Introduction
What geologic factors are needed for fracking and how does it impact water quality?
Franking is defined as the extraction of gas reserves from the underground with the use of hydraulic fracture of shale rock and involves high pressure in liquid so that it can release a gas or gases. The process of fracturing is considered harmful to the environment. Fracking refers to the wrenching of open rock that lies beneath the surface of the earth and leads to the freeing of the underlying natural gas that is trapped in between. Fracking is faced with a lot of environmental hazards but is also considered a way to create jobs and minimize the dependence on other energy sources. (Spellman34)
Fracking can be a factor that contributes to occurrence of earthquakes as a result of abnormal combination of geology at the sites. There is a linkage between emergences of tremors to fracking. This is because fracking leads to recording of seismic events responsible for tremors. The factors that are present in the well site leads to an exertion of high pressure that forces water out. Geologic factors that are needed for fracking are very rare and there is no solid evidence to show that they exist. It is also argued that the pumping of the drilling fluids in the process of fracking leads to the development of earthquakes and at the same time weaker seismic events.
Researchers claims that there lacks evidence to conclude that fracking leads to environmental hazards. There is a population who believe that fracking does not affect the safety and purity of water. Most of the researchers have a hard time when it comes to giving evidence on related environmental hazards. The process of fracturing will involve: pumping water, sand and chemicals at a high pressure in a well so that it allows the gas to freely flow. Research indicates that there is a leakage of methane gas in the water surface underground. (Waughray54) .The shale deep sneaks the chemicals in the water surface and this leads to spoilage of waterways and the land. The extraction of natural gas rarely leads to earthquakes but it is connected to the disposal of waste water.
The process of hydraulic fracturing and the exceptional techniques used in drilling has led to high production of natural gas that has consequently contaminated fresh underground water. Fracking process involves the injection of high pressured large quantity of water along the chemical additives and sand in the underground to extort natural gas that exists in shale rock. Energy firms have expanded their operations on fracking as they reach for the untapped shale deposits.
On their statements, the companies have claimed that hydraulic fracturing is a safe activity. This message contradicts with message from nearby residents environmentalists that contend that the process of fracking poisons drinking water. The firms draw a large volume of water from rivers for the hydraulic process and then dispose the tinted wastewater that are releases from the wells after the extraction of natural gases. The disposed water mixes with the fresh water that after some time they dramatically go bad.
Test and research have proven that the there is a high level of methane, ethane and benzene in the contaminated water. This is as a result of mixing of some of natural gases with the disposed water. Contaminated water had gone hazardous to the extent that one can light tap water on fire. This indicate that the tap water have contains explosive gases or oil that is extracted in the wells.( Drajem17) .The contaminated water is also extremely saline and contains toxic metal substances and other harmful organic compounds such as petroleum products. Gas and oil exploration had led to increasing level of waste water that challenges the life of human being.
Produced water from the hydraulic process and fracking fluid eventually mix before they are pumped into the surface. This mixture develops a potentially unsafe blend of naturally occurring contaminants and synthetic chemicals. The exploration firm might take measure to prevent contaminated water from reaching the local consumers. However, some flaws exhibits when the waterways and pipelines bursts, overflow of holding ponds and trucks spill to contaminate fresh water. These flaws affect the quality of water in the water systems and therefore, threaten the health of the consumers. Many towns also depend on this water ground water for municipality, industrial and agricultural purposes.
The research conducted by the Alberta Environmental group revealed that the contaminated water also constitutes hexavalent chromium substances. The substance is also referred to as chromium -6 which is extremely toxic substance. In 2006, chromium-6 was found in drinking water in Canada which resulted to a serious lawsuit against the involved exploration firms (nelson78). The victims of the situation was compensated a fee of over $200 million. This illustrates how toxic and hazardous chromium 6 can be.
Works cited
Joyce Nelson. Fracking - Natural Gas Affects Water Quality. Watershed Sentinel. Retrieved on Mar-Apr-2010
Frank R. Spellman. Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing. New York: CRC Press, 2012
Alex Prud'homme. Clean Clear and Cold: The Fate of Fresh Water in the Twenty-First Century. Canada: Simon and Schuster, 2011
Dominic Waughray. Water security: the water-food-energy-climate nexus: the World Economic Forum water initiative. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2011.
Mark Drajem "Fracking Political Support Unshaken by Doctors' Call for Ban". Bloomberg. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
