Fracking has helped many people. In areas where the extraction takes place, there is an economic boom that reaches multiple counties and even the state as a whole. Fracking is also relatively green in comparison to coal and other forms of energy since is uses less water and natural gas emits less CO2. Though with those benefits, there are many risks including water contamination, air pollution, high methane emission, induced seismicity, and high worker injury or death. The effects fracking has on the environment and

This creates a reserve that can be tapped into by a well. Because the oil or natural gas is located in a pocket of porous rocks it can easily flow and is therefore easier to extract. With fracking, the hydrocarbons are locked into low porous rocks meaning that if a conventional well was dug, only the oil or natural gas right next to the well would be extractable and the rest would be unable to flow to the well. In the process of fracking, a well is drilled down and then horizontally through the area where the hydrocarbons are trapped. Then water, chemicals, and sand are pumped into the well, increasing the pressure and causing the rocks to crack. The water and chemicals are taken out and the sand props open the newly made cracks. Because of the cracks, the oil and natural gas can now flow to the extraction

In the United States, the vast majority of that wastewater is injected underground (Jackson, 2014). This wastewater is very dangerous because it can be leaked or spilled causing water contamination and the destruction of the surface through high salt concentrations (Jackson, 2014). When the water is injected into the ground there is potential for induced earthquakes. This is caused by increasing pressure which stresses faults (Jackson, 2014; Rubinstein, 2015). These earthquakes can be very destructive and in fact have destroyed homes and injured people in Prague, Oklahoma and other areas (Jackson, 2014; Keranen, 2014; Rubenstein, 2015). Wastewater can be treated and reused, and this practice has been increasing especially in Pennsylvania (Jackson, 2014). However, because there is no waste regulation in America, there are no incentives or rules making fracking companies recycle the wastewater. Without regulation, the wastewater from fracking can cause the contamination of water sources, destruction of the surface, and induced seismicity leading to destruction of homes and endangerment of