Fracking: Greenhouse Gas and Water

Hydraulic fracking is putting a pressurized mixture of water, sand, and chemicals deep into the Earth to release oil and other gas. Not only does hydraulic fracking use enough water annually to supply five million people a year, but it some environmentalist believe it may contaminate the water (Dechert, 2015). In 2016, The State Senate committee in Florida turned down a bill to regulate hydraulic fracking even though nearly eight counties and cities either ban or opposes this new technique (Alvarez, 2016). Haliburton Co. is regulating themselves by setting a goal to use twenty-five percent less water for hydraulic fracking by the end of 2014. Some also believe that hydraulic fracking is not harming the water supply and is actually decreasing the amount of water used to sustain an oil driven society (Fracking Does Not, 2015). According to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2015, there are no “widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States” (Fractured Thinking, 2016). No matter the case, city officials and corporations are going to have to work together to reduce the amount of contaminated water in this

It’s been over 65 years since fracking first began as a method of extraction by oil and gas companies, but the government has done little to regulate the catastrophic practice. How anyone could consider injecting tens of thousands of gallons of water and chemicals deep into the ground being a good idea is beyond me. Those chemicals include chlorine, acetone, benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, and almost 600 other chemicals that fracking operations won’t even reveal to the public. These chemicals, despite denial by all major natural gas and oil companies that practice fracking, almost always end up in groundwater supplies. I’m sure you’ve seen at least one video online of someone who lives near a fracking site lighting the water coming out of their faucet on fire. Thanks to a ruling in 2005 under the Bush administration, fracking operations are exempt from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean

During the process of fracking, water is first taken to the fracking site and is then mixed with chemicals and sand to make a fracking fluid. After the water mixture is created, “The fracking fluid is then pressure injected into the ground through a drilled pipeline” (“What Goes”). Once the fluid reaches the end of the well, “high pressure causes the nearby shale rock to crack, creating fissures where natural gas flows into the well” (“What Goes”). Due to the process of fracking, many effects occur, some positive and some negative.

Natural gas has supplied energy to humanity since the 19th century, it offers great jobs, and is more affordable than other energy sources. Without fossil fuels/natural gas it would harder and more expensive to have everyday energy. With fracking being a big part in today’s world, people still wonder if the chemicals used are really dangerous and if there is another way to make them more earth

To define fracking in latent terms, it’s the process of injecting liquids into rock at high pressures in order to extract oil and gas. The biggest concern looming over this growing industry is the environmental risks that it poses. Everyone wants oil, but no one wants it in their backyard. The cities of Texas are taking the position that fracking has more disadvantages environmentally than it has benefits that outweigh those costs. Not only is clean air in danger, but water sources are vulnerable to this environmentally-unfriendly commerce. The most common liquid used for fracking is water, and very large amounts of water are consistently required, but where is all of this water coming from? Other concerns that fracking causes such as contamination, “methane gas and toxic chemicals leach out from the system and contaminate nearby groundwater. Methane concentrations are 17 times higher in drinking-water wells near fracturing sites than in normal wells”

A relatively new process for extracting desired shale oil from the bowels of the earth seems to be shaking things up around operation sites. Environmentalists and oil tycoons have been debating for years over the safety of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, since areas with a high concentration of fracking operations have been affected by several environmental problems. Though many scientists argue that correlation does not necessarily mean causation, the media and many environmentalists use these environmental problems around fracking sites as proof of the long term damage fracking causes. Although it has domesticated the oil industry and reduced usage of coal as a fuel source, fracking is undoubtedly related to many detrimental environmental impacts, such as water table pollution and increased seismic activity.

Russell Gold, an award winning journalist, states in The Boom: How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World:

Fracking is the process of drilling into the earth and injecting water, sand, and chemicals into the rock at intense pressure in order to release natural gas back into a well (“What is Fracking…” 1). In 2005, when the Environmental Protection Agency excluded fracking from the Safe Drinking Water Act, this really was the turning point for drillers (Stockton 2). While the resources of oil and gas and now more easily accessible due to recent fracking, this process has become an environmental issue that has negative effects (“What is Fracking…” 6). Water waste, increased release of methane, air pollution, and earthquakes are all examples of this (Loki 1-5).

It is believed this is leading to water price increases as well (Loki (2015)). Air pollution is also occurring in several communities near where fracking is going on (Loki (2015)). They are experiencing 39% increase in radon concentration (Loki (2015)). This also causes a concern for babies because they are susceptible to what they breath in from the surrounding air (Loki (2015)). Many scientists believe that the fracking process also can be linked to earthquakes due to the loosening of the soil and the injection of the wastewater into the soil (Loki (2015)). The release of the methane also causes a heat increase because of the additional greenhouse gases (Loki (2015)). These are just a few of the main concerns with fracking and how it affects the environment.

Although oil companies uphold the idea that fracking is a cheaper and efficient, fracking damages the local water, air and soil in the surrounding cities. According to the Science of Total Environment, scientists speculate that wells require up to 5 million gallons of fluid per extraction event, which would require tons of chemicals including benzene, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides to unconventionally bring out the shale gas (Werner et al. 2014). The lengthy list of air pollutants, most of which are combustible, suggests that both human health and the environment are at risk and the surrounding water aquifers located near the horizontal wells could also be damaged. The amount of water needed for extraction also demonstrates the strain the process of fracking has on the environment and local water supply. Similarly, the potency of methane is 20 times worse than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas, which is further aggravated by the process of flaring (Weinhold 2012). Thus, flaring and fracking serves not only as a nuisance to the community through the health hazards and water pollution, but can worsen the status of global climate

Natural gas exploration began in the late 1940s’ to extract the natural gas located in underground reserves. The process consisted of digging a vertical well into the ground to release gas trapped in relatively

Fracking is also referred as hydraulic fracturing in which rock is fractured by a pressurized liquid to further create cracks and openings underground to extract more free flowing components such as natural gas, petroleum, and brine. Millions of ‘frac’ jobs have been performed on oil and gas wells worldwide to further extract more shale gas, tight gas, tight oil and coral seam gas. This highly controversial issue of greed and depletion of deeply bounded fossil fuels is extremely important. The argumentative basis of this matter is between those whom benefit and have more readily available accessible hydrocarbons and the people who are aware of the potential hazardous environmental effects. Hydraulic fracturing greatly threatens the risk of ground and surface water contamination, air pollution, noise pollution, and the consequential triggering of earth quakes and hazardous long-term effects that are unknown. This is highly controversial considering the industry that is already in power of fossil fuel extraction is highly powerful and ran by both government powers and mass corporate powers with much control on those who regulate. I am on the opposing side of the fossil greedy powerful organizations who push for fracking and believe that there are surely alternative solutions. I am personally interested in the issue of fracking because I know how important and vital clean ground and surface water are for human survival and also because I am terrified of the technology mankind has came to power over that in which threatens and potentially could trigger disasters that we have no control over such as earthquakes and sinking of the land. There are many issues amongst my major that I cold have focused on but I believe in this current day the largest problems surround the ever so greedy and extreme measures mankind will take to have power over natural resources,

Have you ever imagine the earth run out of resources, especially gasoline? The most significant energy we use to take for granted may be in tight supply. It would be a major inconvenience for us. That’s why I am here to discuss about it, that’s why I am here to save the earth, and that’s why I want all of you to join with me today. With fossil fuels nearing extinction, the United States has very limited options for providing the country’s millions of energy consumers with an energy source that is affordable and cost effective ; therefore, the solution is hydraulic fracking, also known as “fracking,” Natural Gas has the capabilities of fueling American cars and homes for the next hundred years, and the best part is the United States is the largest supplier of natural gas. Let’s broke it down to 3 major parts: first, how fracking natural gas affects our environment, second how it is going to boost up the economy, and third how it makes the United States becomes energy independent.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas. Scientists are worried that the chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled and sometimes spilled on the surface. The natural gas industry defends hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, as safe and efficient. Thomas J. Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, a pro-industry non-profit organization, claims fracking has been “a widely deployed as safe extraction technique,” dating back to 1949. What he doesn’t say is that until recently energy

The myth on how natural gas is a better source of energy is not true. By this point there’s that question in your head: if hydraulic fracturing is so bad…then why hasn’t it been stopped? There are many answers to that question, one is because it has been said that hydraulic fracturing provides people with jobs, and our economy will be better. Another is because even after all the evidence, gas companies refuse to take responsibility for their actions, using the excuse that it is not their fault. Whether we like it or not people need the money that fracking is producing and some are willing to take the risk and give fracking companies the right to their land and the resources for money to help pay for their daily needs and to help provide for their family. There are people out there, people who realize the harmful effects that fracking can cause, and these people are the one who are fighting for the purity and future of