While winter approaches, arctic cold fronts bring a decrease in temperatures to the prairies and the demand for heat and energy increases. Western Canada derives much of its main source of heating fuel from natural gas. It also leads Canada in the production of natural gas through unconventional well production. Natural Gas or Methane (NH4) left in its organic state, and let migrate in the atmosphere as is the case in the Arctic with the thawing of the tundra, is 20 times more harmful as a greenhouse gas then Carbon Dioxide (CO2). When it is burned Methane is relatively cleaner and is less harmful to the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions than coal and other fossil fuels. This has become possible due to the advancement and process
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Forested areas need to be cleared of trees and access roads need to be built. In addition, all the heavy machinery needs to be haul in all equipment to be used for the drilling process. This process is already contributing to the greenhouse gas footprint. Once a drilling rig is set up, a surface hole is then drilled to a depth past the underground aquifer. Steel casing is run into the wellbore and the cement is pumped down to hold it into place. In theory, this is done to protect the aquifer from migrating gas at the completion of the well. A process to be done a few more times with smaller diameter steel casing as drilling continues through the vertical and build sections of the well, along with the final horizontal annulus. On completion of the drilling process the well is now ready to be …show more content…
When compared to coal, methane gas when burned produces less harmful greenhouse gas emissions. A study conducted by Robert W. Howarth found that life cycle emissions of both conventional and unconventional wells rivaled coal for total lifetime emissions for both the 20 year and 100 year life cycles. Energy equivalent was taken into account in these results. That equivalent is 1.35 kg coal for each 1m3 of natural gas. Robert went onto conclude a big reason for this is due to fugitive methane emissions escaping into the atmosphere.
Methane unburned is twenty times more harmful to the environment then carbon dioxide emissions. Based on what is happening in North Dakota, and in most cases, as much 1/3rd of the methane from these fractured wells is flared off. Combine this with the fact that each single fracked well, it would be required to use between 400 - 600 diesel heavy trucks ranging from pumper trucks, water trucks, and chemical trucks, including the personnel vehicles. These trucks rarely are shut down completely once on site. Each of these required vehicles emitting their own source of greenhouse gas emissions and the total greenhouse gas footprint continues to
Forested areas need to be cleared of trees and access roads need to be built. In addition, all the heavy machinery needs to be haul in all equipment to be used for the drilling process. This process is already contributing to the greenhouse gas footprint. Once a drilling rig is set up, a surface hole is then drilled to a depth past the underground aquifer. Steel casing is run into the wellbore and the cement is pumped down to hold it into place. In theory, this is done to protect the aquifer from migrating gas at the completion of the well. A process to be done a few more times with smaller diameter steel casing as drilling continues through the vertical and build sections of the well, along with the final horizontal annulus. On completion of the drilling process the well is now ready to be …show more content…
When compared to coal, methane gas when burned produces less harmful greenhouse gas emissions. A study conducted by Robert W. Howarth found that life cycle emissions of both conventional and unconventional wells rivaled coal for total lifetime emissions for both the 20 year and 100 year life cycles. Energy equivalent was taken into account in these results. That equivalent is 1.35 kg coal for each 1m3 of natural gas. Robert went onto conclude a big reason for this is due to fugitive methane emissions escaping into the atmosphere.
Methane unburned is twenty times more harmful to the environment then carbon dioxide emissions. Based on what is happening in North Dakota, and in most cases, as much 1/3rd of the methane from these fractured wells is flared off. Combine this with the fact that each single fracked well, it would be required to use between 400 - 600 diesel heavy trucks ranging from pumper trucks, water trucks, and chemical trucks, including the personnel vehicles. These trucks rarely are shut down completely once on site. Each of these required vehicles emitting their own source of greenhouse gas emissions and the total greenhouse gas footprint continues to