Member of the Union of Concerned Scientists (USA)
June 8, 2013
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| Source: Los Angeles Times. |
Hydraulic fracturing (Fig. 1) has been around for some time.
This technology was developed in the 1940s and is used to produce spaces in the
rock pores deep underground to release natural gas and oil so they can be tapped to the surface.
 |
| Figure 1. Hydraulic fracturing. Source: American Petroleum Institute. |
Franco et al. (2013) describe a fracking operation as follows (Video 1):
"A typical unconventional gas frac involves drilling
down three to six kilometres into the earth, beneath underground fresh water
sources. When the shale or coal bed geological formations are reached, the
drilling then proceeds horizontally for up to two kilometres in order to
capture more gas. This horizontal borehole is filled with small packages of ball-bearing-like
shrapnel and light explosives. The packages are detonated, and the shrapnel
pierces the borehole opening up small perforations in the rock. A series of
fractures, between 10 to 20, are created at set intervals about every 100
meters along the horizontal borehole. Furthermore, each drilling site, or pad,
can host several horizontal wells – known as multi-well pads."
To achieve the fracking, a mixture of water, sand and
chemical additives (Fig. 2, Table 1), the fracturing or pumping fluids, are injected under high
pressure into the shale or fuel formation layer underground to produce fissures
or fractures in the rock which will allow the gas or oil to flow freely to the
surface.
 |
| Figure 2. Typical shale fracturing and chemical additives used in fracturing water. Source: American Petroleum Institute. |
Table 1. Chemicals Used in the Hydraulic Fracturing Process in
Pennsylvania (USA). Source: Marcellus Drlling News.
| Chemical | Product Name |
| 2,2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide | Bio Clear 1000/Bio Clear 2000/ Bio-Clear 200/BioRid20L/ EC6116A |
| 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one | X-Cide 207 |
| 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one | X-Cide 207 |
| Acetic Acid | Fe-1A Acidizing Composition/ Packer Inhibitor |
| Acetic Anhydride | Fe-1A Acidizing Composition |
| Acetylene | GT&S Inc./ Airco |
| Alcohol Ethoxylated | C12-16 NE-200 |
| Alkyl benzene sulfonic acid | Tetrolite AW0007/ FR-46 |
| Ammonia (aqueous) | FAW-5 |
| Ammonium Bifluoride | ABF 37% |
| Ammonium Persulfate | AP Break |
| Ammonium Bisulfite | Techni-Hib 604/ Fe OXCLEAR/ Packer Inhibitor |
| Ammonium chloride | Salt Inhibitor |
| Ammonium Salt (alkylpolyether sulfate) | Tetrolite AW0007 |
| Amorphous silica | TerraProp Plus/ Bituminous Coal Fly Ash ASTM C618 |
| Benzoic Acid | Benzoic Acid |
| Boric Acid | BC-140/ Unilink 8.5 |
| Boric Oxide | XLW-32 |
| Calcium Chloride | Dowflake |
| Calcium Oxide | Bituminous Coal Fly Ash ASTM C618 |
| carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar blend | Unigel CMPHG |
| Choline Chloride | Clay Treat-2C |
| Cinnamaldehyde | ENVIROHIB 2001 |
| Citric Acid | Ferrotrol 300L/ IC-100L |
| Complex polyamine salt | Clay Master-5C |
| Crystalline Silica: Cristobalite | |
| Crystalline Silica: Quartz | Silica Sand/ / Atlas PRC/ Best Sand/ Bituminous Coal Fly Ash ASTM C618 |
| Cupric chloride dihydrate | Ferrotrol 280L |
| Cured resin | LiteProp 125 |
| Cyclohexanes | CS-2 |
| Dazomet | ICI-3240 |
| Diethylene Glycol | Scaletrol 720/ Scaletrol 7208 |
d-Limonene
|
MA-844W |
| Enzyme | GBL-8X |
| EO-C7-9-iso-, C8 rich-alcohols | NE-940/ NE-90 |
| EO-C9-11-iso-, C10-rich alcohols | NE-940/ NE-90 |
| Ethoxylated Alcohol | FRW-14/ SAS-2/ Flomax 50/ WFR-3B |
| Ethyl Acetate | Castle Thrust |
| Ethyl Alcohol | FAW-5/ Castle Shop Solv/ Dallas Morris |
| Ethylbenzene | NDL-100/ PARANOX/ Uniflo II |
| Ethylbenzene | NDL-100/ PARANOX/ Uniflo II |
| Ethylene Glycol | ENVIROHIB 2001/ ICA-2/ LEB 10X/ Scaletrol 720/ Sceletrol 7208/ CC 300/ Clachek A/ Clachek LP/ Ironsta II B/ NCL-100/ BC 140/ NCL-100/ Flomax 50/ NCL/ Scalehib 100/ Unihib O/ Unilink 8.5 |
| Formic Acid | ENVIROHIB 2001 |
| Gluconic Acid | Interstate ICA-2 |
| Glutaraldehyde | Alpha 114/Alpha 125/ ICI-150 |
| Glycerol | Bio Sealers |
| Glycol Ethers | ENVIROHIB 2001/AMPHOAM 75/ PARANOX/ Uniflo II/ Unifoam/ WNE-342LN |
| Guar Gum | PROGUM 19 GUAR PRODUCT/ Unigel 19XL/ Benchmark Polymer 3400/ WGA-15/ Unigel 5F |
| Hydrochloric Acid | Hydrochloric Acid (HCL)/ TETRAClean 542/ Muriatic Acid |
| Hydrochloric Acid 3% – 35% | Hydrochloric Acid 3% – 35% |
| Isopropanol | AFS 30 Blend/ FAC-1W/ FAC-3W/ MA-844W/ NE-23/ NE-940/ Flomax 50/ Tetrolite
AW0007/ FMW25 Foamer/ CS-2 |
| Isopropyl Alcohol | NFS-102/ WFT-9511/ LT-32/ AR-1/ Flomax 50/ NDL-100/ Unibac/ Uniflo II/
Uniflo/ Unihib O/ WNE-342LN |
| Methanol |
AFS 30 Blend/ NE-200/ Activator Superset-W/ CI-14/ FAW-5/ GasFlo/
Inflo-250W/ LT-32/ NE-940/
XLW-32/ Tetrolite AW0007/ FMW25 Foamer/ 40 HTL Corrosion Inhibitor/ NE 100/ HAI-OS Acid Inhibitor/ Unibac/ NE-90/ Packer Inhibitor |
| Methyl Alcohol | Clearbreak 400/ Super Surf/ Castle Shop Solv |
| Methyl Salicylate | Bio Sealers |
| n-butanol | AirFoam 311 |
| Nitrilotriacetamide | Salt Inhibitor |
| Phenolic Resin | Atlas PRC |
| Polyethylene Glycol | NE-940/ EC6116A/ NE-90 |
| Polyethylene Glycol Mixture | Bio Clear 2000/ Bio-Clear 200 |
| Polyoxylalkylene sulfate | FMW25 Foamer |
| Polysaccharide Blend | GW-3LDF |
| Potassium Carbonate | BF-7L |
| Potassium Chloride | Dowflake |
| Potassium Hydroxide | B-9, pH Increase Buffer/ BXL-2 |
| Propargyl Alcohol | CI-14/ HAI-OS Acid Inhibitor |
| Propylene Glycol | SAS-2/ WFR-3B |
| Silica | S-8C, Sand, 100 mesh/ Montmorillnonite clay |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | K-34 |
| Sodium Bromide | BioRid 20L |
| Sodium Hydroxide | Caustic Soda/ ICI-3240/ BioRid B-71 |
| Sodium Persulphate | High Perm SW-LB |
| Sodium Xylene Sulfonate | FAC-2/ FAC-3W |
| Sulfuric Acid | Sulfuric Acid |
| Surfactants | AFS-30/ GasFlo/ Inflo-250W |
| Talc | Adomite Aqua |
| Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate | Magnacide 575 Microbiocide |
| Tetramethyl ammonium Chloride | Clay Treat-3C |
| Trimethyloctadecylammonium chloride | FAC-1W/ FAC-3W |
Right away we can see that, although billions of
natural gas and oil can be produced, this technology is not 100% environmentally
safe as we are told, for it has its drawbacks. Three major potential dangers may occur whilst fracking for natural gas and oil:
- Chemical contamination of the underground drinking water
- Chemical spills, and
- Danger of earthquakes in the area of exploitation.
Furthermore, fracking means water depletion. It uses too much water from the aquifers in the process of
extraction of the energy resources.
Fresh water that as we go deep into the future will become scarcer and scarcer to man´s chagrin and a terrible loss for everyone whose lives depend on this priceless resource.
Fresh water that as we go deep into the future will become scarcer and scarcer to man´s chagrin and a terrible loss for everyone whose lives depend on this priceless resource.
The region where the fracturing technology is applied is
plagued with hundreds of drill holes and bare soil patches when seen from the sky (Fig. 3).
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| Figure 3. Fracking in Wyoming (USA). Source: The Equation. |
The mess left behind or the patching to remedy its impact
if ever done is nothing but a constant reminder of man´s quest to quench his senseless addiction to energy, which it is normally employed to continue one way or another the destruction of the Biosphere with his pointless and rather useless activities that in the end add
up to nothingness, and also shows his little respect for the environment in the overall
picture of life on planet Earth.
All of this search for energy is ridiculous and
counterproducing in the long run. What man has to do is to learn to live within
the planetary limits, consume less, lead a simpler life and get out of his
crazyness of searching for a life full of abundance for a few privileged ones, people that notwithstanding their giant net of mechanical gadgetry cannot so often find satisfaction
to their loneliness in a natural world from which they become more alienated with
each passing day.
Man is a giant and yet smaller than an ant
Man is always pointing and searching in a direction that in the short run it may appear to be right to follow if only guided by the economical compass. But in the long run, it usually turns sour and he ends up snared in his own sticky trap.
Living is one thing but learning to live is another. Man is unarguably sapiens but wise is another story. He is still far from being that. His record of Nature destruction around the world speaks by itself.
There are many lessons that man has yet to learn from his non-human brethren. He must learn to go along and not against Mother Nature.
Man is now a giant in matters of science and technology over the entire Earth but he still is a dwarf smaller than an ant when it comes to dealing with the upkeep of his own nest.
References
American Petroleum Institute (API). (2010). Hydraulic Fracturing: Unlocking America´s Natural Gas Resources. Freeing Up Energy. API, Washington, DC, USA. 14 p.
Franco J, Rey Martinez A. M. & Feodoroff T. (2013). Old Story, New Threat: Fracking and the Global Land Grab. Transnational Institute, Washington, DC, USA. 12 p.
Green C. A. & Styles P. (2012). Preese Hall Shale Gas Fracturing: Review & Recommendations for Induced Seismic Mitigation. British Geological Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, UK. 26 p.
Holland A. (2011). Examination of Possibly Induced Seismicity from Hydraulic Fracturing in the Eola Field, Garvin County, Oklahoma. Oklahoma Geological Survey, Norman, OK, USA. 28 p.
Schafer D. D. (2012). Frack Attack: Cracking the Case Against Hydraulic Fracturing. Independence Institute, Denver, CO, USA. 32 p.
Sumi L. (2005). Our Drinking Water at Risk: What EPA and the Oil and Gas Industry Don´t Want Us to Know about Hydraulic Fracturing. Oil and Gas Accountability Project, Durango, CO, USA. 64 p.
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