The Pros And Cons Of Fracking

The oil and gas industry are one of the most prominent industries in the world with many countries participating in drilling operations. Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, and the USA are some of the biggest names in oil and gas production nowadays. A process of extracting natural gases called Fracking has been the subject of debate in recent years with many people concerned with the risks associated with Fracking. Shale gas is the primary gas extracted from fracking operation and experts predict it will make up about 30 percent of the world’s natural gas production by 2040 (LSE, 2022), which has made many countries and business interested in the gas due to the high profit margins. Others are more concerned with the negative impacts that fracking might

It is used to collect natural gases and oil from Shale rock deposits by pumping fluids and materials at an enormous pressure in order to fracture the shale rock formation and collect the resources within (Heimer, A.C., MA and Davidson, T., AM 2019). The process begins by drilling a big vertical well into shale rocks. When the drill hits the rock, it starts to drill horizontally instead. Because shale gas reserves are mostly distributed horizontally which allows the drill to penetrate right above the shale that is to be fractured (Heimer, A.C., MA and Davidson, T., AM 2019). The walls of the well are covered with steel and cement to prevent the mixture of fluids and materials from escaping. After that, explosives are used to open up small holes in the casing to allow the gas to escape. The fluid used for fracking is called Slickwater, it mostly consists of water and sand. Other chemicals are included like detergents and alcohols to reduce friction and prevent corrosion. The fluid is pumped at a high pressure into the well so that it fractures the rock and allows the gas to escape and to be

Unless Slickwater is disposed of properly, the well and the earth around it can be contaminated with harmful chemicals, and if it evaporates, it can cause air pollution in nearby areas (LSE, 2022). There is also formation water which is water produced naturally down at the shale rock. This water is often harmful and has picked up other toxins such as hydrocarbons and radioactive materials. It is either buried deep underground or stored on site to let it evaporate (LSE, 2022). Both methods of disposal may still cause pollution. Other issues that affect the environment are overuse of water which can cause a shortage of water to the local area, noise pollution near the countryside or villages, because many fracking operations are close to residential areas. According to the encyclopedia of environmental health (2019) approximately 560 studies conducted on health issues related to fracking found that people who live near fracking sites are most likely to experience negative effects from fracking like air pollution or contaminated drinking water. It is also believed that pregnant women near fracking sites might have underweight babies. Another major issue that is thought to be related to fracking is earthquakes. States in the US where many fracking operations are being conducted like Ohio and Texas have experienced earthquakes. Fracking cannot cause an earthquake directly.