...Hydraulic Fracturing POPULATION/PROBLEM/PROCESS Hydraulic fracturing or fracking, as it is commonly referred to, is a method of oil and gas extraction that has been in use for well over 60 years. This is a method that is centered on injecting a mixture of a proppant such as sand, chemicals and water into an oil or gas well. The injection of this fluid is responsible for creating fractures in the pre-drilled well, thereby allowing greater permeability of the stone. The small cracks in the stone are filled by the proppant, in this case sand, to keep them open even after the water flows back out. Among the chemicals used are gelling agents. The purpose of these gelling agents is to ensure that the proppant remains suspended in the mixture, and does not sink. Other chemicals in the mixture increase the fracturing ability of the solution. Once this has been achieved, the small pores and air spaces between the rocks are filled with the proppant and cause the natural gas trapped within the natural spaces to escape. This gas is then collected. The use of horizontal hydraulic fracturing has also been instrumental in the extraction of oil. The use of horizontal hydraulic fracturing has increased profitability and efficiency in the extraction of oil, when compared to the predominantly used vertical drilling methods. By increasing the extraction of natural gas from sources that were originally considered unproductive, this process has resulted in more profits for oil extraction companies not...
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... A. Although natural gas is the next step to our clean energy initiative, the lack of regulations on fracking is leading to air and water pollution, droughts and undisclosed chemicals which are used in the process. II. What is the Fracking? A. Fracking is a process to harvest Natural Gases from the earth core. 1. There are two different processes of fracking, Hydraulic and horizontal fracking. 2. Chemicals are released into wells to harvest the gas. B. The current regulations for fracking are left to each state to determine how the process works. 1. A FRAC Act requires the companies to tell what chemicals are used, but there is loophole. 2. EPA is barred from regulating the ground water. III. II. There are two main benefits of fracking; better source of energy and long term quality. A. Natural gas is a better quality of energy for the United States. 1. Natural gas is clean, safe, colorless, shapeless and odorless. 2. Natural gases burn at lower temperatures so they last longer. B. With Natural gases the dependency on foreign oils will decrease. 1. The price of oil is on the rise. 2. Natural gases are harvested in the United States. IV. III. Although the benefits of natural gas are extremely affective, the effects of the process to harvest the gas is extremely damaging...
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...Legal Issues in Hydraulic Fracturing Demand for energy shows every promise of remaining high, and supplies of natural gas and oil worldwide are dwindling. Renewable and alternative energy sources – for example, wind-generated electricity, or nuclear power – are being developed and considered at the national level; however, at the time of writing more than half of the total energy consumed in the United States comes from oil and natural gas sources. Specifically, natural gas was – in 2011 – providing fully a quarter of the total energy consumed in the United States (Obama, 2013). Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking”, provides a means of exploiting the reserves of natural gas within United States territory. These natural gas reserves are positioned in such a way that they cannot typically be exploited by traditional methods, and instead are produced by a process of hydraulic fracturing. This means of oil and gas production is relatively new, and it remains controversial in terms of economics, safety and environmental cost. In addition to ecological, sociological and political considerations, there are many legal issues involved in the production of energy via hydraulic fracturing (Hagstrom and Adams, 2012). Regulation The actual activity of hydraulic fracturing is carried out by private corporations; however, the process is governed by multiple State and Federal regulations and laws. As the field of hydraulic fracturing is developing quickly and recently, legislation...
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...Hydrofracking in Marcellus shale: The Consequences of America’s Gas Rush Introduction Demand for fossil fuels in America has led to a flurry of unorthodox methods for the extraction of natural gas. Fracking or hydrofracking in the U.S.A has proven to be an efficient way of extracting natural gas from permeable rock. A new large scale hydrofracking operation has been proposed in the eastern states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. This method of extraction is highly controversial, and is thought to have severe environmental and potential health consequences. This essay will provide further insight into the practice of Fracking in an area of shale known as Marcellus shale, and help to expose the environmental and human implications. What is Hydrofracking? Hydraulic Fracturing is an un-conventional process used in the extraction of gas in permeable rock (David 1973). A horizontal well is drilled into permeable rock such as shale and is injected with millions of gallons a high pressure fluid known as frac-fluid, this fluid is a mixture of sand, water, and an array of lubricating chemicals (Deutch 2011). The high pressure frac-fluid forces open fishers (cracks) within the rock which are kept open with sand granules; this allows pockets of gas to flow more easily from the shale (David 1973). Once the well is depleted all fluid that can be recycled is extracted, and the well is capped to stop any unused gas escaping (David 1973). The process of fracking is expensive and requires...
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...hydraulic faulting of oil and gas. It will form and state my own opinion on what hydraulic fracturing laws and regulations should be put in place. It will also discuss the place of hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas in meeting US energy needs. Table of Contents Body of the Report 3 Summary or Conclusion 6 References 7 Legal Issues in Hydraulic Faulting Body of the Report Hydraulic fracturing is the procedure of creating fractures in rocks and the rock formation which is done by injecting a mixture of sand and water into the cracks which allows forcing underground to open further. The larger fissures allow more oil and gas to flow out of the formation and into the well bore from where it can be extracted. The first use of hydraulic fracturing was in 1947 but there was one more modern technique called horizontal slick water flacking which makes the extraction of shale gas economical and was first used in 1998. This energy forms the injection of highly pressurized fluids which creates new channels in the rocks by which extraction rates increases and it ultimately recovers all the hydro carbons. Hydraulic fracturing performs and enables the production of natural gas and oil from rock formations in deep below the earth surface. Sometimes at such depth there may not be sufficient reservoir pressure to allow natural gas and oil to flow from the rock into the wellbore. So it helps to create conductive fractures in the rock to extract gas from shale reservoirs...
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...requirement. Coal seam gas which has widely been used in industry is considered as an new energy. Therefore, coal seam gas is playing a vital role in many countries. For instance, coal seam gas industry can provide outstanding economic revenue for Australia (Hamawand , Yusaf, & Hamawand, 2013, p. 552). However, the extraction of coal seam gas encounters opposition because it would bring serious contamination to farmland and environment . This essay will outline the merits of exploiting the coal seam gas which may replace the conventional energy and to reduce contamination. It will also discuss the negative effects of developing the coal seam gas industry on farming and the environment. Coal seam gas is the substaintial energy that can substitute the traditional energy and decrease environmental pollution. First of all, the refining of coal seam gas can lower the environmental pollution. For example, the new Kenya water treatment plant can help changing coal seam gas water to recycle, and thus could reduce the water pollution (GE; advanced technology to produce beneficial water from booming coal seam gas industry in Australia, 2011). Furthermore, the development of coal seam gas can decrease the air pollution. If the discharge of greenhouse gases were limited from burning fossil fuel, the extensive disposal of coal seam gas for coal would obtain a considerable reduction in terms of Australia’s carbon footprint (Chen & Randall, 2013, p. 7). Coal seam gas is a comparatively...
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...Oil companies and gas companies have developed a new way for drilling natural gas. The process is called hydraulic fracturing. It is also commonly known as “fracking”. Natural gas is an extremely flammable gas mixture that consists od methane and a few other hydrocarbons that occur naturally under our soil. The technique of fracking has only recently become economically available with rising prices in fuel. Facking has many waste products and some side effects that are caused by the unnatural forces and the materials that are being used. Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas rom layers of shale rock deep within the earth’s surface. Areas that are being drilled are known as “Plays”. Plays are locations where oil and gas companies actively search for natural gas inside of the shale rock formations. There is a two-step process for drilling natural gas by using hydraulic fracturing. The first is that a production well id drilled thousands of feet deep into the earth’s surface and the gradually leveled so theat the drill bit is traveling horizontally through the ground. The second step is where the name fracking comes from because this is where the process of mixing sand, water, and chemicals (many which are known to be harmful) are forced under very high pressure down into the shale rock through the horizontal part of the drill. The extreme pressure causes the shale rock to fracture releasing the natural gas within. The added chemicals help reduce problems such as...
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...dual porosity system. The production sequence of a dual porosity system may be very different from that of a primary porosity system.Table 1 (below) gives a general range of reservoir rock matrix porosities. Generally, reservoir rock martix porosities in the lower ranges are of commercial interest only when a secondary porosity system is present. Table 1--Rock matrix porosities (after Levorsen, 1967) : Negligible 0-5 Poor 5-10 Fair 10-15 Good 15-20 Very good 20-25+ Usually, the porosity enters into our reservoir calculations in estimating hydrocarbon volume in place in the reservoir. Its fractional value is multiplied by the bulk volume of the reservoir rock, and by the hydrocarbon fluid saturation (equal to one minus the water saturation) to determine the hydrocarbon pore volume. HCPV = V (1-Swc)...
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...Dangers of Fracking Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as fracking, is a process used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas. Scientists are worried that the chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled and sometimes spilled on the surface. Extracting gas from shale increases the availability of this resource, but the health and environmental risks are, in my opinion, too high. Before I get rolling on the impacts of fracking, let me first present you with a little history behind it. Hydraulic fracturing of wells was first introduced in 1947 by Stanolind Oil. 1,000 gallons of naphthenic-acid and-palm-oil-thickened gasoline was injected, followed by a gel breaker, to stimulate a gas producing limestone form at 2,400 ft. Although there wasn’t a tremendous increase in production, this was a start. In 1974, Congress passed the safe drinking water act to protect underground sources of drinking water and the Environmental Protection Agency required Underground Injection Control permits under the SDWA for any injection of a fluid. The Environmental Protection Agency also banned the injection of most hazardous materials and mandated regulation for all injected materials. However, hydraulic fracturing was unhindered by these new regulations because, the same year, the Environmental Protection Agency...
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...the devastating effects of the rising global temperatures by using fossil fuels, fracking supporters have argued that it would be wise to embrace natural gas as a cleaner source of energy. Despite the appeal of natural gas as a carbon free alternative, those opposing the procedure of fracking argue that this procedure is damaging the environment, polluting drinking water supply and causing health concerns to populations in close proximity. By exploring both sides of this controversial procedure, this paper will show that there are many problems to solve before natural gas becomes a more environmental friendly and sensible alternative to fossil fuels. According to earth works, geologic formations may contain large quantities of oil or...
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...Rubenstein | 3/23/2014 | | Contents: Intro 3 Shale Gas in Bulgaria 3 Overview 4 Mounting concern as production rises 5 Water Supplies 5 Surface impacts 6 Land 6 Water 6 Noise 7 Frack Quakes 8 Social acceptance 8 FRACKING IN BULGARIA 8 IS THERE A BUBBLE IN THE SHALE GAS INDUSTRY? 10 Diminishing returns 11 The drilling treadmill 11 Unsustainable prices 11 A shale bubble 11 Regulate or Ban? Movement Divisions 12 Bibliography: 13 Intro In the beginning of 2009, South-East Europe suffered several external shocks: an extended period of cold weather, disruption in natural gas supplies from the Russian federation and financial crisis. The disruption of natural gas supply from the Russian Federation was particularly devastating for all countries with gas infrastructure. The region is supplied with natural gas from Russia by three different itineraries and three sub-regions are served by three different sets of gas infrastructure (see Appendix 1). Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and FYROM are supplied by a system of transit pipelines from Ukraine. Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are supplied from Ukraine via Hungary, while Croatia is supplied via Austria and Slovenia. These three supply systems are not connected which in itself presents a problem. With nearly 98% gas import dependency, however, Bulgaria’s biggest issue is that all the its complete dependence on Russian gas and oil. While it is debatable, whether this issue has more internal...
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...relations effort trying to show the government, the public, and their shareholders that they are trying to improve the environment are also among the most prolific polluters in the country. Pollution does not mean that the companies are doing anything illegal. Instead, it simply refers to natural consequence of the companies’ industrial efforts which result in contamination to the air, soil or water by the discharge of substances that are toxic to the environment (McIntyre 2006). American Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) is “greenwashing” the public with its advertising concerning the drilling for natural gas. American Natural Gas Alliance is a trade organization that represents 30 American natural gas drilling and refining companies. These natural gas companies are experiencing a drilling boom with more than a million natural gas wells being drilled across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other states powered by a new technology called “fracking” (Gang. 2012). “Fracking” is a means of natural gas extraction employed in deep natural gas well drilling. Once a well is drilled, millions of gallons of water, sand and proprietary chemicals are injected, under high pressure, into a well. The pressure fractures the shale and props open fissures that enable...
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...Natural Gas in the United States Katrina C National University February 4, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….3 History and Regulations…………………………………………………………………………...4 Formation and Resources…………………………………………………………………………5 Uses of Natural Gas……………………………………………………………………………….7 Extraction Techniques…………………………………………………………………………….8 Hydraulic Fracturing………………………………………………………………………………9 Gasland………………………………………………………………………………………..…10 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….11 Natural Gas SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………………………….12 References………………………………………………………………………………………..13 Natural Gas in the United States Introduction The natural gas market is a topic that I had never given much thought. Prior to selecting this research paper topic the only knowledge that I had of natural gas is that it is an affordable energy source that was used by many families. Growing up in rural Louisiana my parents had a natural gas oven and heaters. My brother actually still uses the natural gas in my parents old home. My parents’ home now is totally electric and my mother complains about the utility bill and the slow cooking speed with electric. Those complaints seem so minute after learning about the dangers of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. When first giving the list of research paper topics, the worldwide natural gas market and fracking were not on my list of topic options. However, due to my procrastination on choosing one of my first...
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...extract natural gas out of the ground. This process is done by fracturing porous rock with water, sand, and chemicals to free the gas inside the rock. This procedure is affordable and less complicated than the other strategies used to withdraw natural gas from the ground. Although fracking is more economical there are some disadvantages. For instance, the chemicals utilized in fracking. In source c it explains the downsides of fracking and goes in depth about how, “fracking not only consumes large quantities of fresh water but in...
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...account or description of what fracking does is a process in which water, chemicals, and sand are pumped in to a well injection in order to receive the Earth’s natural gasses. Hydraulic fracturing has its negative and its positive, as well as many different perspectives such as social, health, environmental and economic issues. Although arguable, the process of which hydraulic fracturing takes place is an effective one. As mentioned, chemicals which are unknown to the public, mixed...
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