“Fracking” isn’t a word that most people are familiar with unless they are well informed or active in local government or natural gas extraction. “Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves extracting natural gas from shale formations underground” (Collier, Galatas, Harrelson-Stephens, 2008). During the process known as fracking, millions of gallons of water are shot underground into shale formations to help bring the natural gas trapped inside the formations to be released so that it can surface and become available for extraction. This is the technique that is used for traditional fracking methods. Although fracking increases the states natural gas production, it also carries some negative side effects that are affecting the state and its people. When most people think of Texas they think of the booming oil industry that the state has. According to our textbook, “Texas accounts for almost one-third of the country’s natural gas production and holds almost almost a quarter of the country’s natural gas reserves.” Texas has greatly invested in the recourses that are found within the state which makes gives the state a huge economic advantage. When fracking is used to help turn out even larger quantities of natural gas, the economic impact is huge. If the state greatly invested in fracking sites and the use of both traditional and horizontal fracking, the economic gain in the near future could be huge. The state could be turning out twice the amount of natural gas as it is
First what is hydraulic fracking? Hydraulic fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are infused into the stone at high weight which permits the gas to stream out to the leader of the well. Vinik talks about the positive side of fracking but he fails to mention the harm fracking causes. Fracking wastewater contains high levels of radioactivity and other contaminants that wastewater treatments plants have had difficulty removing; this potentially contaminated wastewater can than be discharged into local rivers.In Pennsylvania, more than 3,000 gas fracking wells and allowed well locales are situated inside two miles of 320 day mind focuses, 67 schools and nine healing centers. Fracking is prohibited.excluded from key government water insurances, and elected and state controller have permitted unchecked extension of
Introduction: In the kind of world we live in today, we are in dire need of oil. Our cars need oil, our buses need it, our planes and machines. Oil and gas production are very important in order for the many tasks we do day to day and we have become dependent on it. Fracking is a process that uses high pressure water and other chemicals to gather oil under the ground. Although fracking is a fantastic way to gather oil, there have been several problems that have been occurring. In Texas many jobs and drilling locations are appearing because of the high demand for oil. Fracking is a very good way to gather natural gas however, it is causing a lot of problems for society and the environment in Texas.
First what is hydraulic fracking? Hydraulic fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are infused into the stone at high weight which permits the gas to stream out to the leader of the well. Vinik talks about the positive side of fracking but he fails to mention the harm fracking causes. Fracking wastewater contains high levels of radioactivity and other contaminants that wastewater treatments plants have had difficulty removing; this potentially contaminated wastewater can than be discharged into local rivers.In Pennsylvania, more than 3,000 gas fracking wells and allowed well locales are situated inside two miles of 320 day mind focuses, 67 schools and nine healing centers. Fracking is prohibited.excluded from key government water insurances, and elected and state controller have permitted unchecked extension of fracking, making broad natural
Not only is breathing in the methane fumes a risk to health, but also methane is flammable. In Wyoming, a leaking methane gas well burst into flames, swaying the views of several individuals (Lavelle 109). Since this well not only leaked methane but also natural gas, this fire quickly expanded and burned a large flame. This fire lasted for months until the firefighters were finally able to put it out. Copious amounts of individuals became forced to evacuate and eventually, their homes would be engulfed in the flames. Another fire broke out, but this time it was located in a home. A family in Colorado, who lived near a fracking well were enjoying supper (Lavelle 109). Shortly after supper concluded the mother turned on the sink to wash
Hydraulic Fracking is the act of shooting or drilling chemicals and liquids into the ground at a high speed in order to break the rocks and earth below. When you break the rocks, or fracture them, it releases the natural gas that is trapped inside. Fracking is a controversial topic, with benefits seen by some and devastating results seen by others. The state of Texas allows fracking, and it is a technique used all over the state. The Obama administration and the federal government believe that fracking can lead the country away from dependence on fossil fuels and into a new generation of clean energy. However, environmental agencies believe that fracking is just another energy source that is no better for the environment than coal, and leads to contaminated water. Fracking companies do not have to follow the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974, whose purpose is to protect groundwater for the people.
In order to discuss the effects of fracking, it is helpful to first understand what fracking is. Hydraulic fracturing is a process by which natural gas is extracted from deep within the ground by “drilling horizontally to reach the deposit, then forcing through a high-pressure mixture of millions of gallons of water plus sand and (often unidentified) chemicals
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, is a drilling method used for extracting oil or natural gas from deep underground. Fracking is a problem that not many see as controversial. Each human being depends on daily energy, as long as they see the cost for use of energy is cheap they won't question the actual effects it may present to the environment. The energy sources can be mined or pumped from locations worldwide. Each technique for extraction of the resource is having serious impacts on wildlife. Even worse is that fracking can have a serious impact on our water supply. Large amounts of gas now is available due to high use amount of fracking. Though fracking is used worldwide to extract gas and oil, a fracking boom has occurred
Fracking or hydraulic fracturing is the process of drilling over a mile underground to extract natural gas from shale rock deep below Earth's surface. The vertical well then turns ninety degrees horizontally to trap natural gas. Fracking makes it possible to produce natural gas from shale that were once unreachable. Horizontal drilling and vertical drilling allows fracking fluids (A mix of water, sand, and various chemicals) to insert shale area. This creates new channels in the rock and natural gas is extracted. This drilling process can take up to a month. After the drilling process is over, the well is cased with cement to keep the groundwater protected. Fracking can create over 204,500 jobs within just four years and billions of dollars. Fracking is great economically, but it also has its downsides. Crime rate has increased 16.1 percent in violent crime and a 10.3 percent in property crime statewide in 2010-2011. The increase in crime has been driven, in part, by higher crime rates in the state’s western counties where the shale oil fracking is occurring. In 2009, fracking started in Ohio. From 2009 to 2010, fracking wells increased. Earthquakes in that same area increased 125 percent as well. In 2012 the earthquakes decreased because there was no more drilling in the area. One small farm in Bradford county was offered $100 per acre from an oil company to frack on their land. Little did they know that the fracking could cause damage, so they signed the lease. When they
The fracking industry in its entirety, although surrounded by a shroud of controversy, is an economic stimulator that many do not acknowledge. The potential replacement of coal for efficient and clean energy would not be possible if it weren’t for the utilization of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, and horizontal drilling. To consider fracking as only a danger to the environment would be an overstatement while saying fracking only provides natural gas and nothing else is an understatement. It’s important to consider all of the potential benefits that fracking gives to the economy and how its minor environmental destruction could lead to an economic reconstruction. Although fracking has a negative connotation with most people,
Fracking is considered one of the most controversial methods of obtaining Earth’s natural gases. It is also known as hydraulic fracturing, which is drilling and introducing fluid (mostly water) into the ground to get certain rocks to produce natural gases. Fracking could cause devastating effects to the environment. According to the article “Hydraulic Fracturing 101” on the web-site earthworks.com, fracking can not only use up a lot of water, but it can also contaminate groundwater. Two to ten million gallons of water can be used to fracture a single well. Also the water used to fracture has many additives, such as hydrochloric acid, that can prove deadly to those who come in contact with them. In “Hydraulic Fracturing 101” it stated that
Hydraulic fracturing is a controversial practice commonly used by oil and natural gas producers. This practice, better known as “fracking”, is used to stimulate the production of oil by fracturing shale to release natural gas. The birth of modern day hydraulic fracturing began as early as the 1940s and today it is widely practiced across the United States, from New York, to Oklahoma, even all the way to California. The process of fracking is fairly simple, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) involves tapping shale and other tight-rock formations by drilling a mile or more below the surface before turning horizontal and continuing to drill several thousand feet more (Energy from
Changes with the process of fracking often called slick water high pressure horizontal drilling have become common in recent years are having devastating effects on people, their livestock as well as on communities as a whole. The toxic and often carcinogenic chemicals used in the process and as a result of the methods used are often contaminating water supplies. Air quality is also being greatly affected due to side effects from this method of resource extraction and greenhouse gas emissions both created by technology and equipment fails. Several social conflicts and issues arise around this practice too. This video considered these problems as well as the ethicacy of policies, industry practices, and behavior surrounds fracking operations. We will be looking at the ethical evaluation of this practice by Rabbi Mordechai Liebling from Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and support for his perspective of the ethical practices by other participants in this documentary. Rabbi Liebling approaches the issue of the practice of fracking by the oil and gas industry from a land ethic point of view.
Fracking is the breaking of rocks in order to release oil gases stuck inside them. They do this by drilling down real deep and pump a mixture of water, sand and chemicals. The mixture causes rocks to crack and release oil gases and are pushed into a container. Of course there are benefits to fracking, but there are major negative effects of fracking. Mostly effects that affect our population.A primary example of negative effects is the contamination of drinking water for people (Source C). This is very bad because it affects a huge amount of the population the the United States if the water is contaminated. The contaminated water cannot be clean or purified through normal means making it nearly impossible to clean. “Water for fracking is typically
The process of fracking is also beneficial to the United States economy because it creates new opportunities for consumers and business. Extracting and developing natural gas comes with risks, like with any other energy resource. But if the risk is well managed, it results in great jobs for hardworking Americans and is a more efficient use of our domestic energy resources. Pennsylvania allowed development throughout the Marcellus Shale; and the economic benefits were significant. Thousands of solid jobs with good salaries were created and investment in the state soared. The steel, lumber, concrete, and construction industries, along with the manufacturing purchases and retail spending, all benefited from the resulting natural gas boom. According
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is a process used to extract natural gas from deep shale reserves 5,000-8,000 feet below the ground surface. This process allows energy companies to access previously unavailable energy sources in states that have deep oil and gas reserves. The fracking process involves pumping a mixture of water, chemicals and sand at high pressure into a well, which fractures the surrounding rock formation and props open passages that allow natural gas to freely flow from rock fractures to the production well. Once the well is developed, the carrying fluid can then flow back to the ground surface along with the gas.