Good Example Of Environmental Concerns About Fracking Critical Thinking

Fracking or Hydraulic Fracturing

Fracking or Hydraulic Fracturing is a relatively new technology in the extraction of oil and natural gas. Fracking technology features the use of enormous amounts of water using the principles of hydraulics . The process starts by drilling a hole through the ground until it penetrates the shale, a porous rock formation that contains the fossil fuel deposit. Water is then forced through the hole in order to break the shale and facilitate the easy extraction of oil or natural gas. As the shale is cracked, the surface area where oil or natural gas can seep through increases; thereby increasing the rate unto which fuel is extracted. While the major component of the fluid used in fracking is water, at least 2% of it is chemical compounds or additives that are mixed with water to facilitate the cracking of the shale formation. Sands are also combined with the hydraulic fluid in order to fill the gaps in the shale open after it has been cracked by the pressurized fluid.

Environmental Impact

The use of fracking technology in the extraction of oil and natural gas has significantly increased its production disruptively. Some analysts blame this technology for the drastic decrease on the prices of oil and natural gas in world markets. But aside from its economic impact, one of the major concerns towards hydraulic fracturing or fracking is its environmental impact. First of all, the drilling operation associated with fracking is already environmentally disruptive. Often, enormous amounts of fossil fuel deposits are found in the most bio diverse environments and operations of these sorts could destroy the natural biodiversity of an area. Another environmental risk associated with fracking is the high tendency of contamination of the ground water table. In most cases, the drilling alone releases huge amounts of methane gas that contaminates ground water within the area where fracking is being conducted . In a worst case scenario, fracking fluids that contain chemical additives, which are highly toxic, may leak and contaminate the ground water reservoirs and create adverse environmental and health hazards towards living organisms most especially on human population.

References

Boudet, H., Clarke, C., Bugden, D., Maibach, E., Roser-Renouf, C., & Leiserowitz, A. (2013). “Fracking” controversy and communication: Using national survey data to understand public perceptions of hydraulic fracturing. Retrieved February 2015, from http://environment.yale.edu/: http://environment.yale.edu/climate-communication/files/2013_Boudet_et_al_Fracking_Public_Perceptions.pdf
Davis, C. (2012, March). The Politics of “Fracking”: Regulating Natural Gas Drilling Practices in Colorado and Texas. Retrieved February 2015, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1541-1338.2011.00547.x/pdf
Yergin, D. (2015, January). Who Will Rule the Oil Market? Retrieved February 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/opinion/sunday/what-happened-to-the-price-of-oil.html?rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=origin®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=article