The Human And Environmental Impact Of Fracking

Fracking for gas trapped in shale could be a game changer in the quest to find alternatives to dirty fossil fuels, but it also has potential for harm. This book provides "one-stop shopping" for everyone who wants to know more about the issues. Oil and gas account for a large percentage of the world's energy consumption, and the search for new ways to extract both from the earth is a global quest. Fracking is viewed as an energy game-changer but is a controversial topic about which there is much misunderstanding. This unbiased work was written to bring clarity to the issues. Under the guidance of an internationally recognized public health expert, this book provides a comprehensive look at unconventional natural gas development from many different perspectives. Written for the layperson, the book dispels myths surrounding fracking, corrects misconceptions, and offers impartial, scientifically based information on both benefits and challenges. Readers will learn about the effects fracking has on the environment—our water, air, and climate—as well as on human and animal health. The contributors also look at the economics of fracking and at its socioeconomic impact on local communities and nations. They discuss legal and ethical issues related to the practice and, in keeping with the intent to provide a fair and balanced overview, share the industry perspective as well.

There is a strong need for innovation and the development of viable renewable energy sources. Recent technological advances now allow natural gas supplies—previously believed inaccessible or nonexistent—to be discovered, mined, and processed for both industrial and consumer use. The technology, a controversial process that is alternatively called hydraulic fracturing, fracking, fracing, or hydrofracking, has greatly expanded natural gas production in the United States. Presenting a balanced discussion, Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of hydraulic fracturing used to extract natural gas, along with gas exploration and production in various shale fields. As the use of hydraulic fracturing has grown, concerns about its environmental and public health impacts have also increased—one of the most significant concerns being the fluids that are injected into rock formations to cause the fracturing contain potentially hazardous chemical additives. The book covers all facets of the issue, including ongoing controversies about the environmental and operator safety issues arising from possible water pollution, drinking water contamination, on-the-job safety hazards, and harmful chemical exposure to workers and residents near well areas. The author discusses both the pros and cons of hydraulic fracturing, explaining the process in great detail. He describes the benefits of hydraulic fracturing and its importance in making the United States energy independent by drilling for its own resources, as well as the potential impacts to the surrounding environment. The text also includes suggestions and recommendations on how to mitigate environmental damage. Arguably the first book of its kind, this is the go-to text on the use and impacts of hydraulic fracturing.

Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" as it is commonly known, refers to the practice of using liquids at very high pressures to fragment rock, thereby allowing natural gas to be harvested. This process increases energy resources but also has some negative environmental impacts as well. This book looks at the environmental impact. The first section looks at fracturing and the water supply, the second section looks at ecosystems and wildlife, while the final section examines the possible effects on human ecosystems and human health.

This book provides a systematic scientific approach to the understanding of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) as a hydrocarbon extraction technology and its impact on the environment. The book addresses research from the past decade to assess how fracking can affect air, water, landscapes and ecosystems, and presents the subject in the context of the history of fracking and shale gas development in the United States, describing what is known and not known about environmental impacts, and the broader implications of fossil energy use, climate change, and technology development. In 9 chapters, the author lays out how and why hydraulic fracturing was developed, what driving forces existed at the beginning of the so-called "shale revolution", how success was achieved, and when and why public acceptance of the technology changed. The intended audience is scientific people who are concerned about fracking, but perhaps do not know all that much about it. It is also intended for lay people who would be interested in understanding the technical details of the process and what effects it might or might not be having on the environment. The book is written at a level that is both understandable and technically correct. A further goal is to give some useful insights even to experienced petroleum geologists and engineers who have been doing fracking for many years.

This report comes at the request of Environment Canada, which asked the Council to assemble a multidisciplinary expert panel to consider the state of knowledge of potential environmental impacts from the exploration, extraction, and development of Canada’s shale gas resources. The Council’s report presents a comprehensive examination of shale gas development in Canada. It does not, however, determine the safety, nor the economic benefits, of development. It reviews the use of new and conventional technologies in shale gas extraction, and examines several issues of concern including potential impacts on surface water and groundwater, greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative land disturbance, and human health. The report also outlines approaches for monitoring and research, as well as mitigation and management strategies.

A pharmacologist and a veterinarian pull back the curtain on the human and animal health effects of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” Across the country, fracking—the extraction of natural gas by hydraulic fracturing—is being touted as the nation’s answer to energy independence and a fix for a flagging economy. Drilling companies assure us that the process is safe, politicians push through drilling legislation without a serious public-health debate, and those who speak out are marginalized, their silence purchased by gas companies and their warnings about the dangers of fracking stifled. The Real Cost of Fracking pulls back the curtain on how this toxic process endangers the environment and harms people, pets, and livestock. Michelle Bamberger, a veterinarian, and Robert Oswald, a pharmacologist, combine their expertise to show how contamination at drilling sites translates into ill health and heartbreak for families and their animals. By giving voice to the people at ground zero of the fracking debate, the authors vividly illustrate the consequences of fracking and issue an urgent warning to all of us: fracking poses a dire threat to the air we breathe, the water we drink, and even our food supply. Bamberger and Oswald reveal the harrowing experiences of small farmers who have lost their animals, their livelihoods, and their peace of mind, and of rural families whose property values have plummeted as their towns have been invaded by drillers. At the same time, these stories give us hope, as people band together to help one another and courageously fight to reclaim their communities. The debate over fracking speaks to a core dilemma of contemporary life: we require energy to live with modern conveniences, but what degree of environmental degradation, health risks, and threats to our food supply are we willing to accept to obtain that energy? As these stories demonstrate, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and this is an issue that none of us can afford to ignore.

Environmental Issues Concerning Hydraulic Fracturing, Volume One captures the state-of-the-art research currently used to evaluate the potential impact of unconventional gas and oil gas extraction processes. Topics in this comprehensive guide on the topic include chapters on The Human Health Implications of Unconventional Oil and Gas Development, The use of Noble Gas Analysis and other Forensic Techniques in Characterizing Contamination Pathways Associated with Oil and Gas Development, Well Integrity, Contamination Mechanisms and Groundwater Impacts Associated with Unconventional Oil and Gas Development, and Advances in Fracturing and Well Construction: Improving Efficiency and Reducing Risks. This serial explores a wide breadth of emerging and state-of-the-art technologies used to study the potential environmental impact and various processes in the massive industrial process of shale exploration and resource extraction. Covers a wide breadth of emerging and state-of-the-art technologies Includes contributions from an International board of authors Provides a comprehensive set of reviews, covering the potential impact of unconventional gas and oil gas extraction processes

This book explores the history, techniques, and materials used in the practice of induced hydraulic fracturing, one of today's hottest topics, for the production of natural gas, while examining the environmental and economic impact. You can't squeeze blood from a turnip, but you can release trapped natural gas from rock. At least that is what is being accomplished now throughout North America. Natural gas that is primarily methane has been proven to be an excellent fuel source. It can be safely burned to create heat to power engines, boilers in factories and homes as well as powering turbines for generating electricity. Projections on natural gas volumes trapped underground suggest a nearly inexhaustible supply of this product. Yet with such abundance comes controversy. A popular and economical technique relies on the gas from subterranean sources and requires fracturing rock bed. This process is actually carried out naturally every day with water or magma. Magma may flow into rock beds superheating water to generate steam. The resulting pressure of the expanding water molecules can be so great, it can lift and separate thousands of tons of rock deep beneath the Earth's surface. This same practice can be carried out artificially (induced) using high-powered pumps and various liquid compounds. This technique combined with new horizontal directional drilling machines have enabled the harvest and distribution of natural gas. But at what cost? Does this practice contribute to greenhouse gas? Does it create earthquakes? Does it contaminate the groundwater supply? These are important issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing, and they are covered here in detail.