Hydraulic Fracking and the Environment
What the frack is fracking? On the one hand, Fracking has allowed the United States to decrease its dependence on foreign oil. On the other hand, fracking has been blamed for thousands of Earthquakes across the country. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is used to recover oil and gas from shale rock beneath the earth’s surface. This process of gaining access to shale gas and oil is a major controversy for environmentalists and energy companies all over the world. “Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to …show more content…
“Large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that makes up more than 90 percent of shale gas, leak during fracking” (Fracking Is Harmful). Methane itself is not dangerous, but mixed with other substances it can become explosive and harmful. Additionally, volatile organic compounds, including benzene and toluene, are released during fracking (Fracking Is Harmful). These compounds can mix with nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel-fueled vehicles and equipment to form ground-level ozone. “These emissions contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change” (Fracking Is Harmful). Climate change is believed to affect the water cycle and cause more extreme weather events, including heat waves, floods and droughts. Climate change is among one of the biggest environmental problems the earth faces as it affects so many different parts of the ecosystem. The art of fracking has too many risks and unknowns for it to be a safe and effective form of gaining natural energy. However, there are ways to make hydraulic fracking safer and should be required of all hydraulic fracking companies. Efforts have been made to completely eliminate water from the process. A company called GasFrac uses a gelled liquid with propane as a substitute for water (Vaidyanathan). Industry researchers have also found a way to use recycled water. A few other improvements could made by eliminating diesel fumes, treating wastewater, and plugging methane
What the frack is fracking? On the one hand, Fracking has allowed the United States to decrease its dependence on foreign oil. On the other hand, fracking has been blamed for thousands of Earthquakes across the country. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is used to recover oil and gas from shale rock beneath the earth’s surface. This process of gaining access to shale gas and oil is a major controversy for environmentalists and energy companies all over the world. “Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to …show more content…
“Large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that makes up more than 90 percent of shale gas, leak during fracking” (Fracking Is Harmful). Methane itself is not dangerous, but mixed with other substances it can become explosive and harmful. Additionally, volatile organic compounds, including benzene and toluene, are released during fracking (Fracking Is Harmful). These compounds can mix with nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel-fueled vehicles and equipment to form ground-level ozone. “These emissions contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change” (Fracking Is Harmful). Climate change is believed to affect the water cycle and cause more extreme weather events, including heat waves, floods and droughts. Climate change is among one of the biggest environmental problems the earth faces as it affects so many different parts of the ecosystem. The art of fracking has too many risks and unknowns for it to be a safe and effective form of gaining natural energy. However, there are ways to make hydraulic fracking safer and should be required of all hydraulic fracking companies. Efforts have been made to completely eliminate water from the process. A company called GasFrac uses a gelled liquid with propane as a substitute for water (Vaidyanathan). Industry researchers have also found a way to use recycled water. A few other improvements could made by eliminating diesel fumes, treating wastewater, and plugging methane