Fracking: The Big Debate

Fracking, the process of injecting water and chemicals at high pressures underground with the aim to fracture shale rocks, is a matter of intense debate. On the one hand our easy-access oil supplies are running low, and this fracturing allows previously inaccessible shale oil and natural gas to be exploited. On the other many people are fighting against the procedure due to its environmental impacts. These famously include the probability that   two earthquakes near Blackpool in 2011 were due to ground instability through fracking, leading to a temporary halt of UK fracking. 

The ban is now lifted (as of a week ago) and no doubt the fierce debate surrounding fracking will start up once again. To help you decide which side you support I will below  outline some the reasons for the opposing views, as described by Howarth and Engelder last year.

ANTI FRACKING

Howarth and Engelder, 2011. A summary diagram of the environmental impacts of fracking.

• ·      New large scale fracking machines are far riskier than those used in the past.
• ·      20 million litres of water is on average used for each well; 50-100x more than needed for conventional oil extraction. As water is becoming a scarcer resource this use for it may not be seen as justified.
• ·      Sand or grit is added to the injected water as well as chemicals, including carcinogens and toxic substances. If these leak from the shale formation and enter groundwater used for drinking water then humans and wildlife may be at risk.
• ·      Via a loophole in US legislation fracking has been exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act, prompting cause to believe it is not an environmentally safe practise.
• ·      The environmental risks of shale oil and gas extraction have only in the past two years made it into peer reviewed journals: there is much left to know.
• ·      Methane is an extremely strong greenhouse gas and it is estimated that 3.6-7.9% of methane in a wells lifetime is leaked.
• ·      One shale formation in Pennsylvania for example had methane pollution in 75% of lakes in the surrounding kilometre of land.
• ·      Until more rigorous ways of handling the waste materials of fracking are developed it may be best left well alone.

PRO FRACKING

Howarth and Engelder, 2011. A world map highlighting countries with potentially vast shale oil and gas reserves. USA and China contain the most, but relative to it's size the UK could profit well from extraction of it's measures.

• ·      By 2020 3 million barrels of shale oil could be recovered every day in the US alone.
• ·      This could bridge the gap between conventional oil and nuclear power, which along with renewable energy will undoubtedly have to supply us in the future.
• ·      Except for global warming risks associated with leakage of the natural gas (generally in the form of methane), all other environmental impacts can reportably be managed with care.
• ·      In the event of methane leaking it thankfully has a short half life and so will not remain in the atmosphere for nearly as long as carbon dioxide.
• ·      The fracking industry will provide employment and give a boost to the economy of the country holding it.
• ·      The chemicals added to water to enhance oil recovery are often not harmful; one such chemical is similar to simethicone, an ingredient in antacids and many more are found regularly in household products.
• ·      As technologies improve leaking of fluids underground should become minimal and hopefully cease.

And which side do I sit on? Honestly I find it hard to decide. We are soon to be in dire need of vast amounts of fuel when conventional oil and gas supplies run low. I do not believe we are ready to switch to renewables and nuclear power just yet, so fracking previously unreached oil and gas supplies is a logical step. However, from analysing the environmental impacts it seems we are neither ready to be fracking on a large scale. One thing is for sure though, we are running out of time and a conclusion must soon be reached.

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