Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking” is a reservoir stimulation technique. In other words, it can be defined as a process of deeply drilling down into the Earth and injecting high-pressurized water mixture, which contains water, sand and other chemicals into the ground. After having been pumped into the ground, the fracking fluid creates cracks in deep-rock formations, allowing oil and gas to flow out of the well. The phrase “gas shale” refers to natural gas that is extracted from deep hard rock formations by using fracking. The shale gas production nowadays involves six steps: seismic exploration, pad construction, vertical and horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, sustained production and waste disposal. It is obvious that …show more content…
Recently, there have been a lot of studies on how shale gas production impacts water aquifers. According to credible sources, the amount of water involved in hydraulic fracturing could be up to 4 million gallons per well. This water, however, is injected back into the wells after being used without going through any treatments. With the explosion of shale gas production, billions of wells have been drilled over the past 50 years led to the consumption of an enormous amount of water, resulted in water scarcity around the world. It is reported that the majority water sources of the world are being threaten and about 1.7 billion people would suffer from clean water scarcity. Along with the degradation of water availability, fracking fluids involve the use of hazardous chemicals which can contaminate underground water sources if lack of proper treatments. Published reports have point out that about 700 hazardous chemicals were found in the pressurized liquid including strontium, uranium, radon and other radioactive materials might leak out of the drilling wells and contaminate aquifers. These chemicals are believed to be carcinogenic and causes other health problems such as blood disorders and respiratory problems. In Wyoming, hazardous compounds in fracking fluids were reported to exist in drinking wells near fracking sites. Another study of drinking water wells in Pennsylvania was conducted, giving the result that methane contamination in drinking water has grown rapidly with the increasing production of shale gas. In his published article, Myers T. argued that “there is substantial geologic evidence that fracking will greatly shorten the transportation time that most toxic contaminants cycle toward the surface, reducing what would ordinarily take tens of
Before starting the process of fracking the drilling site must be suitable. The site must be four to six acres, cleared from large equipment, and have plastic lines placed for drilling waste . In addition, their must be a water impoundment with about 4 million gallons of water that is collected and stored in order to be pumped into the well. This water is transferred by tanks, trucks, or plastic-lined ponds . Hydraulic fracturing processes begins by drilling a vertical well. The drilling goes through aquifers and dozens of geological layers before it reaches desired location of shale rocked believed to contain natural gas. The drill begins drilling horizontally and a production casing is then inserted into the borehole which is surrounded by cement to case it. Next, a perforating gun is fired to make the shale rock more penetrable. A mixture of water, sand, and various undisclosed chemicals are then pumped in at high pressure in order to fracture/break the shale for the gas to escape. After the fissures in the shale rock occur the natural gas is released through the fissures and is taken up the well to the surface. Last, the water byproduct, also referred to as flow back water or produced water is released and travels back to the surface. The gas that is collected is then processed, refined, and shipped to distributors
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process used to excavate oil and gas trapped in shale rock.
The issue of whether we should continue fracking without research has been widely debated around the world. The issue is important because it has fundamental environmental concerns and economic questions about the process of hydraulic fracturing. “Fracking” is the process of penetrating down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is absorbed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand, and chemicals are then inserted into the rock with compression which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well. Fracking fluid, which can be polluted with heavy metals like arsenic, known human carcinogens, has seeped into local waterways and polluted groundwater. People who live near fracking wells have a heightened danger of developing cancer, asthma, and other serious ailments associated with inhaling or ingesting the toxic chemicals involved in the fracking process. Countries approach fracking and researching much differently from each other. The injection of fluid into shale beds at high pressure to extract petroleum resources has been happening across the United States of America at rapid pace. By 2003, a gigantic public relations campaign was launched to lobby Congress to pass what is
Fracking is the process where pressurized water is injected into shale beds, or layers of sedimentary rock, which opens the rock to release oil and natural gas. Fracking is dangerous for many reasons, but one of the strongest affects it has is on our drinking water. Anywhere from 2 to 8 million gallons of water are used to frack only one well. Shockingly, just 10 percent of the water used returns to the surface. However, water isn’t the only thing being put in the ground- a “toxic stew” of chemicals and sand are also added. Over 40,000 gallons of chemicals are used every time we frack. The chemicals in the fracking mixture can make its way to our groundwater, harming the
Another reason why the United States must make fracking illegal is because it can have a negative effect on water sources. During fracking, the fluid, which consists of over 596 toxic chemicals, is pumped into the ground, soon after, once all of the gas is extracted from the operation, some of that fluid stays deep underground, and becomes increasingly toxic as it comes picks up radioactivity, or other underground contaminants (White). These fluids can sink into aquifers and turn water into a noxious mix, even the water that comes back up is almost untreatable after coming in contact with these chemicals (Griswold). Although the dangers are well known, it is no surprise that water sources have already been contaminated due to inattentiveness.
As explained earlier fracking or hydraulic fracking is the extraction of natural gasses from shell rock deep beneath the earth’s surface. Fracking makes it possible to extract and produce natural gases that were once unreachable with other
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method in which a high pressured water, sand, and chemical mix is injected into a well in order to fracture rock leading to the releases of gas or oil to the surface, see Figure 1 for illustration. Fracking was invented in the 1940s but has only become economical in the past few decades due to advancements in technology. The top fracking regions in the
The drive to satisfy the nation's insatiable appetite for energy has driven over 31 states to adopt a process of natural gas extraction known as hydraulic fracturing. "Used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells," fracking entails pumping "millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals"¦to break apart the rock and release the gas" (What is hydraulic fracking, 2013, Pro Publica). The chemicals are necessary to transform the water "into a frictionless mass that works its way deep into the earth, prying open tiny cracks that can extend thousands of feet. The particles of sand or silicon wedge inside those cracks, holding the earth open just enough to allow the gas to slip by" (What is hydraulic fracking, 2013, Pro Publica). Cash-strapped states have embraced fracking with a vengeance: it often brings jobs to rural areas with extremely high levels of unemployment.
Hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, is the process of removing oil and natural gas from in between layers of shale and other low-permeability rocks. This is done by drilling both a well and a horizontal tunnel. Sand and chemicals are shot through the tunnel with incredible pressure, which cracks the shale allowing the oil and natural gas to travel up the well (Jackson, 2014). Fracking has caused a breadth of controversy due to the economic benefits and the geological consequences.
Fracking is a shorter form of Hydraulic Fracturing which is the extraction process of both natural gas and oil. The process involves drilling deep into the Earth’s surface. Fractures are then created by “pumping large quantities of fluids at high pressure down a welfare and into the target rock formation” (EPA, 2016). After making these openings for the gas or oil to come up (known as “flowback”) the materials can be stored. The reason the fracking process occurs is because “more usual methods of extraction may not be able to fully reach the deposits of shale gas and oil” (2015).
“DEC 's own review identified dozens of potential significant adverse impacts of (fracking)” (Krisberg 18). There are some potential impacts in the fracking process, it will bring a lot of health risks to people. The major constituents of produced water are salt content, oil and grease, various inorganic and organic chemicals, and naturally occurring radioactive material. Salt content in produced water makes the freshwater to salt levels up higher than seawater. Oil and grease makes freshwater is getting oily. Various inorganic and organic chemicals are found naturally in the formation or are chemical additives used during drilling and operation of the well, such as benzene and methane. “Many of the fracking additives are toxic, carcinogenic or mutagenic” (Howarth, Ingraffea 272). This quote tells us that why fracking is contaminating the drinking water. Benzene are one major concern. “The state of Texas reports benzene concentrations in air in the Barnett shale area that sometimes exceed acute toxicity standards” (Howarth, Ingraffea 273). It shows benzene makes drinking water is getting contaminated. “Methane contamination of drinking water reservoirs has been documented in fracking-rich areas of the US. Leading to dramatic videos of seemingly ignitable tap water” (Benusic, 238). This quote tells us that the drinking water is getting contaminated by Methane is proved already. Radioactive material in
Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking, as it more commonly known, is a very controversial topic across the globe. In the United States, its status remains the same. Hydraulic fracturing is a method of oil and natural gas production. The process includes the drilling of pipes 1-1.5 miles within the earth. After that pipe is secured and has an impermeable layer around the pipe, a tool that creates small holes within the impermeable layer is sent down through the pipe. It creates holes in the pipe that allows pressurized water and sand to flow out of the pipe and into small cracks, or creating new cracks within the earth. These cracks are held open with the sand that is carried along with the pressurized water. After all cracks have been created
Some of the negative effects are health issues and earthquakes. While the fracking takes place poison gas, and chemicals get out and contaminates the nearby water. That same water is used for drinking, bathing, cleaning in the surrounding communities (Loki). "There have been over 1,000 documented cases of water contamination near fracking areas as well as cases of sensory, respiratory and neurological damage due to ingested contaminated water"(Loki). The water used during the fracking process is taken out of the water cycle because most of the water will not be seen again. This is not good news for states that have droughts. Since people use water in the fracking process they are getting rid of the water causing water prices to go up
wells especially in the US. Drilling companies suggested that large quantities of shale gas can be obtained from deep in the ground through this process which is a big boost in drilling industry of especially oil and gas. However, the fracking also known as hydraulic fracturing comes with its controversy whereby, even if it makes it easy to access the hydrocarbon in the deep ground it poses an even greater threat of possible environmental impacts which would result from contamination of the ground water which eventually gets to the surface, may trigger earthquakes and also causes air and noise pollution (Howarth et al. 2011).
When a discussion comes to the topic of hydraulic fracking many people have concerns about the consequences. The people that are concerned have the right to be wary of hydraulic fracking. Numerous people do not know what fracking is, that it can increase the number of earthquakes, and contaminate well water.