ipl-logo

The Pros And Cons Of Fracking

1125 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Fracking and its effects

Since the industrial revolution,oil energy consumption has risen considerably.The majority of this energy consumption is supplied by fossil fuel like coal and natural gas.For some time,there has been a lot of talk about the controversial method of extracting natural gas i.e Fracking or Hydraulic fracturing.In simple words,Fracking describes recovery of natural gas from the deep layers inside the earth.In this method porous rock is fractured with the use of water,sand and chemicals in order to release the enclosed natural gas.This technique has been known since the 1940’s.But only in the last 10 years there has been quite a fracking boom especially in the USA.This is because more conventional natural gas sources in America and Europe have been …show more content…

The Anglers of the Au Sable, a Michigan environmental conservation group, and others, worry that this will deplete freshwater sources and potentially dry up rivers and streams that are key to Michigan's environmental ecological health.
Even though danger is known and theoretically could be managed,no one knows how the enclosed water will behave in the future since there are no long term study on this subject.
The chemicals used in fracking varies from the hazardous to the extremely toxic such as formic acid.Companies are not required to disclose the chemicals they use, or the formula of the mixture, in the process. That makes it difficult for local residents, or first responders, to prepare for an accident or emergency, and difficult for scientists to gauge the threat posed by the chemicals.
Incidences of earthquake occurs in almost every part of the world and hydraulic fracturing only worsens the situation because researches showed that it increases the risk for shaky grounds to take place.Fracking is believed to be the cause of Oklahoma's strongest recorded quake in 2011 and more than 180 tremors in Texas between 2008 and 2009. To start off 2015, an area of North Texas had nine confirmed earthquakes in a 24-hour period. Fracking is being investigated as the

Show More
Related
1633 Words | 7 Pages

Prior to watching Gasland 2 and Truthland, I am familiar with the term “fracking” but never took the time to look into it. After watching these two films, I realized how fracking is a controversial topic in the world of environmentalists. These two very different films explain how fracking is effecting the environment around us. Before explaining further into these films, we need to know what fracking really means. Fracking is “a process by which the rock is split so that natural gas can flow to the surface,” defined by Terry Engelder, a professor of geosciences at Penn State University.

Read More
736 Words | 3 Pages

Fracking involves drilling a hole into the ground and injecting a combination of fluids and chemicals into the shale. The fracking fluid contains upwards of 600 different chemicals (David). The pressure of the fluid is what causes the shale to fracture, then releases natural gas. That fracking fluid is what is really dangerous, as this is what poses the biggest threat, since many of those chemicals are extremely dangerous and some are completely unknown by the public. After the fracking process is complete, the fracking water, known as flowback, which includes water, chemicals and additives, is either collected and transferred to holding-tanks or it is injected back into the ground for storage

Read More
462 Words | 2 Pages

SUMMARY Journalist, Nick Stockton, in the article, “Fracking’s Problems Go Deeper Than Water Pollution,” published in June 2015, addresses the topic of hydraulic fracturing and argues that fracking has more negative consequences than one might think. Stockton supports his claim first by appealing emotionally through a short summary of a recent event involving fracking and also by utilizing evidence to back up his statements. The author’s overall purpose is to highlight outcomes of fracking in order to make more people aware of issues that can arise from this common way of obtaining energy. Stockton utilizes a scientific, yet critical tone in order to create an unbiased article and appeal to his audience’s concern for the well being of the

Read More
1632 Words | 7 Pages

FRACKING AND ITS CRITICISM Since the mid-80s, The First Nations and their leaders have raised numerous concerns about the failure of the government and industries in Canada to properly consult them before developing any of their lands. Fracking is a technique used in stimulating the fracturing of rocks through the use of pressurized liquid. The fluid used comprises of hot water, sand, and proppants that are thickened using appropriate agents. The fluid enters the deep-rock and makes it possible to have natural gas, petroleum and brine flow up. If the pressure is removed, the grains in the proppants are capable of keeping the fractures while open.

Read More
159 Words | 1 Pages

Fracking one well can take millions of gallons of water, but it 's not just water. In the water there are chemicals, helping to break down the rock. According to the article, Fracking Fury, “ the fluids consist of millions of gallons of water, chemical additives, and proppants” (2 AT). Chemicals like benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene are shot down into a well. The author claims that, “Critics are nervous the cocktail of fluids will leak”(2.3).

Read More
460 Words | 2 Pages

Brianna Laranjo Mr. Wylam Biology, p.4 5/24/16 Hydraulic Fracturing Debate Earthquakes, water contamination, and mass water wasting. These three things sound pretty terrible, right? Well these are some of the possible outcomes of fracking, or hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing is basically a method of releasing natural gas from rock deep inside of the Earth. Because of the risks that the questionable method poses, the U.S should be working to limit the practice of fracking.

Read More
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.

Read More
1598 Words | 7 Pages

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.

Read More
49 Words | 1 Pages

1. Even though fracking reduces carbon emissions, it is still harmful to the environment. For example: water pollution/contamination. There can be accidental seeping of the chemicals (possibly carcinogenic) and can contaminate groundwater around the site due to bad practice (this imposes harm to both the ecosystem and people 's health).

Read More
1778 Words | 8 Pages

The society that is present today depends on multiple ways to obtain fossil fuels in order to have energy for multiple processes. However, there is much environmental impact that occur when these methods are implemented, most of which are negative. One of those methods of obtaining fossil fuels is hydraulic fracking. The process of fracking occurs when pipes are drilled into the shale rocks and then high pressured water and chemicals are sent down. This causes gas to come back up to the surface, but also has chemical leakage into groundwater which is above the shale rocks.

Read More
721 Words | 3 Pages

With the increased scale of fracking in Texas, one might wonder if the oil boom is affecting our water supply. The value of water in Texas is deeply cherished considering Texas’s dry climate and long-standing droughts. One may even wonder if Texas is valuing its water as much as it is its oil. As research furthers, we can begin to weigh the positive and negative effects of oil fracking. By providing overwhelming data on oil fracking

Read More
579 Words | 3 Pages

Recently, on January 7th 2016, there was an earthquake caused by fracking, in Oklahoma, where earthquakes are rare. This particular quake was a 4.8 on the Richter Scale, which is the highest ever recorded. It occurred in the center of the state, was felt all over. Also, within the past week, there have been more than 20 quakes all over the state. in recent years, since 2011, earthquakes have occurred more and more often.

Read More
340 Words | 2 Pages

Thesis statement The benefits of natural gas hydraulic fracking do not justify the adverse effects it causes through continuous earthquakes, pollution of the water table, or potential health hazards to human populations. This subject is interesting to me because I work for a natural gas company. I have had many conversations with other employees regarding natural gas fracking, and most of them are biased to the views of the drilling companies which means they do not see any harm in it. There also used to be companies fracking for natural gas in Arkansas on the Fayetteville Shell. The number of small earthquakes did rise (3.0 or smaller), but there was nothing resulting in a large amount of devastation.

Read More
679 Words | 3 Pages

Therefore, fracking will not continue because of its bad reputation. Fracking companies should also list the chemicals used in fracking fluids so that the contamination in water can be reversed. Linda Dong from dangersoffracking.com clearly explains that the underground water that is contaminated is permanent damage. Without knowing the chemicals in fracking fluids, better alternatives to harmful chemicals cannot be found. However, the fracking fluid that is left underground damages the environment that we live in.

Read More
943 Words | 4 Pages

People complain about pollution from factories, cars, global warming, and the melting of polar ice caps, yet many people disregard the dangerous that come with fracking. Fracking is the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks, and/or boreholes to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas. Fracking is causing an epidemic economically and environmentally. Fracking is continuously destroying the earth day by day. From the endless fracking today’s economy is depleting.

Read More

More about The Pros And Cons Of Fracking

Related Topics

Open Document