Hydraulic Fracturing: The Inefficient Fuel Source Accoring to Treehugger, hydraulic fracturing requires 80 to 300 tons of chemicals to frack a single oil well. Hydraulic fracturing is the process of extracting shale gas deposited in deep underground wells by injecting water, sand, and disclosed chemicals into the ground at high pressure (Weighing the Risks of Fracking). Fracking is a non-renewable energy source that is very harmful to the environment. Hydraulic fracturing should be discontinued because it harms the environment, it requires a plethora of water, and because it has been linked to causing earthquakes (Jordan Howard). The chemicals that are used in the fracking process aren’t disclosed to the public.
[ 111 ]. Mathias A. Maehlum, Wind Energy Pros and Cons, (Jun. 12, 2013), http://energyinformative.org/wind-energy-pros-and-cons/. [ 112 ]. Mark Shwartz, Stanford scientists calculate the energy required to store wind and solar power on the grid, (Sep. 9, 2013), http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/september/curtail-energy-storage-090913.html.
The extended holding of the waste fluid in the pits could lead to their seepage into the ground, especially if the pits are not lined with plastic. This contaminates the water sources around. In addition, any overflows, for instance caused by heavy rains, allows the fluid to contaminate water in the sources. Large volumes of fluid is required (thousands of gallons of water is used per well) and its disposal is an issue too (Schmidt, 2011). Proper disposal methods should be effected to ensure the water aquifers around do not get contaminated.
However, I have met many people that dislike the process very much. Below one will find the answer to what fracking is, why some people think that it is important to use fracking, and what about the process concerns so many people. Fracking is also known as hydraulic fracturing. “Hydraulic fracturing is the process of creating fissures in underground formations to allow natural gas to flow.” (Barnett Shale Energy Education Council) Fracking extracts oil and gas from layers of rock formations deep beneath the earth’s surface. Sometimes, the wells can be thousands of feet deep.
Print. (info about global warming, what has to be done in general) Homer-Dixon, Thomas, ed. Carbon Shift: How the Twin Crises Of Oil Depletion and Climate Change Will Define the Future. Toronto: Random House Canada, 2009. Print (effects of global warming & shows other books about it) “IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007."
There have been reports of the well collapsing and creeping into other water sources where the ecosystem around it has become a ‘dead zone’ for any type of life animal or vegetation. With the wells and the run off of the chemical brings up health and contamination concerns for the people close to these drill sites. The top three issues are currently drinking water, air pollution, and general health concerns. These problems are
When natural gas makes its way into wells, the water can easily become flammable. Gas can also rise into an owners home, and with the flick of a match be homeless. Flammable gas escaping into the earth’s atmosphere can also be very dangerous. Currently, each state’s legislative bills regulate fracking, and rules and restrictions vary from state to state. The last time the Federal Government has passed any law affecting fracking was in 1988, before many modern techniques have been adopted [ (Bergeron, 2011) ].
Web. 9 Jan.2013. 7) Lavoie, Judith. "Is Canada prepared for an oil disaster?" Times Colonist.
Secondly, the area has several faults running through the area where the proposed facility was to be built. Constant shaking of the ground is going to do damage to any structure in the area. Finally, the water source underneath the facility may be needed in the future to provide water to metropolitan areas. Radioactive waste is dangerous wherever it is stored. I believe that placing these materials in an area which is unstable would just be a mistake.
Retrieved January 15, 2012, from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries: http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/index.htm United States Oil - consumption. (2012, January 9). Retrieved January 15, 2012, from IndexMundi: http://www.indexmundi.com/united_states/oil_consumption.html Grace, N. (n.d.). Percentage of Paycheck to Taxes. Retrieved January 15, 2012, from Ehow: