Geology is an earth science that comprises of the study of solid earth, the rocks of which it is composed and the process by which they change. Generally, geology refers to the study of solid features of any celestial body. The Marcellus Shale is a rock that lies at the deepest earth’s surface of the Mid-Atlantic region. The formation of this rock contains an important volume of natural gas that is tripped inside some tiny spaces within the shale. The formation of this gas at the depth requires new advanced technologies in facilitating the drilling process. These drilling technologies that are accompanied by increased markets have significantly made exploration of the Marcellus shale to be highly attractive to the oil and gas industry.
The depth of this rock ‘the Marcellus shale’ varies due to some aspects that are categorized according to some places that appear at the surface and to others that appear deep under the surface with a depth ranging from 4000 to 8500 feet. The formation of the Marcellus shale is as a result of composition of dead matter that are at the deepest parts of the bottom covered by silt to provide the carbon needed to produce hydrocarbons such as methane (Osborn, 2011). This initial stage for the formation of natural gases that accumulated in the Marcellus shale resulted to the accumulation of these gases causing fractures in the shale. The mechanism introduced to extract these resources that were estimated to serve many countries through its supply brought about adverse effects to the environment as well as the lives of many people. The drilling process involved in the extraction and the release of gas is achieved through the horizontal drilling system and the hydraulic fracturing mechanism. In this case, the horizontal drilling mechanism begins as a typical vertical well that extends to the deepest parts of the desired strata before it makes a 90 degree turn along the length of a geological seam. As opposed to vertical drilling, hydraulic fracturing allows the drilling of several wells from the same well pads since the radii is reduced as compared to multiple well pads. The process involved in fracturing is considered to be highly water intensive. In this case therefore, the drilling process accompanies a pipe that transports the water used from nearby rivers and streams with the potential of dewatering small or intermittent streams. Basically, great opportunities are created for quality water to be adversely affected during the drilling process. This happens when the chemical combination and concentrations used in the processes of fracturing are undisclosed. According to Jackson (2013), environmental concerns of the geological affairs of the Marcellus Shale include the quantity and quality of water, the disposal of the waste fluids and the threats to the underground water. The environmental concern of water quantity and its availability has been a great issue across the Marcellus Shale region since the amounts needed for the hydraulic fracturing process are enormous. This water that …show more content…
The quality of water in this case is inhibited during the Hydraulic Fracturing where chemicals are used to release gas within the formations. These chemicals pose a threat to the quality of water thereby making it impure for consumption by human beings and animals. The chemicals and their concentrations are regarded to be more dangerous since their sources are unknown. The concentration of these chemicals in water causes unbearable symptoms of nausea, respiratory irritation, kidney, liver and heart damage, chemical burns and rashes that affect many …show more content…
The second and the third methods include pumping of flow back wastewater from Marcellus wells into underground injection wells and hauling the wastewater to an approved industrial wastewater treatment plant where the water is treated and discharged to surface water.
In conclusion, geology and environmental concerns of the Marcellus Shale analyses the drilling process of the natural gas that is formed at a depth of 4000 to 8000 feet. The formation of this natural gas has been of varying effects to the environment and human beings. In its extraction, the natural gas emits some harmful chemicals that affect the aquatic life of sea animals as well as human health. However, the state regulation has enhanced proper mechanisms to dispose the wastewater thereby controlling some of the harmful effects to the environment and human
The depth of this rock ‘the Marcellus shale’ varies due to some aspects that are categorized according to some places that appear at the surface and to others that appear deep under the surface with a depth ranging from 4000 to 8500 feet. The formation of the Marcellus shale is as a result of composition of dead matter that are at the deepest parts of the bottom covered by silt to provide the carbon needed to produce hydrocarbons such as methane (Osborn, 2011). This initial stage for the formation of natural gases that accumulated in the Marcellus shale resulted to the accumulation of these gases causing fractures in the shale. The mechanism introduced to extract these resources that were estimated to serve many countries through its supply brought about adverse effects to the environment as well as the lives of many people. The drilling process involved in the extraction and the release of gas is achieved through the horizontal drilling system and the hydraulic fracturing mechanism. In this case, the horizontal drilling mechanism begins as a typical vertical well that extends to the deepest parts of the desired strata before it makes a 90 degree turn along the length of a geological seam. As opposed to vertical drilling, hydraulic fracturing allows the drilling of several wells from the same well pads since the radii is reduced as compared to multiple well pads. The process involved in fracturing is considered to be highly water intensive. In this case therefore, the drilling process accompanies a pipe that transports the water used from nearby rivers and streams with the potential of dewatering small or intermittent streams. Basically, great opportunities are created for quality water to be adversely affected during the drilling process. This happens when the chemical combination and concentrations used in the processes of fracturing are undisclosed. According to Jackson (2013), environmental concerns of the geological affairs of the Marcellus Shale include the quantity and quality of water, the disposal of the waste fluids and the threats to the underground water. The environmental concern of water quantity and its availability has been a great issue across the Marcellus Shale region since the amounts needed for the hydraulic fracturing process are enormous. This water that …show more content…
The quality of water in this case is inhibited during the Hydraulic Fracturing where chemicals are used to release gas within the formations. These chemicals pose a threat to the quality of water thereby making it impure for consumption by human beings and animals. The chemicals and their concentrations are regarded to be more dangerous since their sources are unknown. The concentration of these chemicals in water causes unbearable symptoms of nausea, respiratory irritation, kidney, liver and heart damage, chemical burns and rashes that affect many …show more content…
The second and the third methods include pumping of flow back wastewater from Marcellus wells into underground injection wells and hauling the wastewater to an approved industrial wastewater treatment plant where the water is treated and discharged to surface water.
In conclusion, geology and environmental concerns of the Marcellus Shale analyses the drilling process of the natural gas that is formed at a depth of 4000 to 8000 feet. The formation of this natural gas has been of varying effects to the environment and human beings. In its extraction, the natural gas emits some harmful chemicals that affect the aquatic life of sea animals as well as human health. However, the state regulation has enhanced proper mechanisms to dispose the wastewater thereby controlling some of the harmful effects to the environment and human