As the population of the United States (and, in a larger scope, the world) continues to grow, so does its insatiable need for energy. While energy comes in a variety of forms, each most suited for a different purpose, the one seeing perhaps the greatest increase demand of late has been natural gas. This surge may be partially attributed to the aforementioned increase in population, but there are other factors likewise causing this uptick in demand. Amongst these is the environmental lobby; natural gas is a more efficient source of energy than coal, as “40% of the energy in gas is turned into electricity, but only 33% for coal” (Richter 84). While this may not seem like a tremendous leap initially, extrapolating those figures to serve 300,000,000 people will certainly add emphasis to even just that seven percent increase in efficiency.
Unfortunately, as with its dirtier energy cousin oil, many of the easily accessible sources of natural gas have been already been tapped and drained by previous generations. With “necessity being the mother of all invention,” though, and demand continually growing, gas companies have developed an innovative way of retrieving their supply from previously inaccessible sources. Known as hydraulic fracturing, or more colloquially “hydrofracking,” this process uses explosives, sand and highly pressurized chemical liquids to penetrate hard rock beds. Once these beds have been fractured, wells can be established to pump out the gas and direct it to a plant for processing.
Economic incentives abound for pushing ahead with hydrofracking. For gas companies, a large initial investment in each well will provide them with a steady supply of gas; for consumers, the increased supply will drive down prices (assuming demand fails to outpace well development). Along the east coast of the United States is the current primary target of hydrofracking, the Marcellus Shale. Promises of lease money to farmers who sacrifice portions of their land to gas companies for this purpose are plenty, as are the prospects of massive job creation in the region. For each of these reasons, gas companies have already begun to plan for the creation of over 1,000 wells in the state of Pennsylvania alone, with hopes for continuing to progress all along the 600 mile stretch of the Marcellus Shale. Doing so would entail the involvement of land throughout the so-called “Rust Belt” of the United States, passing through Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New York.
However, despite such seemingly advantageous conditions for hydrofracking, there hardly exists a unanimous consent to the implementation of such wells. Just as economic incentives abound, so too do ecological and environmental concerns. Primary amongst these are impact hydrofracking has on nearby water supplies; there have been enough reports of contaminants in local water tables to cause the Natural Resource Defense Council, a group dedicated to protection of the environment, to call for “Putting the most sensitive lands, including critical watersheds, completely off limits to fracking.” Such danger has also attracted the attention of more than a few politicians, as affected water supplies threaten not only the environment, but constituents as well. Imprecision in the “drilling” that has led to blow outs, leaks and industrial accidents have likewise led some to oppose further hydrofracking.
If hydraulic fracturing is given full implantation across the southeastern and central United States, the price of natural gas is almost certain to drop, as are unemployment figures in those regions. On the other hand, widespread approval may also create widespread danger. Given these potential incentives and disincentives, it remains to be seen in which direction the field is headed. Regardless, this is certainly something that will be on headlines across America for decades to come.
Sources:
http://www.nrdc.org/energy/gasdrilling/?gclid=CMTW2P2ToK4CFYeK4AodnkNL5w –The Natural Resource Defense Council, an environmental lobbyist, with an entire page dedicated to the responsible implementation of hydrofracking technology.
http://www.theoec.org/Fracking.htm?gclid=CMT49f-XoK4CFUlN4Aod1VkY4A — Another lobbyist group, this one from Ohio and outright opposed to the spread of hydrofracking.
\”Fracking Hell\” a documentary by the BBC on hydraulic fracturing in western Pennsylvania
This blog is well written and easy to follow. However some graphics etc may have served to liven it up.