In recent years, the United States has experienced large increases in oil production due in large part to a new technology, hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). Fracking involves injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into rock formations at high pressure to release oil and natural gas. An article in the Wall Street Journal indicates that economies of scale in fracking may be considerably smaller than in conventional oil drilling. If this view is cor- rect, what would the likely consequences be for the num- ber of firms drilling for oil in the United States?

In recent years, the United States has experienced large increases in oil production due in large part to a new technology, hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). Fracking involves injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into rock formations at high pressure to release oil and natural gas. An article in the Wall Street Journal indicates that economies of scale in fracking may be considerably smaller than in conventional oil drilling. If this view is cor- rect, what would the likely consequences be for the num- ber of firms drilling for oil in the United States?

Microeconomics

13th Edition

ISBN:9781337617406

Author:Roger A. Arnold

Publisher:Roger A. Arnold

Chapter8: Production And Costs

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 12QP

See similar textbooks

Similar questions

In choosing a production technology, how will firms react if one input becomes relatively more expensive?
A local entrepreneur has built a successful business which is still growing. He is aware that the increase scale operation has a number of cost advantages but it is finding the administration of organization increasing difficult. He asks you as a student of economics, with the help of diagram to explain the relative merits of expanding the size of business
Your business produces two products: graphics and writing assessments. However, time is finite and your business must allocate its time between the two products. If your business is producing one service, it cannot produce the other service at the same time. Based on previous experience, you know that your firm can produce 11 graphics and 20 assessments per day. Your firm could also produce 7 graphics and 40 assessments per day. Given these production possibilities, what is the tradeoff between your two services? Make sure you estimate your tradeoff (opportunity cost) in terms of how much you receive for each unit of graphics services that you give up, that is, for 1 unit of graphics given up, how many units of assessments do you gain? Make sure to express your answer to the first decimal point.
AS U4 Read the following scenario. Superconductor technology is becoming a widespread and indispensible component of the machines we use today. Superconductors can be found in everything from transportation to electronic signal transmission. Due to our increasing reliance on technology, the demand for superconductors has skyrocketed. As a result, production has also increased exponentially, which has greatly reduced the cost per unit. Use the scenario to answer the following questions. How does a superconductor manufacturing company's output correlate with the quantity of labor in the short run?
When thinking about cost analysis in Microeconomics, what are the real-world problems that occur when applying theories of scale? Describe and give an example of each.
Discuss whether economies of scale have any relevance to such companies as Wal-Mart.
What is a diseconomy of scale and what is an economy of scale? What modifications would you make to your current home gardening production if you intended to achieve economies of scale? Clarify why
In your city , each police officer has a budgetary cost of $40000 per year. The property loss for each burglary is $4000. The first offecer hired will reduce crime by 40 burglaries and each additional officer will reduce crime by half as much as the previous one. How many officers should the city hire ? Illistrate with a graph with a marginal benifit curve and a marginal cost curve Can someone answer this correctly with an MC and MB graph? Note:- Do not provide handwritten solution. Maintain accuracy and quality in your answer. Take care of plagiarism. Answer completely. You will get up vote for sure.
What is the difference between economies of scale andeconomies of scope? How do firms consider these wheninvesting in processes?
Complete the table below: Output TotalCost(RM) Totalvariablecost(RM) Totalfixedcost(RM)Averagefixedcost(RM)Averagetotalcost(RM)Marginalcost (RM) 0 505 16010 20020 25036 33058 40072 48088 580106 700130 820150 980
Suppose that Ciana is deciding whether or not to buy a pair of sneakers that she has been researching online, and also the best place to make her purchase. Three different stores in the area sell the sneakers she likes, but some stores are more convenient for Ciana to reach than others. One option is her local shoe store located only 15 minutes away from where she works, where they charge a marked-up price of $124 for the sneakers: Store Travel Time Each Way Price of a Sneakers (Minutes) (Dollars per sneakers) Local Shoe Store 15 124 Different Neighborhood in Town 30 103 Rural Outlet 60 70 Ciana earns an hourly wage of $30 at her job. In order to purchase her sneakers she will have to take time off work, so each hour away from her job costs her $30 in lost income. Assume that Ciana’s travel time is the same each way (to and from the store) and that it will take her 30 minutes once she reaches a store to complete her shopping. Assume throughout the question…
Define the following