Essay on "Hydraulic Fracturing the Social"

Essay 8 pages (2800 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

The variation of chemicals depends on the company executing the exploitations and of the conditions pertaining to the extracted natural resource.

Before any well can start producing and by the time the resources are prepared for market delivery, a number of other activities that have an impact on the environment are required. Before the drilling can actually start, entire hectares have to be depleted of vegetation and also leveled in order to set up drilling equipment. There are also the collecting and processing of resources equipment as well as the circulation of vehicles to and from that have to be taken into account. Moreover, other terrains need to be cleared off to allow the construction of roads leading to wells, as well as pipelines used for transportation of gases.

What this implies therefore is that extended areas, otherwise subject to agricultural circuits, are now restricted to a complex process of exploitation which uses wells, transportation networks, ponds, and pipes. The first evident impact occurs upon the biodiversity in the area clearly affected under such preparation conditions. If deforestation is needed, it will undoubtedly be executed to the detriment of the natural habitat. And this is but the visible effect occurring on the surface. Considering that the number of fracking operations conducted in the proximity of human settlements is increasing, additional outcomes jeopardize the environment and ultimately, health and life.

The injection of enormous quantities of fracturing fluid (water and sand and the chemicals concentration) is in itself threatening because, at most, merely half of that fluid will be recovered, the remaining substances being left underground. Bamberger and Oswald, the latter, professor of molecular medicine at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine and the first, a veterinarian, noted, "These substances range from the relatively benign to the highly toxic. Some of these are reported to the public and others are not, but the quantities and proportions used are largely considered trade secrets." (52) Now, what this seems to imply is that enough reasoning exists for companies to withhold an absolute transparency with regards to the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. And although only 0, 5% makes up the additives in the fracturing fluid, if we relate that to say, 16,000 cubic meters of water per one well alone, tons of toxic waste will still reside in the underground once the operation has come to an end. Let us also consider that the mere 0, 5% is made up of approximately 598 chemical substances and but a few of these have been disclosed. Based on existing knowledge and subsequent empirical studies, estimations in regards to environmental risks were possible. However, because the overall formula has been kept secret, a thorough analysis of the environmental impact cannot be provided in relation to the fracturing liquid. Assumptions can only be made that serious consequences exist which, going public with it, will lead to restrictions of drilling operations and thus affect interests. And because no thorough research can be made due to lack of information, "a ban on shale gas drilling is essential," such as Bamberger and Oswald have noticed, in order to ensure "protection of public health" (72). Before going more in depth in relation to water pollution, it should be stated that, along the drilling process, undesired outcomes such as unintentional fracturing can happen. Fjar et al., researchers in the field, noted, "This is a potentially hazardous situation" which can result into a "blowout" (370) in a worst case scenario. While every exploitation technique assumes some risks, with hydraulic fracturing, the risk increases due to the dispersion of the fracturing fluid in case of blowouts, not to mention the potential loss of lives and financial losses. Going back to the impact on water, Bamberger and Oswald conducted a study in order to observe how fracking operations impacted both animal and human life in several different states across the U.S. They interviewed animal (mostly cattle) owners and discovered that breeding incapability occurred in cases when cattle were exposed to wastewater. Moreover, exposure caused death for about half of the herds and "led to a quarantine of beef cattle and significant uncompensated economic loss to the farmers." (60) The study also gave a description of some of the symptoms which owners of the farms themselves experienced after using contaminated water for domestic needs: "Upper respiratory symptoms (including burning of the nose and throat) and burning of the eyes were the most commonly reported. Headaches and symptoms associated with the gastrointestinal (vomiting, diarrhea), dermatological (rashes), and vascular (nosebleeds) were commonly reported" (61). Other people have also presented complaints over pollution caused by hydraulic fracturing leading to "adrenal and pituitary tumors, headaches, nausea, joint pain, respiratory problems, and other symptoms." (Brown 76) But it is not only water that becomes intoxicated upon implementing hydraulic fracturing. Air pollution is caused by removal activities which create ground-level ozone and it is that dangerous that "one highly reactive molecule can burn the deep alveolar tissue in the lungs, causing it to age prematurely." (Colborn et al. 1042) A project conducted by Colborn et al. with regards to the chemicals which are known as components of the fracturing fluid (in the project, a number of 353 chemicals were assessed) indicated that

More than 75% of the chemicals can affect the skin, eyes, and other sensory organs, the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal system, and the liver. More than half the chemicals show effects on the brain and nervous system. […] More than 25 of the chemicals can cause cancer and mutations. Notably, 37% of the chemicals can affect the endocrine system that encompasses multiple organ systems including those critical for normal reproduction and development. (1046)

Thus, water and air pollution alone based solely on information about identified chemicals used in the production of the fracturing fluid should constitute substantial basis to exemplify the danger of fracking operations. Unfortunately, evidence also suggests that there is more cause to asses and acknowledge this technique as indeed dangerous. In Oklahoma, for example, before the placement of 100 drilling sites in 2010, there was a known seismic risk of an average number of 50 mild earthquakes every year. That number grew to 1000 after 2010. The connection was demonstrated by exact measuring which indicated that the epicenter of the earthquakes is located exactly within the drilling sites. Countries in Europe as well faced similar situations and in Romania, a country situated in southeast Europe, a number of over 200 earthquakes were registered this fall merely over a period of a few weeks. This is said to have been caused by fracturing operations although no official claims support the allegations. Chevron is the company conducting drilling in several other parts of Romania as well. Having said this, we draw attention to the fact that Chevron assumes much of the material benefits upon conducting hydraulic fracturing in many countries and so, the conflict really involves oil magnates and civilians who are not informed over such practices and the effects produced.

Works Cited

Bamberger, Michelle, and Oswald, Robert E. "Impact of Gas Drilling on Human and Animal Health." New Solutions 22.1 (2012): 51-77. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.

Brown, Valerie J. "Putting the Heat on Gas." Environmental Health Perspectives 115.2 (2007): A76. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.

Charlez, Ph. A. Rock Mechanics: Petroleum Applications. Vol. 2. Paris: Editions Technip, 1997. Print.

Colborn, Theo, Kwiatkowski, Carol, Schultz, Kim, and Bachran, Mary. "Natural Gas Operations from a Public Health Perspective, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment." An International Journal 17.5 (2011): 1039-1056. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.

Fjar, Erling, Holt, R.M., Horsrud, P., Raaen, A.M., and Risnes, R. Petroleum Related Rock Mechanics. 2ND ed. Amsterdam, Oxford: Elsevier, 2008. Print.

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