Essay Sample on Hydraulic Fracturing

Before understanding hydraulic fracturing process, it is important to understand what fracking is. By definition, fracking or a fracturing is the process by which earth is drilled before a water mixture at high pressure is jetted into the rocks to ensure that it releases the gasses within it. Other substances that are then injected into the rock include sand and chemicals. The process leads to the flow of gas through the well- path to the surface. By experience, the process can be done vertically or horizontally. The process then leads to the creation of other layers and new pathways that eventually leads to the release of gasses. Such layers can also be assumed to be extensions of the existing channels. In simple terms, fracking in itself means the manner in which the rocks are fractured apart through the use of the high-pressure water mixture (Lallanilla, 2017).

The Mechanics of Hydraulic Fracturing and Environmental Impact

The process of fracking has been hotly debated on with regards to the political and environmental issue. On the issue, advocates have however insisted that the process is safe and economically sound while critics have it that fracking has the potential of destroying water that is purposed for drinking, cause air pollute and increases the greenhouse effect that is a source of global warming (Lallanilla, 2017). Almost all the wells used during the fracking process currently, use two types of technologies. The first is hydraulic fracturing, and the other which is almost similar is the horizontal drilling. The hydraulic fracturing process begins with a well getting drilled in a vertical alignment or any other angle. The well moves from the surface to a depth of about 1.6 to 3.2 kilometers. On the contrary, the depth of the well always varies depending on the rules of a particular country. For instance, the estimated depth is according to the U.S. Agency for Environmental Protection also known as the EPA. The wee then has to get encased in cement or steel. The encasement process is to ensure that the formed well doesn't, in any case, have chances of leaking into the groundwater (Energy Information Administration, 2013). At the time when the well gets to the deep rock layers (where oil or natural gasses are found), the well then curves forming a 90 degrees channel that then allows the horizontal drilling through the layers of the rock. The parallel process of drilling then extends for approximately 1.6 km from where the vertical bore stopped. After the drilling process has been cleared and encased, some fluid is then pumped down through the bore of the well at a high pressure. In some instances, the pressure is estimated to exceed 62,050 kilopascals. This particular pressure has the potential of fracturing the rocks around leading to the creation of cracks and fissures. These fissures and cracks are the channels in which gasses and oil flow after the application of extreme pressure. This particular fluid poured into the well through the bore is (to ensure the fracturing of the rocks) known as slickwater. The solvent is made of water as the main content though other additives or chemicals (important for this engineering process) may be available. The added additives can constitute salts, detergents, alcohols, acids, lubricants, or even disinfectants. On the contrary, such chemical additives make only up to 1 to 2 percent of the sum slickwater content. The other 98 to 99.9 percent is made of water. However, the estimated content composition depends on a particular country's defined rules. For instance, the percentages given are by the Modern Shale Gas Development Agency which is answerable to the U.S. Department of Energy (Energy Information Administration, 2013).

Apart from the ordinary water and chemical that are added during the process, "proppants" like ceramic particles and sand are also added and pumped through the bore of the well. Such proppants get added to crack out the fractures that form as a result of the applied pressure. The proppants also have a special job of ensuring that the oil and gas flow freely from the fissures of the rocks even if the applied pressure gets released (Breton, T., & Cohen, 1983). On shattering the underground rocks and pumping the proppants into place, the reservoirs of oil and gasses that were trapped are released. The process makes easy the pumping of oil and gasses to the surface. Alongside the flowing gasses and oil are gallons of liquid that flows back. The liquid flowing back is made up of water and other contaminants like heavy metals, radioactive materials, hydrocarbons, and toxins. The whole flow back material gets stored on the site (in various pits), injected into wells that are underground, or disposed of in off-sites that in most cases are treatment plants dealing with wastewater (Breton, T., & Cohen, 1983). Again, there is the "formation water" which happened to be in the pores of the rocks during the process of fracturing. Such water is briny and found on the rock spaces. This briny water has a distinct characteristic of being extremely salty and of high radon levels. Radon a that is radioactive gas which is formed from uranium decay within the subsurfaces. Even though such "flow back water can get treated, it exists in a large volume making its treatment process rather expensive. Also, since the quantity produced is massive, most of the plants responsible for water treatment are too small to handle such huge amounts of water. The hydraulic fracturing method is used by most exploitation firms to extract oil and gas (Fang, 2017). However, booms have occurred in most areas including the United States. These booms are driven by energy security and costs concerns about other factors tied to importing fossil fuels and oil across the globe. In the year 2000, approximately 276,000 natural wells existed in the United States alone. However as years elapsed, the number doubled almost 510,000 as provided by the U.S. Department of Energy. Again, each and every year, new wells are created (about 13,000 in number). According to a study performed recently, about 15.3 million citizens happen to have lived within a mile range of a fracturing well happened to have been drilled at one point. In the United States, the areas that have proved to be quite profitable about the drilling process are the Great Canadian Plains that move from south of Canada to Texas, the Lakes regions and the Marcellus Shale region moving from central New York to Ohio and then to Virginia (Fang, 2017). Such information is in accordance with the database of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The region of Marcellus Shale, in particular, has attracted many gas drillers. The reason for attraction is because it has a rich supply of natural gas. The location has then been nicknamed the "Saudi Arabia of natural gas." However, the region's communities happen to be economically depressed. The people available in these areas are also keen to ensure that they attract energy industries to enjoy benefits of the exploitation activities (Fang, 2017).

Pros and Cons of Hydraulic Fracturing

Fracking has stunning benefits as a method of oil and gas extraction because this method can reach depths that other removal mechanisms possibly cannot reach. Through this particular mechanism, mining firms have access to a greater number of natural gas and oil deposits than ever before. Due to such access, more oil and gas for activities like cooking, powering cars, and heating is available (Brainard, 2013). The benefits that are imposed by this method of drilling are massive. Such benefits are because this type of drilling process has enabled fossil fuels to get used for a long period. In the long run, drilling companies can find better alternatives in case oil or gas run out. The mechanism led to the lowering of taxes. Such is because increased gas and oil access contributes to such lowering of prices. Most evidently, the price of petroleum used in vehicles and other appliances and also gasses used for cooking has significantly reduced. Also, international relationships regarding oil producing countries have become stronger, and thus access to fossil fuels has become easier. For a long period, fossil fuels have been argued about by most people to be causing environmental pollution (Brainard, 2013). Such arguments are driven by the fact that chemicals released by such fossil fuels are released into the atmosphere causing environmental concerns. Even if such accusations are true regarding fuels like coal, the increased access to gasses would mean that people use more gas and thus less carbon dioxide would be released into the atmosphere. Since gasses are cleaner compared to fossil fuel, people would be advised to use more gas for their activities. Also, this mechanism of oil and gas drilling has helped the worlds economy to explore oils domestic sources (Rinkesh, 2009). On the contrary, due to population increase, there is the sense in looking out for those sources that would supplement the oil and gas used in homes. The fracking industry alone has been able to create numerous jobs for people in many countries. However, the industry has some disadvantages that it faces including the issue of large amounts of water to wash away the gasses. On the contrary, water might get contaminated during the treatment process. The hydraulic fracturing technique also happens to be associated with water pollution and may also trigger quakes during the exploitation process. The chemicals used during the process may also be toxic enough to cause health complications and air pollution. Also, since the extracting companies prefer not to disclose their chemicals used during the extraction process, the management of such companies have the freedom of changing the used ingredients for the chemicals as much as they would (Rinkesh, 2009).

Compromises of Hydraulic Fracturing

Consumption of natural gas and its products have risen to higher levels over the past years. The use of oil as a form of energy now constitutes almost a third of the world's greatest source of energy (Dews, 2015). As such, it is believed that the price and use of gas as a form of energy and its products is likely to rise in the years to come. Since gas is clearly a contributor to the global greenhouse effect of gas emissions, the natural gas is immaculate as compared to other products such as coal and crude oil. The natural gas would support the significant dependence on other sustainable sources of energy such as power got from the wind and solar powered generators. It is however very important to note that the natural gas meets the demand of energy globally, but the whole factor is determined based on the prices (Malachova, 2012). The extent of proper location of a petroleum exploration site can result in the requirement of both local and international participation. With the local and global engagement, there is a chance of ensuring that risks arising from such activities are curbed. In a way, it can assist in proving that there exist legislative legitimacy and that an officially written request from the local minister stating local participation requests is provided (Malachova, 2012). The IOCs is advised to enter into regional agreements with the participants, formulating customary representations and warranties provided clearly stating anti-bribery strategies and corruption matters. Corruption is another risk that may be posed by local and national participations. In cases of the addition of NOC as a participant, IOCs interaction with the government has to increase. This relationship may be very problematic particularly when considering the regulations of the host nation. In a case where the government requires local participation as one of the conditions of acquiri...