The Pros and Cons of Fracking Essay - 1352 Words

In todays global economy, energy is one of the most crucial and sought after commodities. Who supplies it and how much they supply determines how much influence they have over other countries as well as the global economy. This is why hydraulic fracturing is currently such an important and controversial topic in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking or hydrofracturing, is the process of using pressurized liquids to fracture rocks and release hydrocarbons such as shale gas, which burns more efficiently than coal. This booming process of energy production provides a much needed economic boost, creating jobs and providing gas energy for Americans. The efficiently burning shale gas reduces carbon†¦show more content†¦This is even more important because so many Americans lost their jobs as oil and gas production, with the number of employees in oil and gas with the number of employees in oil and gas extraction shrinking by over 50 percent to 118 ,400 in 2003 (Hassett and Mathur). Americans were losing jobs in gas production starting from the early twenty-first century due to the fact that easily tapped oil reserves grew scarcer and domestic oil production declined, until improvements in fracking for shale gas created more jobs(Hassett and Mathur). The jobs fracking creates is much needed to boost the sagging American economy, but even more important to the economy is the gas produced. Natural gases are the most important source of energy in the modern world of technology and electricity production, which makes the skyrocketing gas production in the U.S. due to hydraulic fracturing incredibly valuable in terms of global trade and economy. The United States has always been reliant on the Middle East and other European and Asian countries for energy, but is very quickly becoming energy independent. By 2020, the Energy Information Administration predicts that the USA will become a net exporter of natural gas, reaching energy i ndependence from other countries and starting to export gas to provide revenue and pay off debts (Hassett and Mathur). EvenShow MoreRelatedFracking (Pro-Con)1159 Words   |  5 Pagesis a nightmare. Often the word ‘fracking’ itself raises a lot of concerns, protests, and controversies. Environmentalists and the general public who are not aware of the facts and statistics about fracking, what’s called the bigger picture, often tend to think that fracking is a major concern and its impact on environment and in the sector of public health is disturbing. While it is the responsibility of the citizens to analyze and understand the reality of fracking, it is also the duty of the governmentRead MoreThe Environmental And Economic Pros And Cons Of Hydraulic Fracking2962 Words   |  12 Pages The Environmental and Economic Pros and Cons of Hydraulic Fracking Figure 1 – Drilling on the Pinedale Anticline (Rocco 2013) Submitted to: Dr. Judy Sneller Professor of English Humanities Department South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Submitted by: Molly Nelson December 3, 2014 â€Æ' TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.3 ABSTRACT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 BACKGROUND†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreThe Effects Of Fracking On The Environment1267 Words   |  6 Pagesknown as fracking by most people. First let me explain what this process involves and how it works. Fracking involves using a 99.5% sand, water, and special chemical additive to help bore through rock to release the natural gas so it can be harvested (Loki (2015)). It is this process that has caused environmental concerns. While there are some pros and cons with this process we need to look both of them. Also, multiple scientists have started to showed that it is quite possible that the pros do notRead MoreFracking : Hydraulic Fracturing ( Fracking ) Essay1505 Words   |  7 PagesAlqatami Hydraulic Fracturing Fracking process is a type of drilling water beneath the earth surface in order to access to natural gas and oil. A huge drill is used to pass through many layers of earth and rock that lie between us as the natural gas. The mixture is water, sand and certain chemicals forced into the rock at high pressure in order to force the gas out to where they can collect it. The drill can be driven into the earth either vertically or horizontally. Fracking began as an experiment inRead MoreFracking : Is It Worth The Risk?961 Words   |  4 Pagesto be on â€Å"environmental and economic issues† which we’re facing in our home countries, I decided to do mine on fracking. I’m sure most of us in the US have heard about fracking. There are pros and cons to it, the pro side is that it taps into the natural gas within the earth and provides a natural resource. This, in turn, will allow the US to reduce their reliance on foreign oil. The con side is what it is said to be doing to the earth. The technology isn’t new and neither is the knowledge that thereRead MoreInternational Energy Resources And Prices1259 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieve to be the most important few pros and cons of expanding natural gas production through hydraulic fracturing? Expanding natural gas production will have consequences on the environment. Starting with, it is admitted that hydraulic fracturing enables a decrease in coal burning compensated by a higher quantity of gas. By that, the major pro will be a cleaner air and better quality, reducing the number of deaths caused by poor quality air. The con of fracking for health problems is that air qualityRead MoreFracking : A Modern Society Essay1645 Words   |  7 Pagesuse of the Earth’s natural resources, is at the top of the list of contested subjects, with hoards of advocates and opponents on either side. One of the newest methods of natural gas energy production is a process called Hydraulic Fracturing, or fracking. This process uses large drills to create tunnels down into the earth’s crust and then introduces thousands of gallons of water and various chemicals to create horizontal cracks. Sands are pumped down next to hold the cracks open. Through these cracksRead MoreShale Gas Good for America964 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Shale gas is a natural gas that is found deep in the earth’s crust. This type of natural gas usually forms in shale deposits and can be released with a drilling technique known as fracking. Shale gas has become the most important source of natural gas in the United States. Scientist and researchers have always known of shale gas, but none have had the technologies to reach it till now. In early 2000, shale gas compensated for one percent of the United States supply of natural gas resourcesRead MoreNatural Gas Is A Non Renewable Resource1143 Words   |  5 PagesHydraulic Fracturing, otherwise known as ‘fracking’. Part of the fracking procedure is that a high water pressure is sent through tubes and pipes under water being forced onto different rocks. This water, however, contains several harmful chemicals that damage the organisms and animals and their habitats under water. Once the rock is cracked/ fractured, the oil and gas is carried back up the pipes. The ai r is also polluted in this procedure as the findings of the fracking process are relocated into eitherRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing or Fracking1319 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Paper: Fracking â€Å"A man’s errors are his portals of discovery† (Joyce). The question that arises from this quote is, are some errors worth making in hope for future discovery? One presumable error that is being practiced today is Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking). The debate of this issue is very controversial and it is hard to decide which side of the argument is the right side. But before one can plunge into the debate, one must understand Fracking entirely. Fracking is the process of breaking