...In 1994, the League Environmental Assistance Foundation (LEAF) petitioned the EPA to withdraw approval of the Alabama UIC program because did not regulate hydraulic fracturing associated with methane production. The EPA denied the petition in 1995 because, they contended, regulating hydraulic fracturing was not necessary given the definition of underground injection as used in the SDWA. The petition was taken to the Court of Appeals for the eleventh circuit, and they ruled against the EPA, arguing that there was no ambiguity in the SDWA’s mandate for the EPA’s regulatory action. They ruled that hydraulic fracturing should be regulated under federal law. This resulted in the EPA withdrawing approval of the Alabama UIC program in 1999, and Alabama’s...
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...Most people cannot light their tap water on fire; however, Mike Markham from Weld County in Colorado did in the film Gasland (23:35). This may not be any more rare because of fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing, also referred to as fracking, is a highly controversial process in which shale gas is extracted from the earth by injecting pressurized liquid into a deeper reservoir to fracture rocks. This technique has been widely used by many oil companies in central and eastern states. While proponents argue that it is safe and is needed to reduce America’s greenhouse gas emissions, critics claim that it may be causing earthquakes and are contaminating water systems. Hydraulic fracking is a process that many companies use. “Put simply, hydraulic fracturing...
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...Hydraulic fracturing -- otherwise known as fracking -- is a process which allows us to retrieve oil and natural gas from shale. The process consists of a mixture of water and sand -- with the addition of a few chemicals to help carry the sand, keep bacteria from forming, and for lubrication -- being pumped down the wellbore and into the deep underground reservoir formations. The wellbore is the hole drilled beforehand, implemented with steel casing vertically and horizontally, creating the well. Before the trucks are able to pump the mixture down the casing, a perforating gun -- with shaped explosive charges -- would be sent to the end of the casing -- where the target shale is at -- and set off; creating holes which connect the wellbore to the reservoir....
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...Fracking is a growing contentious, political issue in the United States, but what is fracking? Hydraulic fracturing, or more commonly know by it’s infamous nickname fracking, is a process used for finding oil and natural gases. While advocates of this technique find it to be beneficial to society; however, many critics believe there are many repercussions because of this issue. Fracking has numerous causes, and if it is not solved, the effects could be drastic. Fracking starts by a well being drilled, vertically and horizontally, into the ground around one to two miles or more in order to obtain natural gases and oil (Lallanilla). Then, the well is drilled and is covered in steel or cement. After being drilled and covered, a water mixture is...
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...Hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as “fracking,” by definition, means the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground thousands of feet deep, at a high pressure; in order to fracture shale rocks to release the natural gases inside (Schrope n.d.). A more adequate explanation on to why we perform the method of “fracking” is that it is an easier process to obtain the natural gases inside the rocks. These natural gases are used for many sources of energy throughout the world. Natural gases have also been proven to be more cleaner and more efficient source than coal. The process of fracking involves drilling through deep wells into the shale rocks which breaks up the rock shales releasing these natural gases. While fracking has been a more efficient and cleaner process, there are many dangers that come along with this process which many people overlook. With many countries including the United States using fracking, it is still on going method that many still use today. With this, there are many pros and cons that come along with fracking. This has been a...
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...Introduction Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a drilling technique used for extracting oil or gas from deep under the earth’s surface. It has been around for more than 60 years, but has emerged as a controversial topic in the US energy sector. The highly debated activity has become a focal point to environmental and political issues. Since 1949, the beginning stages, which started in Texas and Oklahoma, fracking has fueled an environmental debate of clean air, drinkable water, clean energy, and its large contribution to green house gases. This process is much safer and cleaner than the old method known as the “Exploding Torpedo,” but still leaves room for controversy due to its profitable amounts of oil and the lingering effects. The gas and oil industries diligently worked to perfect a fracking process to extract more oil. After hydraulic fracturing began commercializing, this new oil extracting process allowed the US to become the worlds largest oil and gas producer. What is hydraulic fracturing? Hydraulic fracking involves pumping water, chemicals, and solid materials down an oil or gas well under extremely high pressure to break apart rocks or pockets that contain oil and gas. The solid materials used with the water and chemicals usually is sand and holds the cracks open after they are formed. When the cracks are held open oil and gas can easily flow to the well with less resistance. This new technique of fracking has allowed a huge boom in the oil and gas industries...
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...immediately notify the Pennsylvania department of environmental protection when the company spilled 250 barrels of diluted fracturing fluids due to a broken joint in a transmission line. The spilled chemicals flowed into an unnamed tributary of brush run, killing at least 168 fish, salamanders and frogs. The watercourse is designated as a warm- water fishery under Pennsylvania department of environment protection levied a $97,350 fine against Atlas resources (earthworks). The chemicals used in fracking degrade air quality as drilling increases. For example, in Texas high levels of benzene have been measured in the near wells in the Barnett shale gas fields. The high levels of toxic air may be coming from a variety of gas-field source such as separators, dehydrators, condensers, compressors, chemical spills and leaking pipes and...
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...environmentalist no longer. Recent elections here in the United States along with several successful documentaries have brought an unprecedented level of awareness to the arguments made by proponents of both sides of issues. In America, these lines seem to even ride along political divisions. Conservatives tend to be less likely to adhere to warnings of environmentalist, while Liberals seem to lean more toward acceptance. A fairly new technology has come to the nation’s forefront and promoted some spirited debate. The issue is Hydraulic Fracturing or as it is commonly referred to “Fracking”. We will examine the pros and cons of both and why it should not be used as an option to future Energy Production What is Fracking? The process of” Fracking” means injecting millions of gallons of water, chemicals and sand into shale rock formations at high pressures to break open the rock and release the gas.(Foodandwaterwatch.org/2011) Proponents say that Hydraulic fracturing is a proven technological advancement which allows producers to safely recover natural gas and oil from deep shale formations. This technology has the potential to not only dramatically reduce...
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...One can’t understand what fracking actually does without knowing what it is. Fracking is a term that is for hydraulic fracturing which is a process for a liquid being injected into rock so then it creates a fracture in them that allows it to open more and release oil and natural gas. There have been many opinions on whether fracking is good or bad but in my opinion fracking isn’t really a good thing, There are many pros and cons about deciding if fracking is a good or a bad thing. Some pros about fracking that are said in Source B is “that the natural gas industry claims that fracking is safe, using natural gas to heat homes and power for the cars releases fewer carbon emissions than coal, and in oil and gas industry have many contractor and subcontractor jobs that are tied to...
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...result from genetic recombination. • What types of regulations exist for these foods. • A conclusion of your own opinion on genetically modified foods (For help, you might search the Food and Drug Administration website.) b) Stem cells. Your friend suffered a spinal cord injury after a bad car accident. The medical team has decided that your friend is a good candidate for a clinical trial using stem cell therapy. Your friend has not had a biology course since high school. So you decide to write your friend a paper sharing your knowledge of stem cells. Include in your letter: • A description of the biology of stem cells and how these cells are unique from other cells. • A contrast the different types of stem cells, including pros and...
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...brought back up to the surface to be processed. In the US today, people are arguing about whether or not fracking should be done. The goal of fracking is to create a passage way for the natural gas to come back up the well to the surface where it can be processed and refined. There are lots of layers of natural gas and oil in the shale. The pressure they use to make the fractures in the rock is immense, but without a passageway there is no way the natural gas can return to the surface. Therefore there is need for a well to be drilled several thousand feet into the ground. In doing so, the drilling into the shale rock creates fractures, which releases the natural gas and allows it to rise to the surface. There are many pros and cons to fracking. Some pros to fracking are: potential energy independence. The United States Department of Energy estimates that we will get, roughly, 2.6 trillion barrels of oil reserves if fracking is done. Natural gas burns cleaner than other fossil fuels. Some researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that replacing coal power plants...
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...The demand of increasing energy resources has tormented the United States in the past few decades. The availability of these resources has become questionable for the future not knowing what can be done for the sustainability of the United States. The United States would like to develop a method to obtain renewable and environment-friendly energy sources for the future. In this paper, I will be elaborating on the process of increasing oil and gas production with the method of “fracking”. What is fracking? This is a question I asked myself when doing this research paper. The solution of hydraulic fracturing also knowing as “fracking” is a quite interesting method that was discovered many years ago but has it’s pro and cons. Fracking is defined...
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...the gas is extracted from the ground it is sent to power plants and processing plants. It is then cleaned, separated and converted into fuel that is usable for homes and businesses. There are times that the gas is compressed, then transported to various rural areas where pipeline aren’t available. It is then placed in small metal tanks. The USA produces about a quarter of the earth’s natural gas. The five best sources for fossil fuel are Louisiana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Natural gas can be found in several other places within the Northern Hemisphere. Qatar is the world’s largest natural gas field. The Persian Gulf is the second largest. Natural gas impacts the quality of water greatly. One type of drilling called hydraulic fracturing has been cited in many spills of processing chemicals into ground and other water sources of local communities. This type of drilling is also exempted from the Safe Drinking Water Act. The same extraction process aids in contaminating soil as well. Natural gas is the cleanest of all other fossil fuels. It is composed primarily of methane. The main...
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...Leah Finmark Bus 513 Proposition Paper Drilling off Shore in the U.S. Introduction There is a lot of conflict today about the United States drilling for oil off shore. Oil is a huge commodity of the entire world and is hugely demanded. However, off shore drilling is hazardous to both the economy and the environment and could potentially get worse. Oil spills are a largely known negative externality that is related with offshore development. There will always be pros and cons about drilling for oil. The big question is: should we or should we not drill off shore? Literature Review One reason we should not drill for oil in the United States is because it is dangerous and could be disastrous to the environment. The recent BP spill in 2010 killed 11 workers and caused months of leakage into the ocean. Per Katherine Goldstein “This oil spill has obtained the dubious distinction of being the worst oil spill in US history.” This spill was caused by an explosion while drilling off shore in the Gulf of Mexico. This caused leaking of about 5,000 barrels of oil a day. To try to stop the leaking, several attempts were made which included controlled burning and plugging the leak, both unsuccessful. This has a huge impact on our ecosystems even though it can take months or possibly years to surface. Louisiana was most impacted by this spill. They are the closest to the leaking well and over 100 miles of the coast had been polluted. Per David Adam “State officials have...
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...Electricity: What Powers Our Planet To Whom It May Concern: It’s dark and you are trying to sign paperwork. You want to turn on the lights so you can see better. With one flick, the whole room illuminates. But, congressman, let me ask you. Have you ever wondered how electricity works? What is it that makes electricity possible? What did it take for light to have the ability to stream out of the light bulb? We take electricity for granted, but not many of us actually look into it. People often do not know how electricity is the way it is, but instead they see electricity as something that is very accessible and plentiful. So, congressman, you have the money, and I have the brains. You want to know how to spend the 200 billion? I’ll tell you. Let’s start off with what electricity really is. You hear that word so many times in your daily life, but few have heard the scientific definition. Electricity is a type of energy produced from the existence of electrons or protons, either statically as a build-up of charge, or dynamically as a current. It is usually categorized into two different currents: alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Alternating current is a constant flow of electric charge that reverses its course from time to time. Direct current is the opposite; it only runs in one direction. Within those two currents are things such as volts, watts, amperes (or amps), and ohms. Volts are the SI unit of electromotive force, the distinction of potential that would...
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