James Lord
Bio 100-01
Levin
Discussion paper 3
Hydraulic fracturing, which is also called fracking, is the method in which drilling and injection of a solution into a well at elevated pressures so that it can fracture shale rocks to free the natural gases within it. Water, chemicals, and sand are forced on the rock at very soaring pressures which dislodges the gas inside the rock to stream outside the well. The procedure is normally carried out in vertical manner but sometimes, it is performed in the horizontal manner. The horizontal drillings is meant to create new pathways in which to release the gas or extend the channel. The term ‘fracking’ is used to refer to the process of fracturing the rock using the high pressure mixture. Approximately 600 types of chemicals are used in the fracking fluid, among them toxins and carcinogens (Mooney, 2011). During the process of fracking, toxic chemicals and methane gas is released and led out of the system thereby contaminating groundwater. It is estimated that methane concentration are about eighteen times elevated in the ground close to fracturing spots than in usual holes. In the United States, fracking is a useful tool when drilling companies want to get the most hard to-reach assets such as oil and gas. The process has advanced the manufacture of domestic oil and gas in America. It has even driven the cost of oil and gas down. Fracking is believed to have offered Canada and the U.S. a gas security for over one hundred years and presented a chance for the generation of electricity with half the carbon dioxide discharge of coal. The manufacturers also propose that the process of fracking shale gas can cater considerably to upcoming energy requirements of the United Kingdom. The task force created to research on fracking on the United States, has proposed that the UK needs to begin fracking in order to establish a possible economic impact (Howarth, 2011). The task force argued that fracking could create a lot of employment opportunities.
The widespread exploit of fracking in the United States, although it has transformed the energy sector, there are still several environmental distress. First, the process of fracking uses a lot of water which is transported to the fracking sites at the expense of the environment. The process of fracking may result to an escape of carcinogenic chemicals into the groundwater resulting to the contamination of water. Environmentalists have argued that the incidents of pollution are as a result of bad practice and not risky techniques. There is also a possibility that the process of fracking causes earth tremors which can be an environmental hazard if not properly addressed. In addition, campaigners have argued that fracking is simply a diversionary tactic that distracts the government from spending in renewable source of energy which results to the over dependence on fossil fuel (Howarth, 2011). In my opinion, the world requires a 21st century energy upheaval which is based on renewable and efficiency. The earth no-longer requires fossil-fuels which continue to deplete the environment and cause climatic change. During fracking, about 30-40% of the fracking fluid is removed, the other fluid is left underground and it is not eco-friendly. The solution used is left in open air depths so that it can evaporate and discharge destructive explosive organic compounds into the environment. Upon condensation, the liquid returns to the earth as acid rain while creating the ground level ozone. Although the earth requires energy, every government should consider changing the source of energy to a more efficient and reliable one. Although fracking is reliable and efficient, it results to a lot of damages on the environment (Davis, 2012). I do not advocate for fracking and the United States government should stop and do away with it.
References
Howarth, R. W., Ingraffea, A., & Engelder, T. (2011). Natural gas: Should fracking stop?. Nature, 477(7364), 271-275.
Mooney, C. (2011). The truth about fracking. Scientific American, 305(5), 80-85.
Davis, C. (2012). The politics of “fracking”: Regulating natural gas drilling practices in Colorado and Texas. Review of Policy Research, 29(2), 177-191.
