Hydrofracking is a hot point of contention today in many areas as the United States attempts to gain more energy independence from the rest of the world. It is a well-stimulation technique that uses pressured liquids to fracture rocks. More than 50% of the worldwide hydrofracking that has occurred in the world in the last 70 years has happened in the United States. There are many pros and cons that are associated with this practice and they are important to consider while forming an opinion on this controversial subject.
Hydrofracking Brings With it an Efficient Form of Energy
Without hydrofracking, it would be difficult to access the energy resources that are available in oil shale, tight oil, and coal seam gas. By fracturing the deep rock formations where these energy resources flow freely, they can be extracted, processed, and then used.
It Isn’t Just Water and Sand That is Used for Hydrofracking
Although 95% of hydrofracking is sand and water, there are several chemicals that are used in the well-stimulation process as well. These chemicals then become part of the water that is pumped out, but any chemical exposure to soil will leave it in place for some time. Environmental exposure also occurs from runoff lakes that have been left from the hydrofracking process.
There is Readily Available Energy
The world needs these energy resources to maintain a modern lifestyle and hydrofracking makes these energy reserves easier to access. Because they can be accessed quickly and relatively cheaply, it also allows many households to save money on their home heating, cooling, and transportation needs over the course of a year.
It May Contaminate Local Ground Water Supplies
Ground water flows above many of the deep rock formations that contain the energy, so many times the water must be accessed before the rock can be accessed. This means the chemicals in the hydrofracking solution can get into the ground water channels and contaminate the local area, including wells that are pre-existing. Fresh water is therefore depleted in that region, making it nearly impossible sometimes for certain areas that have consistent drilling activities to be survivable.
Earthquakes Can be Caused by Hydrofracking
When there is flowback and brine within a well that is being stimulated, the pressure can activate fault lines that may not have been known about before. This, in turn, creates localized earthquakes that may destabilize a region for some time. Hydrofracking has even been known to stimulant long dormant faults that have been known about because of the immense pressures that are introduced into the deep rock formations to crack them.
Hydrofracking Brings Good Paying Jobs to a Region
Hydrofracking can bring stable employment to a region, as evidenced by the well-stimulation activities that have been occurring in states like Colorado, North Dakota, and Wyoming. These jobs help to raise the standard of living in those regions, help local businesses, and provides high enough wages where families can easily be supported for life after several years of drilling. When Pennsylvania focused on bringing in hydrofracking, there were 72,000 jobs created between 2009-2011.
The Jobs Pay Well, But They Come With an Added Level of Danger Too
Many are injured while working a hydrofracking job. The wells operate at such a high pressure that when they explode, the metal debris from the connectors and pipes will travel at extremely high speeds. The impact is enough to kill a worker if it strikers them in the head. There are also many difficult injuries that create permanent disabilities, like limb crushing, burning, and even on-the-job amputations.
There Could be a Danger of Cancer Exposure
People who work in the hydrofracking industry are often exposed to silica sand. Like asbestos, these sand particles are known to be a cause of lung cancer. If it doesn’t cause cancer, it may also cause a condition that is called silicosis, which causes a swelling in the lungs because the structures of the lung tissues are actually being destroyed. Wearing a mask does not prevent exposure to the silica dusts that can cause these diseases.
A Side Effect of Hydrofracking is Methane Production
Most methane is burnt off during the hydrofracking process, but not all of it is. It isn’t just methane that is an environmental hazard to the air. Even the constant burning helps to put pollutants into the atmosphere that may cause local and global impacts to the climate.
It Accesses the Cleanest Fuels That Are Used in a Majority of Items That Are Used Today
Natural gas is one of the cleanest burning fuels that societies around the world currently use. Burning oil or coal not only has similar environmental impacts in the extraction process, especially if strip mining activities are used, but dirty burns of the fuel also have a dramatic impact on the amount of carbon that is released into the atmosphere.
Hydrofracking is Actually Used to Revitalize Wells That are Known to Provide Drinking Water
When hydrofracking is used appropriately, it is safe enough to be able to revitalize wells that once provided drinking water, but have since gone dry. The problem is that in the interests of profitability, many organizations are willing to take shortcuts in order to make extra dollars. Overall the process of hydrofracking is safe when safety precautions are used, but that safety comes at a cost that is not always paid.
There is a Lot of Money at Stake
Local governments are willing to overlook shortcuts because it means local dollars are coming in. Fines might be assessed as a consequence and that provides even more income. The end result is often extra energy at affordable prices, but a large fine isn’t enough to stop environmental damage that has already occurred.
Hydrofracking needs constant, direct oversight. When this is provided, it seems to provide an economic and societal boost. When it is not provided, harm happens to easily. With so much at stake, including the health of the workers, these specific issues should be debated before any hydrofracking is allowed to begin in a new community.
