Benefits Of Fracking

Imagine a world where there is no fresh clean drinking water. Where water supplies are rationed and the amount given is barely enough to drink let alone bathe or cook. This has not been an issue that most people would worry about; however it soon could be a reality due to hydraulic fracturing and the lack of federal regulations. Although there are some initial benefits to fracking, including more access to natural gas, more jobs, less dependence on other countries for gas and lower gas prices. What are the long term effects it will have? Is it worth the risk? Is this the new reality we are faced with or is there something that can be done before it is too late? These are just some of the issues I will discuss and address. However there
It is being advertised that fracking in America is the best thing since sliced bread. It provides thousands of jobs to many states such as Texas, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania and also states that were known for their high unemployment rate such as North Dakota. It has been estimated that by the year 2025, more than 1 million more U.S. manufacturing jobs will be added just from the fracking industry. It has also provided some of the highest incomes these states have ever seen in history. By being able to access natural gas in our own back yards, it has allowed gas prices to decrease and also allowed the U.S. to be less dependent on foreign countries for natural gas. It is estimated that fracking will provide gas security for U.S. and Canada for around 100 years. It will also make a significant contribution to the United Kingdom’s energy needs in the future, but at what
In the fracking process it is important to create a reliable buffer between the water table, earth and the wells, however using cement or steel has proven to be difficult. Over time the cement can shrink, crack and erode releasing gas into the water tables or air. The steel casings erode from exposure of the different acids being used and can cause leaky connection sites. In 2009 Cabot Oil and Gas drilled 68 new wells in Dimock, PA that the PA DEP determined caused the groundwater contamination which resulted in the sickening of dozens of people and animals. Cabot oil and Gas was cited seven times for not reporting defective, insufficient or improperly cemented casings. When the casings are not sufficient they can crack or even collapse letting the gas release into the groundwater. Currently the EPA relies on self-reporting from the fracking companies when it comes to collecting data. Dr. Anthony Ingraffea, distinguished professor of engineering from Cornell University, has said 6.2% of all well casings fail initially, 60% fail after 20 years and all casings fail over time. In PA there are over 150,000 abandoned wells that are decades or even a century old. A recent investigation into a methane geyser in Union Township, PA suggest that a 70 year old well with deteriorating concrete and pipes may have been the methane pathways causing the problem. If fracking companies were held to higher regulations and were required to maintain all