The Process of Extracting Natural Gas From Shale Rock Layers - Essay Example

Hydraulic Fracturing Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock layers deep within the earth. Fracking makes it possible to produce natural gas extraction in shale plays that were once unreachable with conventional technologies (What Is Fracking.). Fraking has developed many things such as giving the United States energy independence, provide energy security and the most important thing is the economy. A study says that natural gas production is growing in the lower 48 sates. Shale gas accounted for 2 percent of the United States natural gas production a decade ago. Today it is nearly 30 percent and rising, and it has given the economy a big boost (Schwarz). That is one of the biggest benefits that Fracking provides with other benefit too. Although Fraking has given the economy a big boost, it has given the people of the United State a lot of concerns about it, and despite the fact that Fracking has given the nation a lot of concerns such as contaminating the ground water and supply and reducing air quality, and many other environmental concerns. I believe that Fraking benefits such as providing jobs and improving the economy are more qualified to help the nation more than the concerns. Frakingstarted in 1940s. Since then approximately one million American wells have been fracked since the 1940s. Most of these are vertical wells that tap into porous sandstone or limestone. Since the 1990s, however, gas companies have been able to harvest the gas still stuck in the original shale source. Fracking shale is accomplished by drilling horizontal wells that extend from their vertical well shafts along thin, horizontal shale layers. Most opponents of Fracking focus on potential local environmental consequences. Some of these are specific to the new Fracking technology, while others apply more generally to natural gas extraction(L. Brantley, Meyendorff). Fracking is a really threat to the American environment because of the chemicals that being used in the Fracking.The first experiment in Fracking was in the Hugoton gas field in Grant County, Kansas by Stanolind Oil in 1949 (History of Fracking). Halliburton Company is the first company that uses Fracking extract natural gas (Montgomery, Carl T.; Smith, Michael B). Fracking has been an arguable issue in the United State because people are split into two sides. The first side, are the people who are saying that Fracking is what the United States needs because Fracking provides a lot of benefits. For example, Fracking can help the United States to be energy independent, and supports the economy and provides a lot of jobs, since the economy is the most important thing a country should take care of, and that finding jobs in the United State is another issue. Last thing, is that Fracking’s danger is not that effective to the environment as some people say. However in the other side, people are saying that Fracking could damage the United States environment, and some natural sources.HalahToueyalia the writer at Forbes says, “Ironically, it’s because of Fracking that the United States now has enough oil and gas to potentially meet what has been an insatiable need for energy.” Halah one of many who support Fracking because Fracking give the United states energy independence. On the other side, according to the artists against Fracking website one of the main dangers of Fracking is air pollution. The question that rises here do we have to Frack our lands or not? Which side will benefit the United State? The people, who are saying that Fracking is not a good idea, are saying that because of the threat that Fracking has on their environment. The truth is that Fracking has a lot of effect on the environment. For example, water contamination, air pollution and earthquakes, so Fracking has a lot of effectives on the environment. John Rumpler, a Senior Attorney in Environment America Staff said, “Fracking presents a staggering array of threats to our environment and our health. These range from contaminating drinking water and making families living near well sites sick to turning pristine landscapes into industrial wastelands. There are air pollution problems and earthquakes from the deep-well injections of the wastewater into the gas-producing shale, as well as significant global warming emissions.” As Rumplersaid, Fracking could make a lot of problems that can affect people around it, but what I believe is that Fracking’s danger is a long term problems so no one can say that the problems are really there. However on the other hand Fracking’sbenefits have more affect on the society than the Fracking’s concerns because we are talking about jobs, economy, giving the country energy independence and energy security these things are what any government wants to its country. The people who are saying that Fracking should be prevented, what happen if the government stops Fracking? A massive change would occur to the United State Economy, the oil and gas prices would be on the highest level, and the United State will have to import the oil and the gas from another country. While in the other hand, the environment would not be effected. The United States has many reasons to expand Fracking, and not prevent it. First reason that Fracking should not be banned is thatFracking provides a lot of jobs and improves the economy. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that there are over 750 cubic feet of technically recoverable shale gas, and more than 24 billion barrels of technically recoverable shale oil resources, developing these resources will provide many jobs and it will make a massive change in the economy. That is a huge number. I think banning industries from Frack these resources is something illogical. Another study commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 21st Century Energy Institute says the extraction of Fracking has meant a job boom even in states that don’t actually have shale deposits, with 1.7 million jobs already created and a total of 3.5 million projected by 2035. That is a huge number of jobs. The study is saying that even the states that don’t have shale deposits are getting benefits from Fracking. OelKurtzman, a senior fellow at the Milken Institute said, “We should be using it. We should be embracing it. It is domestic. We spend $350 billion a year buying foreign oil. We can replace almost all of that with natural gas.” I completely agree with this man because of his future visual. Why does America buy oil from foreign countries when America has huge oil recourses? A question that people who are willing to banFracking, should consider. The second reason is that Fracking will provide potential energy independence. Potential energy independence is very important to a great country like the United States, not just great, but it is one of the strongest countries in the world. As one of the strongest countries in the world America could be refused from one of the countries that product oil, so having this oil in your country which something that Fracking will provide is very important to the United States. Fracking accounts for one-third of US natural gas production and is a positive step towards the United State energy independence. Estimates by the U.S. Department of Energy put the number of recoverable barrels of shale gas at around 1.8 trillion. To put that into perspective, Saudi Arabia is estimated to have almost 2.6 trillion barrels of oil reserves (Howard).Fracking also will give the United States energy security, which is very important to any country that wants to secure their energy to generations to come. Fracking has unlocked massive new supplies of oil and clean-burning natural gas from dense deposits of shale supplies that increase the United States energy security and improve the United States ability to generate electricity, heat homes and power vehicles for generations to come (“Benefits of Fracking”). Potential energy independence and energy security for generations to come is a significant reason for Fracking not being banned. Energy independence is something very significant because of two main reasons. The first reason is the new generation; the new generation owns us a comfortable life. This life will not be comfortable if we don’t provide them energy in the future. The second reason is the country relationships with other countries. For example, what if the United State gets into dispute with one of the biggest oil supplier in the world, the United State in this situation would need its potential energy independence. The last reason why Fracking should not be banned is that Fracking has an environmental benefit too. How can this be truth? Half of the United States electricity comes from coal burning which makes a lot of environmentally problematic than natural gas (Williamson). Fracking can provide natural gas to generate electricity, heat homes, and power vehicles as I mentioned before. What the United States is using to generate electricity by burning coal is very dangerous to the environment. A study at MIT found that replacing coal power plants with natural gas plants could work as a plan to reduce green house emissions by more than 50 percent. Fracking has an environment benefit that is a wonderful thing. Fracking has it is own danger, but also all energy production poses dangers. For example, coal mining, oil drilling, nuclear waste and building windmills, so energy production should required some environmental problems, but we have to produce energy weather its Fracking or not. Overall, Fracking is really a wonderful thing because of it is impact on the economy, jobs, country and the environment. When I think about the Fracking issue I conclude it with a simple illustration, the voices, whichare withFracking will include those that are concerned about the economy, and the voices against Fracking will be those that are concerned about the environment. We can simplify the issue into two parts the first part is the economy and the second part is the environment. Despite the fact that Fracking is dangerous and it could cost problems such as contaminating the ground water and supply and reducing air quality, I think that Fracking benefits such as improve the economy, and provide jobs will give the United States an advantage. Looking in the Fracking future I do not think that something would change in the Fracking issue except, if scientist worked something out to Frack without any danger because I don’t think that any country would sacrifice this technology just because some environmental problems. Fracking is not an easy thing to lose; banning Fracking would occur a huge number of loses to the United State. “America has abundant natural resources and recent innovations combined with horizontal drilling in shale formations has unlocked vast new supplies of natural gas, allowing the nation to get to the energy it needs today, and transforming our energy future”(Daniel Yergin). References Benefits of Fracking." EnergyFromShale. N.p.. Web. 24 Apr 2013. Bambrick, Gail. "Fracking: Pro and Con." Tufts Now. TuftsNow, 11 Dec. 2012. Web. 05 Aug. 2013. "Energy From Shale | About Natural Shale Gas, Shale Reserves, &Fracking." Energy From Shale.N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2013. Howard, Jordan. "Fracking Pros And Cons: Weighing In On Hydraulic Fracturing." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 10 Nov. 2011. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. History of Fracking." History of Fracking. Save Colorado from Fracking, n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2013. What Is Fracking? | Artists Against Fracking." Artists Against Fracking.N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2013. Read More