Fracking or Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing is a highly controversial and interesting process of harnessing natural gas out of the ground
Rocks and other formations in the ground have stored oil or gas but poor permeability, Fracking allows this stored gas to flow up to the surface and be stored for later use, making the process of obtaining natural gasses easier and less expensive than other, older alternatives.
Fracking uses a metal pipe in the ground to reach 7,000 feet where shale rock is, then the pipe turns horizontal. thousands of gallons of sand, water and chemicals are pumped into the pipe at a high pressure. the pressure causes the layer of earth to crack, these cracks are called Fissures. Sometimes acids or gasses are also used to more quickly disperse the natural gasses from the rock.
the sand from the mixture injected in the tube keeps these fissures open therefore natural gas can flow up the tube and into storage tanks above.
vertical hydraulic Fracking has been around for 40 years but horizontal Fracking is relatively new although there has always been some support and some concerns weather or not hydraulic Fracking is safe this newer horizontal Fracking is raising new and more concerns. Overwhelmingly it seems like the popular point of view on this issue is against the Fracking process.
looking at the opposition First:
the acids, gasses or water used in this Fracking process are known to stay in the ground it is this residue that is the main concern of environmentalists and scientists.
- Water use- it takes 1-8 million gallons of water for one job
- The chemicals used seep into nearby ground water, methane levels in nearby drinking water is raised.
- Accounts of health issues due to drinking this water have been proven
- most of the fluid is left in the ground and is non biodegradable
- 600 chemicals used including formaldehyde, methanol and lead, many of the chemicals used are unreported leaving many people asking questions
bellow shows the water cycle and how large a reach the water used and left behind in the Fracking process:
- The sand and proppants that are harvested for the Fracking process presents its own environmental, safety and health risks.
- run offs can kill wild life, insect life, and plant life creating a huge environmental impact.
- air quality declines due to the excess leaking of natural gasses into the air around Fracking sites.
below is a list of the harmful chemicals used in Fracking with direct health risks attached
Natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing chemicals with 10 or more health effects
| • 2,2′,2″-Nitrilotriethanol • 2-Ethylhexanol • 5-Chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one • Acetic acid • Acrolein • Acrylamide (2-propenamide) • Acrylic acid • Ammonia • Ammonium chloride • Ammonium nitrate • Aniline • Benzyl chloride • Boric acid • Cadmium • Calcium hypochlorite • Chlorine • Chlorine dioxide • Dibromoacetonitrile 1 • Diesel 2 • Diethanolamine • Diethylenetriamine • Dimethyl formamide • Epidian • Ethanol (acetylenic alcohol) • Ethyl mercaptan • Ethylbenzene |
• Ethylene glycol • Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (2-BE) • Ethylene oxide • Ferrous sulfate • Formaldehyde • Formic acid • Fuel oil #2 • Glutaraldehyde • Glyoxal • Hydrodesulfurized kerosene • Hydrogen sulfide • Iron • Isobutyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-propanol) • Isopropanol (propan-2-ol) • Kerosene • Light naphthenic distillates, hydrotreated • Mercaptoacidic acid • Methanol • Methylene bis(thiocyanate) • Monoethanolamine • NaHCO3 |
• Naphtha, petroleum medium aliphatic • Naphthalene • Natural gas condensates • Nickel sulfate • Paraformaldehyde • Petroleum distillate naptha • Petroleum distillate/ naphtha • Phosphonium, tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)-sulfate • Propane-1,2-diol • Sodium bromate • Sodium chlorite (chlorous acid, sodium salt) • Sodium hypochlorite • Sodium nitrate • Sodium nitrite • Sodium sulfite • Styrene • Sulfur dioxide • Sulfuric acid • Tetrahydro-3,5-dimethyl-2H-1,3,5-thiadiazine-2-thione (Dazomet) • Titanium dioxide • Tributyl phosphate • Triethylene glycol • Urea • Xylene |
– See more at: http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/hydraulic_fracturing_101#.VBormWd0yP–
Pros:
- very small amount of the chemicals are capable of contaminating large amounts of water according to some sources
- perhaps the most argued positive is the economic growth an estimated one billion dollars every day
http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/hydraulic_fracturing_101#.VBormWd0yP-
http://www.dangersoffracking.com/
A billion-dollar daily shot in the arm for the American economy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing