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Hydraulic fracturing refers to a process of gas and oil extraction that entails breaking rocks using pressure. Hydraulic fracturing began in 1947. However, the technique became popular in 1950. Currently, the process is widely applicable in gas and oil extraction. Despite its popularity, hydraulic fracturing poses a significant threat to both humanity and the environment. Therefore, there is a need for oil and gas, producing companies to look for alternative methods.
Hydraulic fracturing contributes to the contamination of underground streams. The gas industry refutes these allegations. The industry maintains that no occurrences of water contamination have been linked to hydraulic fracturing. Colborn et al. claim that this disingenuous argument uses the industry’s definition of hydraulic fracturing to refer “only to the process whereby hydrostatic pressure is used to force cracks in thick rock formations” (1041).
People continue to report isolated cases of water contamination as a result of hydraulic fracturing. The extraction of shale gas has led to groundwater contamination due to blowouts, good faulty construction, and seepage of wastewater, among other causes. It may be hard to figure out how water pollution arises due to hydraulic fracturing. Nevertheless, the high number of documented cases proves that hydraulic fracturing is a primary cause of contamination. At least one in every “six abandoned wells leaks into the surrounding area, posing a significant threat to humanity” (Colborn et al. 1046).
Hydraulic fracturing contributes to the release of harmful chemicals and radioactive substances into the atmosphere, posing a significant threat to the environment and humanity. The hydraulic fracturing process uses numerous chemical additives and fluids that contain toxic substances. It underlines the reason the gas industry does not disclose the contents of the chemical additives that it uses in fracking fluids (Schmidt 350).
Even though some gas companies opt to reveal the contents of the chemical additives that they use to extract oil and gas, they give misleading information. For instance, Halliburton alleged that its chemical additives were more or less the same as cosmetic or household detergents. The company claimed that it used ‘petroleum distillates’ as one of its chemical additives. Petroleum distillates are used in candy and nail polish remover. The company did not disclose that petroleum distillates contain toxic products.
Currently, there are no stringent regulations that govern the management of drilling waste. As a result, gas companies are at liberty to dispose of the drilling waste whenever they want. Mismanagement of drilling waste has led to complete contravention of public health standards. Nations do not require gas companies to elaborate on how they will deal with drilling waste. Thus, the companies dump massive quantities of extremely harmful wastes without treating them. Such a move poses an immense danger not only to the environment but also to humanity.
The process of hydraulic fracturing requires a lot of water. Therefore, the entire process causes a water crisis. In Pennsylvania, “there are significant withdrawals of clean water from already stressed supplies” (Schmidt 352). The growth of hydraulic fracturing as a primary method of gas extraction is bound to exert pressure on water supply in the United States.
Even though the gas industry maintains that hydraulic fracturing is a safe method of gas and oil extraction, there is evidence that the process poses a great danger to both the environment and humanity. Hydraulic fracturing is unregulated. Thus, the gas companies do not dispose of waste materials in responsible ways. The continued growth of hydraulic fracturing is exerting pressure on water supply and contributing to the contamination of underground streams.
Works Cited
Colborn, Theo, Carol Kwiatkowski, Kim Schultz and Mary Bachran. “Natural Gas Operations from Public Health Perspective.” Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal 17.5 (2011): 1039-1056. Print.
Schmidt, Charles. “Blind Rush? Shale Gas Boom Proceeds amid Human Health Questions.” Environmental Health Perspectives 119.8 (2011): 348-353. Print.
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