Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing is a process of retrieving oil and gas deep from within the earth’s surface. Today, this is a very controversial procedure that many sources believe to be beneficial, but some believe to be dangerous and harmful.

So what exactly is “fracking?” It is a fracturing job, “fracturing fluids” or “pumping fluids” using water and sand.  The job involves drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture directed at rock to release the gas inside. The water and sand are injected into the rock which allows the gas to flow out the head of the well. The procedure can be preformed vertically, but it is more common to drill horizontally at the rock layer. In the US there is an estimated 35,000 wells preforming fracking.

Below is a diagram of this procedure.

Here is a link I have inserted explaining the Fracking process and its benefits

Hydraulic Fracturing

Fracking is beneficial because it makes it possible to retrieve shale oil extraction to produce oil and natural gas in places where other technologies are ineffective.  In the US, fracking has boosted domestic oil production and made improvements in gas prices. There is enough fossil fuels locked in shale in North America to make the US more energy independent.  Fracking offers “gas security” for about 100 years and has the potential to generate electricity at half the CO2 emissions of coal. Using natural gas to heat our homes and power our cars releases far fewer carbon emissions than coal.

This image shows the improvements of combining horizontal drilling with vertical drilling.
Studies estimate that up to 80 percent of natural gas wells drilled in the next decade will require hydraulic fracturing to properly complete well setup. Horizontal drilling is a key component in the hydraulic fracturing process.
– See more at: http://www.energyfromshale.org/hydraulic-fracturing/what-is-fracking#sthash.b1SsiJnh.dpuf

As I mentioned before, fracking is a very controversial topic, but why is that? Fracking in the US has revolutionized the energy industry, but environmental concerns have created doubt. First off, fracking uses massive amounts of water that must be transported to the fracking site. This is a significant environmental cost. There is also worry that chemicals used in the job may escape and contaminate the ground water. Potential contaminations are possible, but the industry claims that pollution incidents are the results of bad practice. Although the benefits of fracking allow us to have energy resources with less carbon emissions, environmental campaigners say that fracking is “simply distracting energy firms and governments from investing in renewable sources of energy, and encouraging continued reliance on fossil fuels.” The controversy about the 21st century energy revolution is that we are striving to have energy efficiency and renewable energy, but fracking is continuing to support the use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels will continue to increase climate change.

Below is a diagram of the “fraccidents” that have occurred in the US as of May 2011

Drilling next to homes, schools, even in the middle of cemeteries.
Polluting air and water, making people sick, and hurting communities .

Sources:

http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/05/fracking_a_divisive_practices.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-14432401

http://www.energyfromshale.org/hydraulic-fracturing/how-hydraulic-fracturing-works

http://earthjustice.org/advocacy-campaigns/unfracktured

Here are a few more images to look at

A fracturing operation in progress at the Bakken Formation in North Dakota
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing#mediaviewer/File:Frac_job_in_process.JPG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing#mediaviewer/File:Well_Head_where_fluids_are_injected_into_the_ground.JPG