Monthly Free Report - Hydraulic Fracturing and its effectsby Sagar Koirala | 04-01-2022 22:31 |
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Hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking" or "hydrofracking" or "hydrofracturing", is an oil and gas development process that typically involves injecting fracking fluids primarily water, sand or other proppants( small,solid particles that is used to keep fractures in rock open after the pressure from injection subsides) suspended with the help of thickening agents under high pressure into a bedrock formation via the well. This process is done to create new fractures in the rocks and also to increase the size, extent and connectivity of existing fractures. Fracking is a well- stimulation techniques used commonly in a low permeability rocks like tight Sandstone, Shale and some coal beds to increase oil and gas flow in them. Sometimes hydraulic fracturing can occur naturally in certain dikes and veins. At first, hydraulic fracturing began as an experiment in 1947, and then it's successful commercial application followed in 1950. As per Kansas Geological Survey 2012, about 2.5 million fracturing jobs had been performed worldwide on Oil and Gas well, out of which one million are within the United States. Positive Impact : Hydraulic fracturing contributes in economic growth due to extensively accessible hydrocarbons as well as replacing coal with natural gas, which burns more cleanly & emit less carbon dioxide. As per New York Times, drilling and hydraulic fracturing have made US, a major crude oil exporter of 2019, accounted for 71% of all oil and natural gas drilled. Negative Impact: Fracking are outweighed by the environmental impacts which includes groundwater and surface water contamination, noise and air pollution and triggering of earthquake, along with the resulting hazards to public health and the environment. • Air emissions are mainly methane that escapes from wells along with industrial emissions from equipment used in extraction process. Methane is a major greenhouse gas having global warming potential 84 times that of carbon dioxide on a 20-year horizon, and 28 times on a 100-year horizon. • Hydraulic fracturing uses between 1.2 to 3.5 million gallons of water per well. This consumption reduces the amount of fresh water available to nearby residents, particularity in areas where water availability is low. • The chemical used in fracking contaminates the ground water making it unworthy and same happens with surface water. • Extraction workers are also at high risk for developing pulmonary diseases like lung cancer and silicosis because of the long term exposure to silica dust and others chemicals generated from rock drilling. Even though fracking has the potential to provide more oil and gas resources to the world, the process of extraction has long-lasting negative impacts on the surrounding environment. Air pollution and water contamination due to the harmful chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing are our major concerns. The disposal of waste water and shrinking water supplies are also pressing issues directly related to this process which needs to be addressed. |
