Fracking and Water Quality Ethics Literature Review
What is Fracking?
Fracking is used to extract natural gas from shale layers located deep in the ground. The impermeability of the shale layers leads to the gas being trapped. The rocks are blasted with pressurized water that contain sand and chemicals capable of increasing friction between the rocks and water. However, the percentage of the fluid consisting of the chemicals is very small. Some of the chemicals, for instance ethylene glycol, are poisonous, while other components are 'trade secrets'. The sand contained in the pressurized solution helps in cracking the rocks so that they release the gas (Schrope, 2012).
A lot of controversy has been generated by the increase in the sources of natural gas and oil obtained through the use of hydraulic fracturing. Those in support make the argument that fracking has the capacity to speed up growth in the economy, increase the energy supplies that can be sourced domestically, and help in transitioning to cleaner sources of energy (The Perryman Group, 2008; Considine, et al., 2010; Hultman, et. al., 2010; EPA, 2010). Those opposed tend to focus on the potential effects on the environment and public health given the proximity of the neighboring communities to the sources of energy (Boudet, et al., 2013).
Literature Review
Hydraulic fracturing is one cog in the wheel of the gas or...
This process includes: the clearing of land where the wells are to be dug, construction of the transport infrastructure such as compressor stations and pipelines, processing of the extracted fossil fuels, water transportation, wastewater treatment, disposal of wastes, and bringing new populations to the community. Such activities have potential health, social, environmental, and economic impacts that come with fast growth in population as well as cycles of 'boom and bust' associated with the sector (Jacquet, 2009). How well these factors are managed, and their impact on the community is dependent on several factors. These factors include the time frame in question, the inherent characteristics of the area impacted, and such details as the nature of the population, and the area's history as far as extraction of fossil fuels is concerned (Brasier, et al., 2011).
Fracking and Water Resources
Several reports have been made on water contamination and overuse in various places. It has been noted by the Council of Canadian Academics (cited in Kairos, 2015) that there isn't enough evidence to show that shale gas development poses risks to water resources. However, if there is any actual risk, its extent cannot be accurately measured because scientific data is lacking. According to the council, the biggest threat happens to be gas leaks from the wells. For this problem, not even the current best practices offer a long-term solution (Kairos, 2015).
Social Impacts of Fracking
The Chief Medical Officer in New Brunswick…
References
Boudet, H. et al., 2013. "Fracking" controversy and communication: Using national survey. Energy Policy.
Brasier, K. Fillteau, M.; McLaughlin, D.; Jacquet, J.; Stedman, R.; Kelsey, T.; Goetz, S. 2011. Residents' perceptions of community and environmental impacts from development of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale: a comparison of Pennsylvania and New York cases. J. Rural Social Sci, Volume 26, p. 32-61.
Considine, T., Watson, R. & Blumsack, S., 2010. The Economic Impacts of the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play: An Update, University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.
EPA (2010). United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2010. Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources, Washington, D.C.: s.n.
Available at: http://environment.yale.edu/envy/stories/fracking-outpaces-science-on-its-impact [Accessed 15 September 2015].
Fracking and Ethics Introduction While “fracking”—the term applied to the practice of hydraulic fracturing of rock to gain access to the oil or gas underground—has been hailed as a revolutionary way for the oil industry to draw oil from previously hard to reach places, there are a variety of ethical issues surrounding the practice (Evensen & Stedman, 2018). Stakeholders in the issue of fracking go beyond those in the oil/gas industry, however.
Hydraulic fracking of gas and oil wells in the northeast region of the United States is controversial, and it has the potential to create devastating and long lasting environmental damage and human health problems. How this part of the country been affected by fracking Industrial gas exploration including horizontal exploration using high-volume fracking, results in significant adverse effects. These effects are an outcome of activities like; changes in usage of land road building
Fracking While "fracking" (hydraulic fracturing) certainly poses some major economic and industrial benefits for America (described by Seamus as the Saudi Arabia of natural gas), the practice still poses a number of questions as well as potential threats to both the environment and the health of humanity. The question that advocates of fracking would prefer persons to ask is whether or not this is a viable alternative to oil consumption
1. Executive summary While the extraction of natural gas by means of hydraulic fracturing is a decade- long practice, of late, it has witnessed immense development owing to advancements in the area of horizontal drilling which enables gas and oil operators to now harness earlier- unprofitable natural gas reserves within rock formations. Extant extraction- related policies combine state-federal alliances and voluntary endeavors by private organizations. More unprejudiced, scientific studies providing details
Global Warming and Climate Change Natural versus anthropogenic forces in climate change are a common topic for discussion. Some people believe that the global warming experienced now is part of a natural cycle while other others believe it is accelerated thanks to human evolution on earth. Although there is a natural cycle on the planet concerning global warming, this is not the case regarding the information provided from scientific data on
Environmental Management Removing natural resources by means of forcing fluids and sand into fissures in high density reservoir rock is called hydraulic fracturing or fracking. Fracking is also used for additional processes but, it is the process and the byproducts of oil and gas removal that are creating the current environmental concern because it is the most common reason for fracking. The process itself is also at issue as it forces
