There has been a rise in people’s energy consumption after the industrial revolution. Mostly coal and natural gas are used for this purpose, but there is much controversy regarding the extraction of natural gas. Fracking is the recovery of natural gas from deep layers inside the earth. This method means that workers use sand, water and chemicals to fracture porous rock. This is the way for the enclosed natural gas to be released. Although it became popular during the past ten years, this technique has been efficient since the 1940s. People resorted to fracking because they exhausted the conventional natural gas sources. This has led to the constant rise of the price of these fuels. Fracking is a complicated process which has become more profitable today.
Fracking was used more than one million times in the U.S. so far and over 60% of new wells have been drilled this way. “To reach the trapped methane, companies drill down several kilometers and pump in fracking fluid, a mixture of water, sand and chemicals, at pressures high enough to fracture surrounding rock and allow the gas to bubble to Earth’s surface” (Sumner 11). The whole process begins by drilling a shaft inside the earth and the next step is drilling a horizontal line into the rock that contains gas. Fracking fluid gets injected into the ground with the use of pumps. This fluid contains 8 million liters of water which could be considered as a waste of valuable water that could be consumed by 65 thousand people in a day. It also contains several thousand tons of sand and 200 thousand liters of chemicals. This fluid creates small cracks in the layer of rock and the cracks cannot be closed because of the sand.
The purpose of chemicals is to compress water, kill bacteria and dissolve minerals. After this stage, fluid is extracted which makes it possible to recover the natural gas. When it is exhausted, the fluid is pumped underground again, and the hole has to be sealed. There are risks involved with fracking such as the contamination of the sources of drinking water because the water becomes toxic and contaminated. This risk can be prevented, but many sources have been polluted because of the companies not paying enough attention to safety. In some cases “contamination came from natural biological sources, such as soil bacteria, not leaky gas wells” (Samner 11). It is still unknown what will happen with the contaminated water after some time has passed. However, there must be a long-term effect involved because of the great contamination. For the time being, “no scientific evidence exists that links fracking operations from underground shale formations to the contamination of water supplies” (Davis and Hoffer 237).
Chemicals, like formic acid or benzol which are used in the fracking fluid, are toxic as well as carcinogenic. The mixture is not well known to the public because the companies hide this information. Greenhouse gases can be released during fracking because the natural gas contains methane which is a greenhouse gas. However, it is less harmful to burn natural gas than to burn coal. Fracking takes a lot of energy and drill holes are exhausted very quickly and new ones have to be drilled very often. 3% of the gas which is recovered goes into the atmosphere. However, this method provides low-cost energy, but it has to be conducted safely. There is a great risk of drinking water being contaminated which is one of the major risks of fracking. Moreover, the companies never gave a “full disclosure of chemicals used in fracking process” (Davis and Hoffer 222).
Hydraulic fracturing is a good way of providing low-cost natural gas, but companies have to take measures and prevent contamination from happening. This is an effective way to recover natural gas, but only if it is handled by professional who care about the environment and it sustainability because health is what is most important and the sources of water need to be protected at all costs. Moreover, numerous job position have been opened because of the high demand of jobs related to fracking. “Fracking represents a source of jobs and economic salvation for many states hard hit by recession” (Davis andHoffer 228). Moreover, drill holes are exhausted quickly and fracking is performed frequently.
Some research studies show that there is not a link between fracking and contamination. “Methane doesn’t pose a health hazard apart from its flammability, but it can signal that chemicals involved in fracking are escaping” (Sumner 11). There were cases where the source of methane was bacteria from the soil which is not related to fracking. It is important to take all the precautions so that fracking becomes a safe activity. “Critics contend that the mixture of fracking fluid and gas could contaminate local groundwater” (Sumner 11).
Fracking has become a popular way of recovering natural gas: “the recent upsurge in its use was prompted by the discovery of large new reserves of coal or shale bound gas throughout the US” (Davis and Hoffer 221). There is a general concern about the hazardous effect of chemicals on the sources of drinking water, but for now, there is no link between and fracking and the water contamination. “Methane in groundwater can also come from soil bacteria” (Samner 11).
Fracking makes it possible to reach gas as well as oil, it makes gas cheaper, which is important because many households use it for cooking and it means less pollution because it using natural gas is a healthier alternative to using coal. “Natural gas has been touted by industry officials, policymakers, and environmental groups as a cleaner burning alternative to coal and as a bridge fuel towards a less carbon intensive energy economy” (Davis and Hoffer 229). This is another important benefit of fracking because natural gas is a healthier option than coal.
While there are both positive and negative effects of fracking, it is a good way of recovering natural gas. There are many benefits related to fracking although it can be hazardous if done improperly. However, if companies invest in hiring skilled work force which takes care about the environment and is properly equipped, the risks are significantly lowered and make fracking beneficial.
Works Cited
"Fracking explained: opportunity or danger." YouTube. N.p., 2013. Web. 5 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uti2niW2BRA>.
Sumner, Thomas. "Fracking not linked to contamination." Science News 186.11 (2014): 11. Print.
Davis, Charles, and Katherine Hoffer. "Federalizing energy? Agenda change and the politics of fracking." Policy Sciences 45.3 (2012): 221-41. Print.
