In recent years, the subject of hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking has been a constant subject of interest in the news media. The pros and cons of fracking are passionately debated. However, the public should become educated on the subject of fracking prior to choosing a side of the argument. In the scholarly article, “Super Fracking,” published in 2014, by Donald L. Trucotte, Eldridge M. Moores, and John B. Rundle, a detailed description of fracking is provided, followed by their analysis of current issues surrounding the controversy. According to Trucotte, Moores, and Rundle, fracking saves the consumer money. The wellhead cost to produce natural gas in January of 2000 was two dollars and sixty cents per one thousand cubic feet. At an alarming rate, the cost at the wellhead to produce natural gas had risen to eight dollars per one thousand cubic feet by January of 2006. Comfortingly, the wellhead cost dropped to two dollars and eighty-nine cents by the end of 2012. Impressively, gas production increase and price decrease over the time period are a result of fracking. In their article, Trucotte, Moores, and Rundle describe in great detail that hydraulic fracturing, most commonly referred to as fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth to fracture the layers of rock so that a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the oil or natural gas inside. This method of fracking has been used commercially for the last fifty years.
“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.
Isiah Griffith Mr. Jack Writing for the Humanities, period 3 17 November 2017 For the past twenty to thirty years, hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking, has been the number one source of natural gas, oil, and energy in the United States. The process of fracking is that a well is built above the ground and then a drill digs several thousand feet deep into the ground to extract the oil and natural gas that is trapped inside of rock formations. Fracking is very controversial because of the cost of the process and the environmental “threats” that it poses. From methane emissions to earthquakes, fracking has been accused to be linked with several environmental issues. To prevent any environmental dangers, states place regulations and boundaries that energy companies have to follow in order to build a well and keep it up and running. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also works with states to help regulate these wells. More importantly, fracking in the United States is very important and acts as a bridge to the future. While it may be argued that hydraulic fracturing is not beneficial to the economy and harmful to the environment, fracking in the United States should not be banned because fracking is not only imperative to the growth of jobs and the economy, but it also does not put the surrounding environment in danger.
Life: Twenty Years Later In 2026, life in Dimock, Pennsylvania was a lot different than how it was twenty years ago. This is evident by all the new advances in technology within the two decades. However, what changed the town the most was the hydraulic fracturing boom back in the mid-2000s.
While the government states that fracking poses little threat to the environment, Wheeler is absolutely correct when stating that there is indeed a significant threat, as there is a copious amount of evidence that supports this. After viewing Fox’s documentary and reading various articles on fracking, there is no doubt that the quality of water and wildlife in the affected areas are at a serious risk. Wayne Smith, a farmer in Clearville, Pennsylvania, earned a large sum of money after leasing his 105-acre farm to a gas company for drilling, however, he now is regretting that decision. As a result of the drilling performed on his property, Smith realized that, “his livestock mysteriously dropped dead after having motor-skill breakdowns; a veterinarian said the deaths could be attributed to arsenic, high levels of which were found in water on Smith’s property” (Bateman 38). This threat to the wildlife has an overwhelming affect on those who rely on their livestock as their income. This lost income, as a result of fallen livestock, hits these families hard. Not only can they not drink their water, but they are also now faced with their families livelihood disappearing. Debbie May, a resident that Fox interviewed in his documentary, also experienced significant health problems with her animals. Fox describes the conditions of her cats by stating, “their hair was falling out” and
If John D. Rockefeller, one of the first oil tycoons, were to look at the oil industry today, would he believe his eyes? With millions of oil barrels being imported and exported each year, the oil industry has changed dramatically since the 19th century. At the forefront of the oil industry is the emergence of an oil drilling technique known as fracking. Fracking is an unconventional drilling process that is accomplished by using high-pressured water to release oil and natural gas from rock formations, known as shales. The use of fracking in the United States has made it one of the top oil producing countries in the world. However, this newfound oil and gas drilling method has not come without its costs. Despite the economic boom near drilling locations, politically, fracking has caused some international relationships to be strained. Also, fracking is seen as highly controversial by conservationists because of the environmental threats that it poses. The drilling method of fracking has deeply impacted the United States from an economic, a political, and an environmental standpoint.
In America poverty is a problem; fracking helped with this problem because it crated job opportunities. Although people in America have had a hard time finding good paying jobs, fracking has helped solve this problem. Ed Rendell confirms that “natural gas restores jobs for hardworking Americans”, and it created “thousands of solid jobs with good salaries”. While fracking helped people who are having troubles finding jobs, but it also creates new opportunities for other things like businesses. Ed Rendell points out that “It’s already creating new opportunities consumers and businesses and promoting economic growth”. Another thing that has benefitted from fracking is construction industries. Ed Rendell states that “steel, lumber, and construction
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
Works Cited Annotated bibliography "Fracking." Food And Water Watch. N.p., 18 Nov. 2015. Web. 17 May 2016. . (In this webpage we are given facts and a reason why Fracking is dangerous. As we already know Fracking is hydraulic fracturing. This means that the hard rock that is in the earth itself is so hard that we use a certain chemical to break it. In the facts section we learn that Fracking can make people sick. Toxic, hurt the environment, and can cause climate change. Finally we learn why Fracking should be banned and gives us reasons why this technique should be terminated.)
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
If the United States can invest more money in green technology, instead of fracking sites, then green technology can be become affordable and children’s health can be supported. This does not mean that the United States should shut down current fracking sites. Instead, the solution would be to keep the current fracking sites and not create new ones. In the meanwhile, the American government could invest in producing renewable energy technology or the United States could buy renewable energy technology from China. Preferably, the United States could enter the market for renewable energy technology, profit from selling to other nations, and in turn utilize the money to continue the expansion of green energy and to conduct research on the ill effects of fracking on children who live near fracking sites. Once a sustainable amount of renewable technology is implemented around the United States, unnecessary fracking sites can be closed. The perfect plan would be to close all fracking sites, but some areas may not benefit from renewable energy technologies, for example, some areas may not be windy or sunny enough for energy production. Not only would renewable energy technology become less expensive through investment. Investment in renewable technologies would also help the children
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
Hydraulic Fracturing Hydraulic fracturing, also referred to as fracking, remains a very controversial issue in the world today. Fracking, a widely debated technological innovation, involves drilling deep down into the Earth’s surface to obtain natural gas (Shuckman 1). Natural gas, a flammable substance produced deep within the Earth’s surface and exploited
Imagine if one day the United States no longer defended the oil fields in other countries because the United States decided to use its own energy resources instead. (Beyond Oil) Fracking is when gas companies drill into the ground using high-pressure water to break apart rock to release natural gas. Fracking increases the amount of natural gas that the United States can get to. The United States needs to make more of its own energy so it does not see the day that the whole world runs out of fuels to make energy. It is important for the U.S. to make more jobs because it gets energy around the United States faster, and fracking gives people more money. Anti-frackers think it is important to protect the environment so that people do not destroy
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,