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Personal Essay, 13 pages (3500 words)

The split personality of hydraulic fracturing essay

There is broad understanding among most experts and the populace that the current energy beginnings we use in the United States are in demand of a replacing. Reliance on the fossil fuels of coal and oil are debatable for at least two grounds: their negative impact on the environment ( both in extraction and their usage ) and the trust on supplies of these from other states. which has created jobs on the geopolitical forepart. Nuclear fission remains a controversial option. sing the hazards involved in a ruinous meltdown and the deficiency of a long-run waste storage solution.

The successful development of horizontal boring by the energy industry coupled with the bing engineering of hydraulic fracturing has been presented as a means to work out both jobs at one time. supplying entree to 100 years’ worth of energy in the signifier of natural gas located within our ain boundary lines. albeit 1000s of pess below the surface. It was thought that these natural gas sedimentations. “ homegrown” and cleaner-burning than other fossil fuels. could at least purchase us some clip and be a dependable span to future clean energy.

However. in recent old ages this narration has come under increased examination as environmental groups. scientists. and mean citizens have raised concerns about the true impact of hydraulic fracturing. So the inquiry must be asked: What are the possible economic and security benefits of hydraulic fracturing. normally known as fracking. and do they outweigh the negative environmental and wellness impacts of this pattern?

Commonsense. foundational ordinance — based on the scientific procedure and non political relations — should be instituted at the federal degree to guarantee that basic safety and environmental concerns about hydraulic fracturing are addressed to promote farther industry inventions while non detering farther economic investing in our critical natural gas resources. The current bombilation environing natural gas has occurred for a twosome of grounds. First. it has long been understood that natural gas is the cleanest firing fossil fuel. It contains about 25 % less C than oil. and 50 % less than coal ( McGlynn 1053 ) .

Additionally. unlike coal. there are no heavy metals in its composing ( Marsa ) so firing it is well less toxic. These characteristics made gas of course attractive to environmental advocators as an option to current energy production. But the belongingss of the gas itself were ne’er. and still are non. viewed as the job. Initially. the job was merely that there was non plenty extractible natural gas available to consist a feasible option to coal and oil. Although the history of boring for natural gas goes back every bit far as boring for crude oil. much of the discovered gas was deemed irrecoverable.

While the U. S. sits on over 60 trillion three-dimensional pess of natural gas militias ( EIA 4 ) . they are situated under big shale stone formations. Due to the peculiar belongingss of shale. natural gas sedimentations under these formations are really broad and shallow ( Marsa ) . Traditional perpendicular boring. while possible. is non cost effectual. One well is merely unequal to pull out the necessary volume of gas to turn a net income. It would take tonss. possibly 100s. of Wellss to pull out adequate natural gas to be utile. In this respect. the industry and the conservationists were on the same page.

The cost merely wouldn’t be worth it. This scenario changed with the debut of horizontal boring. With engineering adapted from offshore oil rigs. a horizontal drill caput can force through shallow gas deposits a mile off from the wellspring. Government and private endeavor partnered to develop techniques for shallow sedimentation extraction on land. Based on this preliminary work. Mitchell Energy experimented with its usage on the Barnett Shale sedimentation in Texas and their consequences were copied by others at that place and along the Fayetteville Shale sedimentation under Arkansas ( EIA 4 ) .

The coming of this development brought with it tremendous bets — that 60 trillion three-dimensional pess of natural gas was now gettable and represented one hundred years’ worth of energy at current ingestion degrees ( Fracking With Care ) . The sudden handiness of this abundant and cleaner energy beginning was hailed as a eureka minute by authorities functionaries. the scientific constitution. environmental groups. and the energy industry that would work out several jobs at one time. But this was non the complete image. The last constituent of this pattern to be addressed is the most important.

While there is no contention sing the comparative cleanliness of natural gas. and the procedure of horizontal boring on its ain doesn’t pose any important hazards. it’s the boring technique of hydraulic fracturing. normally referred to as fracking. which has been raised as the ghost of this industry. So what is hydraulic fracturing? It is the method by which 1000000s of gallons of H2O. assorted with and sand and miscellaneous chemicals ( hydraulic ) are injected into drill sites at high velocities with the purpose of checking unfastened the stone ( fracturing ) and let go ofing the natural gas interior.

This released gas is so captured for bringing to the energy production substructure for usage in everything from megawatt bring forthing Stationss to your place warmer. The well. which may run 1000s of pess below the surface and a few stat mis across. is backfilled to forestall instability. Since Halliburton pioneered the pattern n the 1940’s ( Marsa ) . the technique has been refined many times over but the rudimentss remain the same. Fracking has been used safely in infinite Wellss across the U. S. with small or no documented jobs. So what’s job?

It is the yoke of the duplicate patterns of horizontal boring and hydraulic fracturing that allows for the extraction of shale-bound natural gas sedimentations. It is the combination of those techniques along with the built-in belongingss of the shale and the natural gas edge in the stone that has led to a whirlpool of contention. Unexplained wellness jobs. contaminated groundwater. cryptic temblors. toxicant effluent. and surprisingly increased C footmark have all been linked to the modern pattern of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. What are the facts endorsing up those claims?

Is fracking risky to our wellness? Before turn toing these cardinal inquiries. the economic and geopolitical benefits of our natural gas premium should be examined. The economic and political benefits of increased natural gas use are often touted. Since oil imports history for about half of the U. S. trade shortage ( Williamson ) so any decrease in our trust on “ foreign oil” would surely hold some impact. More significantly. as McGlynn notes “ geopolitical convulsion has put foreign beginnings at risk” ( 1052 ) . Break of these beginnings. chiefly from the Persian Gulf. continues to stalk the foreign policy of the United States.

Our continued dependance on this Middle Eastern crude oil grapevine paints our nation’s disposals in a corner when taking a base against human rights misdemeanors. rigged elections. and other patterns to which our democracy is theoretically and rhetorically opposed. Advocates of “ energy independence” insist that if merely we were to do usage of our freshly gettable natural gas resources we could work out both jobs at one time.

So does increased extraction and production centered on natural gas have the possible to fuel an economic roar in the United States? It has been suggested that it may increase GDP up to 3. per centum. the equivalent of $ 126. 5 billion dollars and “ create a million new fabricating occupations by 2025” ( Schacter ) . And one analyst states that “ direct and indirect employment from this economic roar has already surpassed 140. 000 jobs” ( McGlynn 1065 ) . On a smaller graduated table. landholders reap the benefit of renting their belongings to energy companies for boring. Some proprietors populating above the Marcellus Shale sedimentation. covering big parts of New York and Pennsylvania. have negotiated $ 10. 000 rentals ( Marsa ) . This is little alteration for the multi-billion dollar energy industry. but can turn out a windfall to families in fighting rural communities.

Clearly the economic benefits are really existent. at least in the short term. Oppositions of hydraulic fracturing province that these overpowering positive Numberss and individual payment rental understandings don’t reflect the true cost in substructure and long-run wellness jobs. However. most expostulations tend to concentrate on the environmental and wellness jobs which give the remarkable economic statement extra acceptance. Although the true extent of the economic benefits are non to the full understood. overall it seems that there can be small inquiry as to the positive consequence that the hydraulic fracturing of natural gas can hold as an economic stimulation.

The geopolitical benefit of shale gas extraction has been considered a given in many quarters and is seldom disputed. even by fervent oppositions. To the limited extent that energy policy was an issue in our late completed election rhythm. expressing the phrase “ energy independence” was codification for increasing our national security. Like many run vocalizations. the inside informations sing how precisely this independency would be achieved were bare. For those with some industry knowledge it was clear that hydraulic fracking was portion of the equation underpinning this political motto.

However. given our current ingestion form ( non ingestion rate ) of energy use. which relies to a great extent on fossil fuels. there is no way to true energy independency even if we were to work every last three-dimensional inch of domestic natural gas available. That narration was flawed when natural gas was ab initio promoted by environmental groups and is every bit wrong now. Based on informations from the U. S. Energy Information Administration. Moran states that “ even with the optimistic premises. U. S. oil imports will fall from 8. million barrels a twenty-four hours to about 7. 5 million … in 2035. ” While any decrease in oil imports is good to the mounting trade shortage. a 16 % lessening will barely let the United States to accomplish any meaningful independency from foreign oil. So from a geopolitical point of view. merely raging up natural gas extraction and building new energy production theoretical accounts based on its inclusion doesn’t solve any of the outstanding issues. it merely reduces the country’s measure at the terminal of the month.

There are two other basic defects in the common “ energy independence” statement. First. this independency is clearly non a precedence under our current fortunes since last twelvemonth the U. S. was a net exporter of crude oil merchandises ( Bigham 7 ) . Given an copiousness of a new energy beginning. our free market system. by design. would sell off the surplus of this premium and so our alleged independency would be outsourced. Unless there is a sea alteration in basic policy our energy will be used. non to hike our liberty. but to hike net incomes for the industry.

Second. believing that shale natural gas could supply one hundred old ages worth of energy depends on a theoretical account that assumes no addition in current ingestion. While this may be a utile benchmark to understand the volume of available natural gas. it in no manner represents the world of future U. S. ingestion. Regardless of whatever the economic or political benefits may potentially be. it is the environmental and wellness issues environing the pattern of hydraulic fracking that has drawn protests from militants and some communities.

The most publicised concern has been the taint of groundwater with methane. a byproduct of the natural gas extraction procedure. Part of the ground for this is the docudrama Gasland which featured occupants lighting their tap H2O on fire with igniters due to the high concentration of methane gas. The natural gas industry has responded to these type of events by saying that their procedure is safe and that methane could non go through the 100s or 1000s of pess of stone between their horizontal Wellss and aquifers ( Fracking With Care ) .

They contend that either the groundwater was contaminated prior to hydraulic fracking in the country. or that these were someway staged ( Williamson ) . Industry advocates normally cite a 2004 survey conducted by the EPA that did non happen a connexion between boring activity and contaminated H2O but this place has since been reconsidered ( Marsa ) . In fact. a preliminary study issued by the same bureau indicates that fracking was a likely cause of imbibing H2O in the Wyoming town of Pavilion ( Wolfgang ) . in add-on. Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection found that defective concrete good shells were the ause of contaminated H2O in two townships. which led to a $ 500. 000 colony for the province and the company put ining H2O intervention systems in the affected families ( Tuhus 22 ) .

While it would be unwise to generalize from these instances that fracking is ever the cause of contaminated H2O. or even that fracking is likely to pollute H2O. they surely demonstrate that it is possible. The industry claim that their pattern is wholly safe for nearby occupants is meriting of really close examination. The EPA is carry oning a major survey that will non be available until 2014.

Even more distressing to some than possible groundwater taint is the claim that the methane released during the extraction procedure negates any of the false environmental benefits. Although the overall sums are comparatively low. methane has “ 105 times more warming impact lb for lb than C dioxide” ( McGlynn 1034 ) and so a small truly does travel a long manner when it comes to climate alteration. Not surprisingly. there is broad dissension on how much methane is being leaked into the ambiance as port of the fracking procedure.

In a survey at Cornell University. Robert Howarth found that the leak rate of methane was between 4 and 5. 6 per centum ( Harder ) . Although industry angels have fielded viing surveies that they say wholly discredits Howarth’s findings ( Schachter ) a recent study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has supported his Numberss as sensible. At this point. it is impossible to corroborate the true graduated table of this job because the release of methane at boring sites is “ largely undocumented” ( Harder ) .

The sad sarcasm of this development is that if the release of methane into the air surpasses the C footmark of coal or oil. the really alternate that conservationists have thirstily pursued will do the job worse. The effluent produced as a effect of the boring procedure poses another complication in this complex narration. A individual well may utilize up to 10 million gallons of H2O which. after being injected into the well. must be sucked back to the surface and treated. This retrieved H2O is loaded with harmful elements.

The most common concern is that of the alone chemical mixture used to help the fracking. However. radioactive elements. long cloistered deep within the stone can catch a drive on H2O molecules. the effects of which are wholly unknown ( Marsa ) . In add-on. since many of the stone beds were ancient ocean floors. the H2O besides contains astoundingly high concentrations of salt ( Williamson ) . which plenty by itself to kill any freshwater fish or animate being that drinks it. The intervention of this effluent is beyond the capablenesss of most municipal governments.

In Pennsylvania. the H2O is extremely regulated and treated in a dedicated installation. Most others provinces. nevertheless. do non hold a comprehensive system for covering with this toxicant fracking by-product. Although simple noise and sightline pollution picket by comparing to some of these other issues. it is besides a job that many communities face. Fracking With Care says that “ thanks to permissive ordinances. drillers can set up their rigs … merely a few 100 pess or less from belongings lines subjecting occupants to the 24/7 blare of a boring rig or the rebarbative odors that waft from unfastened cavities of chemical-laden H2O. This job is recognized by the industry and therefore some companies pay occupants to travel on holiday during boring ( Williamson ) . However. this gesture doesn’t prevent the desolation of the landscape these householders could return place to. Along the Bartlett Shale in Texas. where Mitchell Energy foremost cracked the shale job. at that place now stand over 14. 000 Wellss and many countries have been transformed “ into industrial wastelands” by the boring activity ( Marsa ) . All of these ill understood and potentially really harmful effects are portion of the bundle that comes with the benefits of hydraulic fracking.

This has led many to the decision that federal ordinance of some signifier must be implemented to patrol this pattern. However. the federal authorities already has regulations that protect the H2O. air. public wellness and other facets of the environment. so why would extra Torahs necessary? Can’t they merely enforce the bing Torahs? Unfortunately. as Tuhus provinces. the natural gas and industries are “ exempt from major commissariats of many federal Torahs. including… the Safe Drinking Water Act. the Clean Water Act. the Clean Air Act … and the Toxic Release Inventory” ( 22 ) .

This last one is of import because it allows companies to keep back revelation of the chemicals they use in their fracking mixtures. So it’s carnival to state that bing ordinance as some holes in it. One expostulation drillers raise to the ghost of environmental ordinance on the federal degree is that the strata and composing of each site is different. and so requires guidelines tailored to the peculiar geology of the country. This. they say. is why province ordinance is preferred ( Williamson ) .

In this statement. Pennsylvania is held up as the theoretical account for commonsensible ordinance that meets the demands of both the energy industry and its citizens. However. if geology is genuinely different from Pennsylvania to New York to Ohio to Colorado ( spoiler qui vive: it is ) so specific patterns that work in Pennsylvania likely won’t work in West Virginia or other provinces. And since our province lines aren’t truly based on the composing of the stone below them. what works in western Pennsylvania may non work in southern Pennsylvania.

Whether at the province or federal degree. each site must be treated as alone but that doesn’t preclude the regulators from outlining appropriate guidelines. Not all provinces have the fiscal resources. or political will. to develop their ain plans to modulate natural gas industries. Poorer provinces like West Virginia and Arkansas have been peculiarly difficult hit. State regulators are frequently overwhelmed ( Fracking With Care ) .

McGlynn notes that get bying with the impacts of hydraulic fracturing is a major concern for the provinces. Many lack the resources and environmental staff and are left to cover with the costs of fixs to transit paths damaged by the industry’s equipment ( 1063 ) . These provinces would surely profit from compulsory federal regulations on the extraction and transit of natural gas. along with enforcement of these regulations – and the cost of said enforcement – at the federal degree.

At the really least. doing the industry accountable to the populace by ending their freedoms to the Clean Water Act and other bing federal environmental statute law would coerce companies runing on the peripheries to prosecute better patterns. The true conflict about ordinance seems non to be about the scientific discipline of hydraulic fracking — at this point there are far excessively many unreciprocated inquiries to find what statute law should look like anyhow. As antecedently stated. a comprehensive survey is being conducted with preliminary consequences due sometime following twelvemonth.

Much of the resistance to ordinance is a fright that the EPA. particularly President Obama’s EPA. is politically motivated and will knowingly enforce ordinance that will disable the industry ( Schacter ) . However. some recognize that the EPA is a “ responsible organization” ( Bigham 7 ) and the survey and eventual ordinance of fracking is warranted. although “ no individual survey would be able to reply all the questions” ( Bigham 7 ) . At this point the U. S. is faced with a comparatively new. widespread engineering of unsure benefits and a host of potencies negative effects.

While most of the wellness and environmental inquiries environing hydraulic fracking base unresolved. it is hard to state with certainty whether go oning the pattern is worth it in any quantifiable footings. However. the economic impacts and negative effects of traditional dodo fuel energy production are good understood. These patterns. while cleaner and more efficient than of all time are non feasible for long-run usage. Alternate clean energies of the hereafter such as air current and solar are non yet able to shoulder the ingestion demands of the state.

In this awkward spread. with no better pick available. the benefits of using natural gas as an energy resource are still excessively singular to merely hold the pattern wholly. Once the facts are in. commonsense. baseline federal ordinance demands to be implemented to guarantee that basic safety and environmental concerns about hydraulic fracturing are addressed. These regulations must non halter. but promote farther industry inventions to travel towards best patterns that will minimise the negative impact of hydraulic fracking.

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