How Fracking Has Changed Our Environment Essay - 2119 Words

There is wide agreement among experts and the public that the current energy sources we use in the United States are in need of a replacement. The successful development of horizontal drilling by the energy industry coupled with the existing technology of hydraulic fracturing is now providing access to 100 years’ worth of energy in the form of natural gas located within our own borders, thousands of feet below the surface. Fracking is a fairly new method of extracting natural gas and has been very beneficial to our energy needs. The question is not how fracking has helped our goals for cleaner energy, but how fracking has affected our environment, our health and our water. Fracking is referring to the procedure of creating fractures in rocks and rock formations by injecting fluid into cracks to force them further open. The step-by-step process to fracking is this: First they start out by drilling downward approximately 6,000 feet into the ground, penetrating through several geological layers. The drilling then turns ninety degrees and continues horizontally several thousand feet into shale, which is believed to contain trapped natural gas. A mixture of water, sand, and various chemicals that fracking companies will not disclose, is pumped into the well which splits the shale so that the natural gas can escape. The natural gas escapes through the cracks made in the shale and is brought back up to the surface to be processed. To some Americans, fracking has become an energyShow MoreRelatedThe Invention Of Our Modern Day Fracking1299 Words   |  6 Pagescase of any treatment polluting an aquifer – not one.†(â€Å"Shooters-A Fracking History†). This statement may lead you to believe there is no need for concern, but there is a big pink elephant in the room. Arguments against these statements would prove futile, at a first glance, but understanding the true cost, to the environment and our safety could prove more valuable than the money earned. The beginnings of our modern day fracking process reside in a U.S. Patent No. 59,936, issued to a Col. EdwardRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing : Good Or Bad?1401 Words   |  6 PagesDairy†). At the hospital they found her liver, spleen and her right ovary were extremely enlarged. French’s daughter decided to move away due to her medical conditions. Moreover, â€Å"French’s neighbor had the same health issues after her neighbor’s water changed in March of that year, except her spleen burst three days after she went to the hospital† (â€Å"A Dairy†). French and her family do not drink the water or the milk from their cows now. 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The process involves a well drilled vertically to the desired depth, then turns ninety degrees and continues horizontally for thousands of feet into the shale believed to contain the trapped natural gas. A mix of water, sand, and various chemicals are pumped into the well at high pressure in order to create fissures in the shale through which the gas can escapeRead MoreFracking: Is It Worth It?1551 Words   |  6 PagesFracking: Is it Worth it? â€Å"Fracking is the process of obtaining Natural Gas from below Earth’s surface by drilling 1000’s of feet into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside.† Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.† (Jackson). Hydraulic Fracturing got its name due to the fact of how the rock is fractured apart by the high pressure mixture of a numberRead MoreFracking : Fracking And Fracking851 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is Fracking? When you look at the title of this paper you ask yourself, what is fracking, and you probably try to learn the definition so that you’ll actually understand what I am writing about. However, I am going to tell you what fracking is. What is fracking? Fracking is the injection of fluid into the ground in order to get natural fossil fuels to come to the surface, in order to use them for gas and other things (Fracking). How does fracking work? Water and sand are pushed into the groundRead MoreThe Effects Of Hydraulic Fracturing On The United States1518 Words   |  7 Pagesneed of a change. How we rely on the fossil fuels of coal and oil is a concern for two main issues: which is the negative impact on the environment and how the U.S. relies on other countries for supplies. This too has created issues on the political standpoint of the situation. This is where hydraulic fracturing comes in to play. Hydraulic Fracturing is a horizontal drilling process by the energy industry that has presented the means to solve both problems. This technology has provided the U.S.Read MoreThe Role Of Opec In The Future Of Energy. Throughout History,1167 Words   |  5 Pagestouches nearly every aspect of our lives. The inner workings of Western culture depends so heavily on the availability of fossil fuels, that it has become the Achilles heel of our society; and OPEC holds the arrow aimed at the heel of Western society. This essay will examine the role of OPEC how they are projected to shape not only the future of energy use and consumption, but also the future of our society and culture. The culture humans create is largely determined by our ability perform work withRead MoreMy Interaction With Nature Of The Environment Essay1406 Words   |  6 PagesAstrobiology and Its Relation to the Environment I grew up in a fairly average Los Angeles suburb, so I don’t have the tight knit connection with nature that some from more rural locations might have. My interaction with nature in my early years was quite limited. I went on a few hikes with my family and occasionally went to the beach. But the one aspect of nature I’ve always been fascinated with is space. While this may not be what most of us think of the â€Å"environment†, it has deeply impacted the way I seeRead MoreHuman Induced Climate Change : Energy Use1349 Words   |  6 Pages Human-Induced Climate Change – Energy Use Joel Hyde, Kevin Styers, and Victoria â€Å"Scout† Vitus- Dega Throughout the history of Earth, the climate has changed to varying degrees by natural causes. When the world first began, the climate was unstable and devoid of the atmosphere that we know of today. It was not until bacteria were able to fix nitrogen did the Earth begin to develop its nitrogen and eventually nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere allowing modern hominids to advance. Earth was cooler after