Fracking

The idea of hydraulic fracking is the process to maximize the extraction of underground resources. These underground resources include things such as water, natural gas, oil and geothermal energy. This process occurs as shale rock breaks and releases natural gas. Additionally, The products of this practice are commonly known to be petroleum and natural gas. As for the reactants, you’ll learn about them as we walk you through this presentation. The chemistry of hydraulic fracking ranges from the limiting growth of bacteria as well as using different chemicals to acheive natural gas or any other common resource needed. Now, as ethical and environment-friendly as it sounds, it’s not exactly how you could merely visualize it. This process of attaining specific underground resources cause additional pollution and contamination which results in several health effects. Hydraulic fracking has been known as a national and global threat towards the environment mainly, but also to those who have acknowledged the health risks of fracking. Carcinogens, also known as cancer-causing agents have been a major health risk from the process of fracking. Other examples of hydraulic fracking follows as we teach you more about the truth about fracking as well as it’s many impacts.

The diagram above shows the common types of chemicals used in fracking. Just to clear one thing up, it says “Shale Fracturing” which is another way of saying the process of fracking to break down shale rock and release natural gas/any other resource. It also shows what it’s used for as well as the consequences of not using the chemical. So this diagaram shows the appeal to why using that specific chemical is necessary for hydraulic fracking in order to obtain natural gas as an end product.

In easier terms, Hydraulic fracturing, well-known as fracking, is described to be the process of injecting water mixed fluid into the ground at an extremely high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks in order to result in the release of natural gas or other underground resources. Fracking is helpful as it allows for natural gas and oil to be easily collected for use in day to day environments. But, fracking has been the cause of air pollution, contaminated water, health risks, environmental damage as well as other risk factors that scientists are still unsure of. So as you can see, fracking has it’s benefits and limits as to what it can do. However, fracking is known as the most unethical, immoral, unjust, and unprincipled practices used selfishly to recieve underground resources. The image above helps visualize the process of hydraulic fracking and how the practice is done.

Approximately 400 tanker trucks are required to carry water and supplies to and from the site at where the water and sand is mixed in order to make the fluid in order to further result in natural gas. So along with this process, there’s a reasonable amount of air pollution to create harmful impacts towards the environment as well as the rest of the population. As we walk you through this presentation, keep in mind all the amount of pollution being put into the air, as well as the additional effect it’s adding towards the original impact of fracking.

1-8 million gallons of water are used to complete each fracturing job. That shows how much water is being wasted just to further harm the environment as well as the rest of society just to attain natural gas. All of that water is being used to be dissolved with other chemicals just to result in contaminated drinking water.

Furthermore, during hydraulic fracking, there are over 600 chemicals used to create the fluid. Some examples include radium, methanol, hydrochloric acid, formaldehyde, lead, uranium, mercury, ethylene glycol, and others. Not only that, but, there is an additional number of chemicals used within this process to release natural gas. And, most of these chemicals are wasted when natural gas is attained. Many of the chemicals travel elsewhere once they’re wasted.

In addition to fracking, methane gas and other toxic chemicals are exposed to nearby groundwater once they’re wasted reactants. The water is exposed to these threatening chemicals which foreshadows the consumption of contaminated water. Therefore, this contaminated water causes several health risks which causes “clean and purified water” to be full of toxins including carcinogens. Carcinogens are well-known to be cancer-causing agents as they go into the body and remove your cells one-by-one. Overall, the question to keep in mind here is: Is fracking worth risking a general population’s health as well as the nature of our surroundings?

As the image reads, the truth about hydraulic fracking is that it has caused over 1,000 documented cases relating to contaminated drinking wells which have severe health hazards such as sensory, respiratory and neurological damages. These risk factors seem almost ignorant to some who only focus on gaining natural gas. Fracking needs to be addressed merely because of these health hazards as well as the pollution it’s causing to the Earth. Also, the pollution being put into the air that we inhale.

The waste fluid from fracking is exposed to open air and evaporates releasing harmful VOC’s which are known for creating acid rain, contaminated air, and ground level ozone. Along with the other harmful impacts of fracking, these effects additionally expose the truth of fracking and how “ethical” hydraulic fracking is portrayed.

Several environmental impacts include creating droughts. Hydraulic fracking drains water from areas in the United States where there are already several water shortages. Additionally, these droughts cause crops to shrivel up and waterways to become dry.

Several scientists however, are demanding other scientists and environmentalists to study any other effects of fracking since there are still some unknown risk factors for fracking. Therefore, more research should be put into studying and learning the unknown effects of fracking and whether they could affect anything else besides the environment/people’s health.

Due to the knowledge people gained by learning the risks from fracking, several people have found hydraulic fracking to be an unethical process since it’s impact is larger than it’s main intention. An example of this included many residents in Texas angrily protesting from suffering from 30 earthquakes due to increased fracking activity.

Lots of environmentalists have found hydraulic fracking to be unjust and immoral to the idea of only gaining natural gas as well as other underground resources. Not only that, but, several others find the practice of fracking to be a horrendous effect on, not only the environment but also the air we inhale, a general population’s health, and others. Another very recent report summarized the study of finding methane in water which was concerning for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Texas. This further led to a national investigation as well as several national protests against hydraulic fracking as the information about the process expanded.

Again, the information about fracking and its impact led several others to oppose against the unethical practice. Several found this process to be merely selfish and unjust. In addition, the expanding opposition of hydraulic fracking led more and more states to protest against it. This led to several other global protests as people began supporting what seemed to be, the anti-fracking movement.

Not only has fracking been a conflict in the United States but according to a report from last year, approximately 26 countries united together to ban fracking in order to keep their country’s environment as well as the general population’s health safe. The image above shows the amount of fracking protesters in Romania. There have also been protests in the UK, Spain, France, and other countries in order to address the issue.

URLs for Works Cited:

http://www2.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing

http://dangersoffracking.com/

http://rt.com/usa/epa-energy-fracking-investigation-545/

http://rt.com/usa/azle-texas-austin-fracking-979/

http://rt.com/usa/fracking-chemicals-found-well-water-243/

http://rt.com/usa/fracking-study-edc-endocrinology-391/

http://rt.com/usa/barge-shipments-fracking-waste-297/

http://rt.com/news/global-fracking-protest-updates-405/

http://rt.com/news/chevron-fracking-protest-clashes-884/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/16/colorado-fracking_n_3450170.html

Pictures:

http://forcechange.com/87643/commend-france-for-upholding-nationwide-ban-on-fracking/

https://ulife.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/blog/?attachment_id=3163

http://energyclub.stanford.edu/journalitem/hydraulic-fracturing-air-pollution-and-the-need-to-federally-regulate-the-natural-gas-industry/

http://energyclub.stanford.edu/journalitem/hydraulic-fracturing-air-pollution-and-the-need-to-federally-regulate-the-natural-gas-industry/

http://www.mormonshare.com/lds-clipart/diesel-truck

http://www.businessinsider.com/there-are-many-scary-chemicals-in-fracking-fluid-at-this-pennsylvania-site-2012-5

http://www.thegreenmarketoracle.com/2012/06/whats-fracking-problem.html

http://img.rt.com/files/news/21/d3/10/00/epa-energy-fracking-investigation.si.jpg

Videos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=timfvNgr_Q4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uti2niW2BRA

Works Cited (if anyone else needs)

"EPA." Hydraulic Fracturing. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

"Fracking Study Finds Combustible Levels of Methane in Water after EPA Gave the All

Clear - RT USA." Fracking Study Finds Combustible Levels of Methane in Water after

EPA Gave the All Clear - RT USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

"Fracking Study Finds Combustible Levels of Methane in Water after EPA Gave the All

Clear - RT USA." Fracking Study Finds Combustible Levels of Methane in Water after

EPA Gave the All Clear - RT USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

"Hydraulic Fracturing." Dangers of Fracking. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.

"Hydraulic Fracturing." EPA. EPA, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

Loris, Nicholas. "Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking: Impact on Energy, Jobs and

Economic Growth." The Heritage Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.