What’s the FRACKING problem?
In mid November of last year, it was published that the Delaware River Basin Commission (DBRC) had postponed voting on whether to allow drilling of the Delaware River Basin. The basin rests on top of the largest natural gas (shale gas) reserve in the United States of America, the Marcellus Shale. If the drilling ban is lifted, it would create jobs, spur economic growth, and the US would become more energy independent.
Natural gas is seen as a good alternative to coal and oil especially in this day and age where oil reserves are being depleted. However, shale gas is not greener than oil after taking into account the entire process of extracting the gas and producing the fuel. Environmental activists are happy over the postponement and see it as a victory. One of their major concerns is that the main method used to obtain shale gas, called fracking or hydraulic fracturing, comes with the high risk of polluting aquifers and other water sources.
Fracking involves pumping very large quantities of chemically laced fluid (fracturing fluid) underground at high pressure to release the natural gas from the deposit. One of the issues with obtaining shale gas is that shale is comprised of dense sedimentary rocks. This means that the drillers will have to consistently refracture the gas reserve. The fracturing fluid c
onsists of 90 percent fresh water. On average fracking uses 2 – 5 million gallons of fresh water for a single shale gas well and this varies with the size of the well. This large consumption of water is a serious concern. However, industry officials propose that fracturing uses less water than in oil production.The other 10 percent of the fracturing fluid comprises of sand, gelling agents, acids and other chemicals. Each company has their own secret fracturing fluid formula which they are not required to disclose. As stated before, the biggest concern about fracking is the pollution of the underground water supply by gas and chemicals. The Delaware River Basin supplies over 15 million people with water. There are still those industry officials who believe that the risk of water contamination is not that great. It should be noted that some of the contents of fracturing fluid are carcinogenic if taken in over a period of time.
In addition to water contamination, there is also the danger of toxic emissions polluting the air. Some of the air and water pollutants include benzene, formaldehyde, diesel fuel, toluene and xylene. In the past there have been cases in the US where the air and/or water were polluted because of fracking. In one case in 2010, residents near the Barnett shale gas wells in Dish, Texas, were found to have toluene and xylene in their systems. Toluene and Xylene can cause organ damage; they are toxic to the kidneys, blood, liver, and Central Nervous System.
When the DRBC eventually votes, one can only hope that they will take into consideration the consequences of lifting the drilling ban. The benefits of drilling may seem to out weigh the risks, but drilling will only provide a temporary solution and eventually create bigger problems for our future.
References
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McAllister, Edward. “Key Delaware River natural gas drilling vote postponed.” Reuters.com. Thomson Reuters, 18 Nov. 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.
Rahm, Dianne. “Regulating hydraulic fracturing in shale gas plays: The case of Texas.” Energy Policy 39 (2011): 2974-2981. Web. 20 Nov. 2011
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“Shale gas.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
Simmonds, Dani. “Oil Pumps.” Photograph. Stock Xchng, SXC. Version 6.00. HAAP Media Ltd., 2 Apr. 2007. Web. 15 Mar. 2012.
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