{"id":1748,"date":"2017-08-23T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-23T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paliltd.com\/news\/?p=1748"},"modified":"2023-04-05T20:21:44","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T19:21:44","slug":"fracking-controversial-energy-source","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paliltd.com\/news\/fracking-controversial-energy-source\/","title":{"rendered":"Fracking – The Controversial Energy Source"},"content":{"rendered":"

fracking1<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u02c8frak\u026a\u014b\/<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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noun<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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    the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks, boreholes, etc. so as to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The Rise and Fall of Fracking\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Since the industrial revolution, our energy consumption had increased relentlessly, though due to recent advances in energy efficiency, it’s now in decline.<\/p>\n

    Most of this energy was supplied by fossil fuels like coal or natural gas, though that proportion is declining rapidly following growth in renewable generation.<\/p>\n

    In previous decades, there was talk of another, more controversial method: fracking, a term short for hydraulic fracturing.<\/p>\n

    Simply put, fracking describes the recovery and removal of hydrocarbons locked deep within the earth. \u00a0Drilling rigs are constructed for the purposes of extracting\u00a0natural gases such as butane, methane and propane. \u00a0These gases are usually found deep underground in beds of shale, formed from the floors of ancient oceans.<\/p>\n

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    The Process<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Once a drill site has been established and an infrastructure rig assembled the process of drilling begins.<\/p>\n

    The drill starts by boring into the ground, down to the shale bed. \u00a0Depth varies but the average has been suggested as 7, 700 feet or 2.3km.<\/p>\n

    When the desired depth has been achieved the drill takes a 90-degree turn and continues to drill horizontally; parallel to the target rock area. This horizontal drill can also travel for thousands of feet.<\/p>\n

    When the well has been drilled a layer of cement is then pumped down the entire length of the hole, creating a casing designed to protect the groundwater supply from becoming contaminated.<\/p>\n

    Once drilling and cementing has been completed a perforating device is inserted. \u00a0When the device reaches the far end of the well it explodes, creating holes in the casing and rock.<\/p>\n

    The perforating step is repeated several times until the horizontal stretch of the well contains a series of small cracks.<\/p>\n

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    A ‘fracking solution’ consisting of water, sand and chemicals is then pumped under immense pressure into the well, expanding the holes and creating fractures in the porous rock.<\/p>\n

    The chemical solution acts as a lubricant whilst killing bacteria and preventing mineral build up in the pipes.<\/p>\n

    The solution is then pumped back out leaving tiny fractures, some only tenths of an inch, which are kept open by the grains of sand.<\/p>\n

    The process frees the hydrocarbons which then travel back up with the solution.<\/p>\n

    Although the technique has been known since the 1940s it has recently made a resurgence as the supply of natural gas and oil is rapidly depleting. \u00a0This need for more energy sources has led way to a fracking\u00a0boom, especially in the US.<\/p>\n

    Water Contamination<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Roughly .5-1% of the ‘fracking solution’ is made up of chemicals, including benzene and methanol.<\/p>\n

    These substances are highly toxic and\u00a0corrosive and known to be harmful to humans. \u00a0An estimated 7,000,000 gallons of water (31,000 tons) is used to frack just one well, equating to roughly 310 tonnes of chemicals per well.<\/p>\n

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    Fracking, when done correctly, should not contaminate drinking water aquifers. \u00a0However, subterranean systems are mysterious and it\u2019s impossible to tell how interconnected the shale deposits might be with ground water.<\/p>\n

    As 30% (93 tonnes) of the solution remains trapped underground after the wells have been fracked, many worry\u00a0that groundwater and the newly injected fracking solution may mix, causing chemicals to leach into the water supply.<\/p>\n

    It is difficult to establish the exact number of cases pertaining to contamination from fracking. \u00a0Improperly installed or maintained fracking wells are at risk of becoming integrated with the drinking water.<\/p>\n

    There are incidents of energy companies in the US receiving fines for\u00a0contaminating drinking<\/a> water via incorrectly bored and sealed wells.<\/p>\n

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    There are two arguments regarding the link between fracking and water contamination. \u00a0Some believe that fracking does pose a harm<\/a> to the potable water supply, whilst others\u00a0deny this accusation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Other Effects on the Environment<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    There are numerous articles detailing the effects of fracking on the environment<\/a>, but here are a few of the main points:<\/p>\n

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