Hydraulic Fracturing Can Cause Air Pollution - Essay Example

?Hydraulic Fracturing Can Cause Air Pollution Breitenstein, Michael, John Snawder, Max Kiefer, and Karl W. Sieber. "Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica During Hydraulic Fracturing." Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 10.7 (2013): 347-356. Academic search complete. Web. 14 Oct 2013. Hydraulic fracturing entails the natural gas and oil extraction from the ground with the use of proponents and silica proppant is most used. Based on the geological conditions aluminum pellets, artificial ceramics, coated with resin sand and bauxite sintered is applicable; the NIOSH field report confirms that inhaling crystalline silica can cause silicosis, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, lung cancer and tuberculosis. Between 2000 and 2005 silicosis has been documented to be the cause of 162 annual deaths in the US. During hydraulic fracturing, inhaling dust is hard to avoid and hence the necessary protective gear need to be worn to avoid this. The source is applicable to update Gasland subtopic because it outlines how natural gas and oil extraction produces silica that pollute the air causing health complications such as kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, lung cancer and tuberculosis. Although, hydraulic fracturing is seen as profitable it is the main cause of death in the US as inhaling dust from such extraction is hard to avoid and hence the necessary protective gear need to be worn to avoid this Winter, Mary. "Drilling Down on Shale Gas." State Legislatures. 39.7 (2013): 8. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Oct 2013. Environmentalists assert that hydraulic fracturing is a threat to public health because it is air and water pollutant. This is supported by a study of water in heavily drilled Pavillion, Wyo. Residents here are said to complain of brown smelly water. Although some have disputed the study, it was found out that the ground water contained compounds associated with gas production practices such as hydraulic fracturing. Law makers in New York and Vermont have already gone ahead to pass temporary bans on hydraulic fracturing as they conduct further research to ascertain its effects on health and the environment at large and they want drilling companies to disclose the chemicals they use during hydraulic drilling. This conforms to Gasland story in that hydraulic fracturing pollutes both water and air causing brown smelly water, for instance some studies discovered that in the US and other nations where gas extraction is common ground water contained compounds associated with gas production practices such as hydraulic fracturing. "Business heats up in New Mexico." Rock Products. 116.4 (2013): 13. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Oct 2013. Wisconsin center for investigative journalism that incorporates the Wisconsin public radio and the superior telegram has fanned out that one fifth of Wisconsin’s 70 active fracking sand mines ND processing plant were cited for acts of building without the proper permits s well as air pollution. Of more concern to the investigative journalists is the fact that there are rules and regulations governing operations in the mining industry and they are being enforced. The mining businesses need to be familiar with complex storm water, run off and air pollution regulations and fracking sand mining have shown blatant disregard for environmental regulations. Wisconsin confirms that some mines and processing plants are started without proper permits irrespecting of various rules and regulations governing operations in the mining industry enforced, and thus increasing air pollution. Disregarding these environment regulations have various health effects on people as confirmed by Gasland film. Krisberg, Kim. "CDC releases national action plan to prevent unintentional child injuries." Nation's Health. 42.5 (2012): 6. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Oct 2013. Racing has been recognized as one of the environmental hazards bringing about air pollution near wells. The US environmental protection agency has noted this and has issued new air pollution standards associated with the extraction of natural gas from fractured wells. This is expected to reduce 95% of the emissions by capturing Gass previously released to the air. The main sources of air pollution from fracking is rushing from a well in the first few days after it is tapped, therefore, technology is to be used to collect gas that might be escaping from the well, sold and make the rule cost effective. Firms have up to early 2015 to find the new gas capturing technologies. The source is applicable to update Gasland subtopic because it outlines how new natural gas technologies pollute the air and water causing health complications to people living in that land. Humes, Edward. "FRACTURED LIVES." Sierra. 97.4 (2012): 52-59. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Oct 2013. Hydraulic fracturing releases gasses, the main gas being methane and from methane, wet gas products such as propane, butane, ethane and other valuable chemicals are getting. Much water, 4 - 8 m gallons are used in each shale well for tracking and the water comes out contaminated with poisonous chemicals. This requires industrial architecture for processing to avoid a geological assault. A resident living next to a fracking site talks of fumes that make her dizzy, children are getting headaches and nose bleeds due to industrial pollution. Near fracking operations in Washington county, farmers have complained of stillborn and deformed calves, undrinkable murky well water, respiratory ailments chronically sick children and sudden death of pets. The source is applicable to update Gasland subtopic because it outlines how from methane and other wet gas products such as propane, butane, ethane and other valuable chemicals are getting into water and air from hydraulic fracturing and causing health complications. JOLLY, By DAVID. "French Court Upholds Ban on Hydraulic Fracturing." The New York Times. 12 Oct 2013. LexisNexis Academic. Web. 17 Oct 2013. Earlier this month (October) France’s constitutional council upheld a ban on fracking and the president Francois Hollande promised maintain the ban. His predecessor had also put some restrictions back in 2011 and this is despite France being named among the countries with he most promising European countries for shale gas extraction. This was done due to the fear of the environmental costs involved in the process of fracking. Currently the French rely largely on nuclear energy because fracking has hard effects on the environment and minor earthquakes have been triggered. It has a negative side effect of consuming a lot of water that leaves being chemicals. Protests have been touched off in Britain, which has expressed optimism of permiting fracking in the next two years. The source is applicable to update Gasland subtopic because it outlines how shale gas extraction cause environmental effects and contaminate water sources with gas chemicals. Rodriguez, Ginna, and Chenchen Ouyang. "Air Emission Characterization for Hydraulic Fracturing Operations in the United States." April. 2013. Web 18 Oct 2013. Due to the decline in convention al resources that were used to provide energy to run machines, technologies have been developed to tap unconventional resources such as shale gas, which is got through the process of hydraulic fracturing. This article addresses the fracturing process and how sustainability of the energy production process can be improved by reducing the air emissions from the fracturing process. The article explores the work that is involved in identifying the major sources of air pollution in the fracking process and how the current models can be refined to enable better pollution management. Chavis, Anna, Frederick Robinson, and Harrison Thomas. "What the shale? Environmental Risk Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing." May. 2013. Web 18 Oct 2013. With the increase in production of natural gas in the united states of America, there has been a growing concern of the real and perceived risks that comes with mining the gas through the process of hydraulic fracturing. This has led to a growing importance of hydraulic fracturing in the public agenda. This article explains how the public interest in hydraulic fracturing has risen over time through increased media coverage, the stakeholders’ models for perceiving and valuing environmental risk. In addition, it highlights a case study of Pennsylvania with details on how it has managed the risks that are associated with hydraulic fracturing. Rodriguez, Ginna, and Chenchen Ouyang. "Air Emission Characterization for Hydraulic Fracturing Operations in the United States." May. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013 The increase in tapping the of unconventional resources such as gas trapped in shale rocks in the united states of America has brought environmental challenges such as the air quality in the surrounding regions and within the mining sites. This article focuses on characterization and modeling of air emissions in the fracking process to help the industry in coming up with efficient and effective measures to reduce the air pollution especially in criteria air pollutants and their precursors. The article is written after extensive research that includes travelling to mining sites with different shale rock formation to gain better understanding of the equipment and processes that are involved. Brady, William J. "Hydraulic Fracturing Regulation In the United States: The Laissez-Faire Approach of The Federal Government and Varying State Regulations." VERMONT JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW. 14 (2009): Google Scholar Web. 16 Oct 2013. In an effort to regulate hydraulic fracturing in the US, the head regulator of oil and natural development in north Dakota ensures the state that the highest priority is protection of the natural resources; the office is in charge of the implementation of regulations pertaining the exploration and oil and gas resources development. In his speech, the head regulator said his office is committed to professionalism in the exercise of its authority towards regulation of oil and natural gas mining. He calls for the industry to take initiative in developing biodegradable fracking fluids. The source is applicable to update Gasland subtopic because it shows that hydraulic fracturing is the cause of environment problems and that effective regulation on oil and gas regulation can prevent such health problems. Read More