Fracking Greenhouse Gas and Water - 1429 Words

Whats the Fracking Problem? W hy does everyone care so much about natural gas? Why is it such an essential part of modern culture? Sure, its an exciting and up and coming technology, which is fuel for the technological generation that weve grown up in, but we need to take a closer look to see the methods and impacts that could affect generations after us. Water is one of our important resources that were given to us by mother nature. We see water as a source for survival and many more advantages. Its fragile, and the smallest amount of contaminants could ruin it for a population, yet one of the major ingredients in fracking processes is the water. Reports of accidents involving water contamination are everywhere. The basic process of†¦show more content†¦Lets face it, people need the money, and some dont mind taking the risk of their water becoming harmful, some dont even realize how critical the case is. In spite of that, there are people out there, who do realize the harmful effects that fracking can cause, and these people are the ones who are fighting for the purity and future of water. Even more disturbing to some, possible groundwater contamination is the claim that the methane released during the extraction process cancels out any of the assumed environmental benefits. Although the overall amounts are relatively low, methane has one-hundred and five times more warming impact pound for pound than carbon dioxide, and so a little really does go a long way when it comes to climate change. Not surprisingly, there is wide disagreement on how much methane is being leaked into the atmosphere as part of the fracking process. Many people argue that we need hydrofracking. The economy is faltering, and more jobs are desperately needed. However, hydrofracking will harm the economy, both in the long and short term. Most industry workers wont come from local areas, so relatively few people will get jobs. Perhaps local hotels and restaurants will get more traffic, but farmers will lose business. No one would go to a farmers market if they knew the produce could be contaminated with carcinogens and radioactivity from hydrofracking. As well, tourism is one of the regions largestShow MoreRelatedFracking : Fracking And Fracking1524 Words   |  7 Pages Hydraulic Fracturing Research Paper Hydraulic Fracturing (also commonly known as fracking) is a process used to extract natural gasses deep within the earth. This is done by drilling vertically into the ground until the desired depth; then drilling horizontally; and pumping millions of gallons of water, sand, and other chemicals into the drill at a high pressure to create fissures through which the gas can escape. Currently, hydraulic fracturing is extensively used in the United States in orderRead MoreEffects Of Fracking On The Environment And Human Health1208 Words   |  5 Pagesforms of energy the demand for gas has grown rapidly worldwide in recent years. This significant increase in demand has led to a boom in world gas prices. In Australia, there are large reserves of unconventional natural gas compared to conventional natural gas. However, according to the Bureau of Resource and Energy Economics (BREE) there is enough conventional natural gas in Australia to supply all of Australia at current levels for more than 6130 years. Fracking extracts hydrocarbons from previouslyRead MoreGlobal Warming And The Negative Environmental Impacts1364 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen around for centuries and is one of the most controversial topics in science. One of the first people to discover the greenhouse effect was the swedish scientist, Savante Arrhenius, in 1896. 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In the U.S., fracking has boostedRead MoreThe Issue Of Hydraulic Fracturing1444 Words   |  6 Pageshottest new issues that has arisen to the forefront of the battle between environmentalists and the energy industry, where the health of future generations is set against our energy needs and economic growth, is the issue of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is colloquially called. America’s new-found energy independence has been made possible using technology that was only a pipe dream a mere decade ago, slashing the disparity between net imports versus exports of crude oil and petroleum productsRead MoreIs Hydraulic Fracturing Environmentally Safe?1414 Words   |  6 Pagesthe largest producers of natural gas and most of the production is from shale plays. Solar, wind, biomass waste and geothermal and hydroelectric energy have long be en recognized as renewable and sustainable energy resources; however, they only comprise 9% of our energy consumption; this is in comparison to the growing production of natural gas which accounts for 40% of industrial and 74% of residential energy consumption in 2012 (Chen et al. 1). With natural gas production on the rise, several studiesRead MoreU.s. Federal And State Governments1247 Words   |  5 Pagestheir strategic goal of becoming energy independent. Incidentally, recent advances in hydraulic fracturing - a process used to extract oil or gas from underground formations - has contributed significantly to achieving that end. According to Terry Engelder (2011), of the Department of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, â€Å"There is enough domestic gas to meet our needs for the foreseeable future thanks to technological advances in hydraulic fracturing† (Howarth, Ingraffia, Engelder, p. 271)Read More Fracking and its Effect on the Environment Essay1464 Words   |  6 PagesOil and natural gas companies have developed a way to drill for natural gas, a process called hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. Natural gas is a flammable gas mixture consisting of methane and several other hydrocarbons that occur naturally underground. Natural gas is used as fuel for heating, cooking, and even in some automobiles like the â€Å"RideOn† buses. This technique has only recently become economically feasible with the rising prices of fossil fuels, and there is much potentialRead MoreCoal Seam Gas : Coal Gas Essay1162 Words   |  5 PagesCoal Seam Gas What is coal seam gas? Coal Seam Gas (CSG) is a natural methane gas found in coal seams made by coal forming under the earth for millions of years. Countries such as the United States and China have utilised it for energy needs. Methane lines the inside of the coal cracks, pores and micro-pores and is found in the open fractures (cleats) and seams. (1) CSG is also known as Coal bed methane (CBM) and Unconventional Gas. Unlike coal itself, the gas lacks hydrogen sulphide. It is extracted