Dangers Of Fracking

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Hydraulic fracturing is the process used to fracture shale rock deposits, allowing the extraction oil and natural gas from deep below the earth’s surface. The drilling and fracturing process produces large amounts of contaminated wastewater that is pressurized and forced back into the ground deep below the earth’s surface. Over the last several years there have been many debates over the dangers of “Fracking” and the economic impact. There are a lot of concerns from environmental groups and concerned citizens, not only with the drilling and fracturing process, but with the excessive amounts of fresh water wasted in the process and the disposal of wastewater after the drilling is complete.
Hydraulic fracturing poses many dangers to the earth
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Once the water is used in the fracking process it becomes hazardous waste unfit for human or animal consumption due to the toxic chemicals mix with the water, for example Hydrochloric acid, Ammonium chloride , Potassium chloride as well as many more chemicals. The waste water is removed from the wells and sent to storage areas where it will eventually be pumped back in to the ground deep below the water tables. Some companies are starting to recycle the waste water by filtering and adding fresh water to dilute the chemical …show more content…
The myth is Oil companies create jobs by drilling more wells. The reality is while oil giants claim it will create 150,000 jobs only about 25% will be directly hired per year. A gas well only requires about thirteen full time employees during the year when drill is completed at the site the jobs drop to around 0.1% for full time jobs. A study from the university of Montana titled “ The local Economic Impacts of Natural Gas developed in Valle Vidal, New Mexico found that the employment level in Colorado Raton Basin was .12 jobs per well” It only takes about a year to drill and extract the gas from a well, after that the jobs drop to a minimum. When a big company moves to a new location local entrepreneurs start small trucking companies to transport the drilling material and water to well sites. Recreational vehicle trailer parks pop up around small towns near the sites, while all this is good for businesses and those who have the ability to provide services to the workers

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