The Effects Of Hydraulic Fracturing On The United States

In particular, the state of Pennsylvania has created a number of regulations to control the modern day fracking procedures and practices. Companies like Chesapeake Energy utilize a combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling to obtain more natural gas and cover more area. Currently, 30% of our country’s natural gas supply is extracted domestically and contributes to the 25% of our nation’s energy that comes from natural gas. Coal is the main source of energy at 30% and following natural gas are nuclear, hydro, wind, and solar. Natural gas leaves half the amount of carbon footprint that coal leaves. Natural gas is primarily used for electric power, but is also used to create material such as steel, glass, paper, cloth, and brick. It is also used in raw material such as paints, fertilizer, plastics, antifreeze, dyes, photographic film, medicines, and explosives. (EIA,

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has been a hot topic in recent times due to its controversial ways. Many people argue that it is a way for the United States to become less dependent on foreign oil, while others argue that the environmental cons outweigh the pros of fracking. Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas from underground by drilling into the earth. This is done by injecting water, sand, and chemicals into a bedrock formation by a well (“Hydraulic Fracking”). By doing this, the process creates new fractures in the rock, as well as making previously made fractures bigger and easier to access (“Hydraulic Fracking”). Fracking is mostly done is areas that have low-permeability rocks like tight sandstone, shale, and some coal beds to increase the flow of oil and/or gas to a well (“Hydraulic Fracking”). The fracking process can take up to a month; the drilling team going more than a mile into the earth to extract the natural gases or oil. After the job is done, the well is cemented up (“What is Fracking”).

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

America has one of the highest energy consumption rates in the world. This demand has led to the popularization of the hydraulic fracturing industry. First introduced in the 1940s, hydraulic fracturing is method by which a well is drilled one to two miles below the Earth’s surface. The well then injects water and chemicals in the Earth that create fractures through which gas can flow through. Hydraulic fracturing, which is also known as fracking, became popular because of horizontal drilling in fracking is more efficient at extracting gas. As a result, a fracking boom ensued in which over a million wells were drilled in the United States in the past decade. However,

energy needs for decades."Fracking has unlocked massive new supplies of oil and clean-burning natural gas from dense deposits of shale — supplies that increase our country’s energy security and improve our ability to generate electricity, heat homes and power vehicles for generations to come," according to Yost, Erin E., John Stanek, and Lyle D. Burgoon , an alliance of oil and gas industry groups.But opponents say the industry is whitewashing fracking's real effects, a long list that includes air pollution, groundwater contamination, health problems and surface water

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 as fuel, is obtained by pumping water, sand and chemicals into open passages, which allows the natural gases to move into production wells (Shuckman 1). Hydraulic fracturing enables necessities such as heating, cooking and electricity for Americans; however, oppositionists claim that it harms the environment and the United State’s residents.

This paper explores the hydraulic fracturing process, exactly what it is, what the fracturing process does to the earth and the surrounding environment in addition, to the consequences. Hydraulic fracturing is fracturing of rock by pressurization. This process by which oil and natural gas can be forced from the earth. The hydraulic fracturing process takes millions of gallons of clean water, sand, chemicals and pumps them underground at high pressure to break apart rock to release gas and or oil. My research has led me to the discovery that there are as many proponents for fracking as that are those that oppose the process. One thing

Unlike traditional oil or gas drilling, hydraulic fracturing uses a combination of chemically treated water and salt to break shale rock; this releases oil or gas that would not be accessible with traditional drilling methods. The oil or gas is then displaced by the water and salt and eventually collected

Hydraulic fracturing in combination with advancement in directional drilling has made it possible to economically extract oil and gas from unconventional resources. The growth in U.S. oil and gas exploration and production made possible by the increase in use of hydraulic fracturing, has raised concerns about its potential to impact human health and the environment. Concerns have been raised by the public about the effects of hydraulic fracturing on quality and quantity of drinking water resources. The hydraulic fracturing water cycle includes five main activities: the withdrawal of ground or surface water needed for hydraulic fracturing fluids; the mixing of water, chemicals, and proppant on the well pad to create the hydraulic fracturing fluid; the injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids into the well to fracture the formation, the return of injected fluid and water produced from the formation to the surface; and the reuse, treatment and disposal of wastewater generated at the well pad, including produced water (U.S. EPA, 2015). With the water cycle being so massive and prolonged, the presence of potential negative impacts is greatly increased.

The most active fracking plays in the country of the United States. These are the top states in which hydraulic fracking occurs the most; New York, North Dakota, Montana, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. The largest estimated U.S. oil and gas reserves are in Southern and Central California in the Monterey shale formation, though producers have faced significant challenges. The state is being targeted as the site of the next petroleum boom, and the topic of oil and gas leases in the state

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 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 Shale 2016). is drilled water is injected at an extremely high rate

The purpose of this research is to analyze the impacts, both social and economic of hydraulic fracturing in the United States. This has been a heated issue with environmentalists and surrounding community members concerned over the environmental and health related problems associated with this practice while providing substantial economic benefits.

These reserves are found within shale formations. Shale is a sedimentary rock that is very low in permeability and porousness making it difficult to tap the gas and oil held within the formations. Due to the combination of fracking and new drilling technology, the production of natural oil and gas has constantly increased every year since 2006. In the year 1990, America reached a height of natural gas and oil production, producing about 70.706 quadrillion BTU of energy but that number would begin to decrease steadily due to the scarcity of acquiring natural gas and oil. In 2006 the production of energy was 69.443 quadrillion BTU. Accordingly, in 2010 fracking became popular and the production level reached 74.812 quadrillion BTU of energy. By 2011, the production of energy increased to 78.091 quadrillion BTU. The domestic production of natural gas and oil had a large contribution towards this growth. With this increase in production, the United states became the second largest natural gas producer in 2011.The European Union which is the third highest producer of natural gas and oil produced only about a quarter of natural gas and oil compared to that produced in the United

Hydraulic fracturing is known as the process of inserting sand, chemicals, or water into the ground to crack the deep deposits. Additionally, high pressure is required due to the far distance. Next, a pressurized rock layer is created, this is called Marcellus Shale. After, sand or water is used to keep the fissures open for continuous release of shale (natural) gas or oil. To transport water to the site, the trucks must be used for transportation. However, these huge trucks use a massive amount of diesel, so it releases particles that harms the atmosphere. .Lastly, once the process is concluded, the pressure causes the water to flow above the ground surface. Thus, the water is contaminated with chemicals or other

But out of all of that there is a few problems when it comes to fracturing gas in the United States as well as other countries which includes the following: The government from all this has made environmental and legal issues on the topic of hydraulic fracturing, there are also some countries that permits the fracturing of natural gas but not all for the danger it can cause, there is regulations that are also in the rule of the country and the US for fracturing, there is also the relation of how it can affect the energy needs in certain places of the US, and the opinion of the hydraulic fracturing laws and regulations to be put in what place. From here we commence with the discussion of the problems shown above.