Fossil Fuels : The World 's Primary Energy Source

In today's global economy, energy is one of the most crucial and sought after commodities. Who supplies it and how much they supply determines how much influence they have over other countries as well as the global economy. This is why hydraulic fracturing is currently such an important and controversial topic in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as "fracking" or hydrofracturing, is the process of using pressurized liquids to fracture rocks and release hydrocarbons such as shale gas, which burns more efficiently than coal. This booming process of energy production provides a much needed economic boost, creating jobs and providing gas energy for Americans. The efficiently burning shale gas reduces carbon

This article tries to advocate fracking by giving insights on how safe fracking is for the environment. To begin with, a brief description is given as to how fracking is done to extract natural gas. Views of Manhattan Institute senior fellow Robert Bryce which compare the CO2 emissions in 2002 and 2012 show a drop of 8% due to surge in shale gas production, which reduced coal usage. Water usage and other resources like land and habitat protection for wild animals has been presented in the article to highlight how fracking is much environment friendly compared to other energy sources, even wind and solar.

Fracking refers to the process of drilling into the earth, which is commonly referred to as hydraulic fracturing. This injection of water, sand, and chemicals especially in shale deposits releases oil or gas that has been trapped for many years that was initiated many years ago for the purpose of oil and gas extraction from the earth (Anderson and Bosselmann, 2013). The process can be carried out both vertically or horizontally such that it creates new pathways or extend already existing ones. The process causes a lot of controversy and at the same time, it acts as a potential key that will someday in the future unlock greater sources of energy (Bamberger and Oswald, 2014). This research therefore seeks to look at the positive aspects of the

The global crisis surrounding energy needs grows in severity as time goes by and in order to solve it, scientists have created the innovative solution known as hydraulic fracturing (Source 5). Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as “fracking,” is a process that injects water, chemicals, sand, and other materials into layers of shale. The injected mixture cracks the layers of shale, releasing trapped natural gasses that can be collected (Source 1). Fracking occurs deep under the surface of the earth, miles below the groundwater that is accessed from drinking-water wells. In the mid-2000s, “fuel prices were rising rapidly” (Source 5). Hydraulic fracturing was a cheap solution that not only brought the world out of a state of emergency but made oil prices drop. The new method of gas collection grew the oil and gas industry, benefiting people all around the world. Fracking is a cheap, effective solution to global needs, but is under attack from skeptics who worry about environmental hazards. The claims against fracking not only have no real evidence but also risk destroying the jobs in the oil and gas industry as well as support for energy needs. Hydraulic fracturing is not only a cheap but a safe method that supports global needs surrounding both energy and jobs.

There has been a recent push to develop unconventional ways to obtain fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas in the United States and as well as over seas. Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” has come into play recently and there is much controversy over the developed methods of obtaining oil and gas. Supporters for fracking have claimed that the new technology will spark an economic growth with jobs, as well as an alternative energy source, but there are also risks that go into fracking, which citizens of the surrounding areas are opposed because fracking can have long lasting and hazardous effects not only on the environment, but on the people in the surrounding community.

In 2000, shale beds where the number one source of America’s constant need for gas. Most of that production increase has come about to the growing need of hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking”, which is a process used to release oil or gas from underground formations that are otherwise too hard to mine with other tools. Over the past few years, advances in fracking technology have made huge reserves of natural gas in America economically recoverable. According to the Energy Information Administration, shale gas plays, or fields, in the United States, most notably the Marcellus, in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New York, and the Barnett, in Texas, are said to contain enough natural gas to give power to the country for a hundred and ten years. With the everlasting specter of energy independence, some have argued that such efforts to recover natural gas need to be expanded. Activists concerned with fracking’s potential environmental hazards view the new process as a serious threat to our environment. There are many different opinions on wether or not fracking is a safe way to gain our gasoline, and to meet the growing demands of gasoline around the world. The process of fracking creates cracks that come from wells into oil and gas formations by pumping highly pressurized fluids, ceramic beads, sand, and a mixture of chemicals, into the gas formation. As this fluid holds the underground fissures open, oil and gas fly up the well to the surface where they are

Hydraulic fracturing, which is more commonly known as “fracking”, is a term that many people may have heard about, but actually have very little knowledge on. Fracking is a topic that is highly controversial between people who work in the industry, scientists, and environmental professionals. Fracking has been around for a long time, but it’s only been in the past thirty years that it’s really taken off in what is known as the shale gas boom. As our sources of energy dwindle down it becomes important to consider our future and look into new sources of affordable and sustainable energy. People in the fracking industry praise the many benefits of hydraulic fracking, saying that is already being used to offset much of our current energy costs, and many consider it to be the future of all of our energy needs.

In this comprehensive research paper from a journal, Benjamin Sovacool provides both the pros and cons of hydraulic fracturing and outlines how shale gas extraction is a potential for growth or decline. He provides the idea that fracking costs significantly less than other fossil fuels, which is growing exponentially lower in price over the years. Sovacool also mentions that fracking has a cleaner environmental footprint than coal and oil. In contrast, towards the end of the journal he proposes a holistic view on how to improve fracking.

Hydraulic Fracturing (also commonly known as fracking) is a process used to extract natural gasses deep within the earth. This is done by drilling vertically into the ground until the desired depth; then drilling horizontally; and pumping millions of gallons of water, sand, and other chemicals into the drill at a high pressure to create fissures through which the gas can escape. Currently, hydraulic fracturing is extensively used in the United States in order to access fossil fuel energy deposits which were previously inaccessible. Although fossil fuels can now be accessed easily through this process, there are many health and environmental risks associated with fracking that may make it less than ideal. For instance, fracking can contaminate drinking water, increase air pollution, and leave workers and near-by residents open to many health risks. Although there have been laws and regulations passed to help minimize the risks involved with fracking, an in-depth analysis of the opinions of supporters of fracking and the research behind it will show how fracking needs to be further regulated in order to be safe and effective for everyone. While we do not have to completely stop the use of fracking, improving the fracking process or reforming the current laws and regulations can allow us to receive the economic benefits of fracking, while also being environmentally and health conscious.

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,

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known and hereby referred to as fracking, has been around for decades- but it seems that it has only recently become a prominent point of contention in our society. Fracking is considered an unconventional technique for harvesting natural gas and oil. Where conventional wells drill straight down and can only collect from more free-flowing deposits, fracking allows for horizontal drilling into shale deposits and uses water pressure to enlarge pre-existing fractures- freeing up otherwise unobtainable fuel. First used by Halliburton in 1949 (Beaver 179), fracking has been credited as having wide variety of economic and environmental benefits. Recently however, it has come under fire as being a dangerous and dirty source of energy. Using the articles “Should We Frack?” by Bruce Beaver, and "Cornucopia or Curse? Reviewing the Costs and Benefits of Shale Gas Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking),” by B.K. Sovacool, I will evaluate the merits and detriments of the fracking process. By examining its environmental, public health and safety, and economic effects- I will show that fracking is not stable, safe, or clean enough to be considered an effective, long-term source of energy.

` The continuous use of fossil fuels is leading the Earth on a path to destruction. Generations of advancement and technological innovation being brought down to rubble. Natural disasters wreaking havoc on innocent people across the world. Temperatures soaring above 125℉ globally. These are the results of the excessive use of fossil fuels. A chief concern in the 21st century is global warming and climate change, and the continued use of fossil fuels for the technology and daily lives of humans is key to blame. Decades ago, these problems were much more daunting and seemingly unsolvable than they are today, with the use of alternative energy sources and new

Hydraulic Fracking is a drilling method developed for the extraction of energy resources buried beneath shale formations located deep below the Earth’s surface. The practice of vertical drilling has been safely performed for more than 50 years, but the recent development of horizontal drilling has exposed the practice to harsh scrutinization. Vertical drilling inserts pipe directly into the shale formations allowing for limited access to pockets of methane. The last 10 to 15 years has brought about the development of horizontal drilling, which allows drilling to be conducted with greater economic benefit. The process splinters shale formations horizontally, allowing the escape of larger amounts of methane. The methane travels through fractures and eventually is stored for transport. Proponents of hydraulic fracking contend the practice is safe, provides jobs, and is healthier for the environment than fossil fuels. Opponents postulate the practice pollutes the water table, is a health risk, is a viable danger to the climate, and causes earthquakes. The

Fracking, a technique used to extract natural gas and oil from the earth 's subterranean rocks, is by no means a new thing. As the United States strives for energy independence, the number of wells produced by hydraulic fracturing has increased substantially. This method of harvesting natural gas and oil may contribute to pollution and has become a controversial topic. It is important to understand the pros and cons of fracking before drawing conclusions. Analyzing the economic and environmental effects of hydraulic fracking will show that fracking has economic benefits, while its environmental impact is no greater than that of other energy sources.

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is the process of drilling wells thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface to extract natural gas deposits that are trapped in shale layers. Large amounts of a solution containing water, sand, and chemicals are shot down the well to fracture the shale layers, thus releasing the desired product. Natural gas is seen as a potential solution to the energy dilemma that faces the world today. However, the process of fracking and the advantages and disadvantages it poses to the environment are heavily debated. In order to gather a real idea of viability of fracking, all issues must be taken in to account and the subject must be looked at from multiple perspectives.