Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

Zachary Phelps
Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
4/15/2015
Alternative Energy and Hydraulic Fracturing: Is it Worth the Risk?
Americas dependence on foreign oil has led us to search for other reliable means of
alternative energy. Many forms of alternative energy have sprung up but the most popular and
fastest growing one is natural gas, which is mainly extracted by a process known as hydraulic
fracturing. Many government officials and energy corporations believe that natural gas and
hydraulic fracturing are the future of Americas energy production because it is readily available,
has fewer carbon emissions, and burns cleaner than coal. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is an
extraction process that involves pumping water, chemicals, and sand deep into hard-to-reach rock
formations at high pressure to create cracks and release natural gas, allowing it to flow freely to
the production well (Congressional Digest 71). These rock formations are known as shale rock
formations and these are the key to unlocking the natural gas contained within them. It is
estimated that the United States has one of largest natural gas reserves in the world, so it seems
logical to tap into these resources and use them for energy production. However, our search for
alternative energy has led us to ruthlessly destroy and pollute our environment with no end in
sight, and hydraulic fracturing is just as guilty of this as any other means of harvesting energy.
The process of creating a fracking well to extract natural gas is not an easy one. Large plots
of land must be cleared of trees and any other major obstacles in order for the large drill to be
constructed. Once the well is constructed, hundreds of trucks haul water and chemicals used in

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

the fracking process. According to the Congressional Digest, a single gas production well may
be fractured multiple times, using from 500,000 gallons to more than 6 million gallons of water.
More often than not, these chemicals escape into aquifers and contaminated drinking water. Once
the chemical mixture has been made and the well has been constructed, the drilling process can
begin. After the well has been drilled, a cement casing is placed around the walls of the well to
prevent chemicals from escaping into the ground. A chemical mixture is then shot into the
ground at high pressure to break the shale rock formations apart. The major components of this
mixture that is shot into the ground are water, sand, and a small percentage of highly toxic
chemicals such as benzene. The sand in the mixture holds the cracks open and allows the natural
gas to escape. The natural gas then flows back up the well and is collected for use and energy
production. The process of hydraulic fracturing has become more efficient and safer over the
years but there is almost always some sort of error that occurs unintentionally or because there
are shortcuts being taken. Hydraulic fracturing causes serious problems to the environment and
needs to be regulated or stopped before this damage is irreversible.
Natural gas is a flammable gas that consists mainly of methane and is burned to provide
energy. Natural gas production has increased dramatically in the United States in the past decade
and it is mainly because of the boom of hydraulic fracturing. Based off of information from the
Canadian Mining Journal, natural gas is the cleanest-burning hydrocarbon, making it an ideal
partner to intermittent renewable options. In a world where carbon emissions and clean energy
are a concern because of air and ground pollution this is very important. Natural gas can be used
in a much cleaner manner than that of gasoline or coal. Natural gas is a very versatile form of
energy, it can be used to heat our homes, cook our food, and generate electricity. Natural gas is

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

definitely a great form of alternative energy; however, we must find a clean and safer way to
extract it.
Fracking causes serious environmental problems and is not worth the risk it poses to
innocent people. The chemical mixture used in the process is highly toxic and radioactive, and if
anyone were to come into contact with the toxins serious health defects may occur. Already,
spills from trucks hauling wastewater, leaks from lined fluid holding pits, and cracked well
casings have contaminated private water wells (American River Association 1). Groundwater
contamination is the most crucial problem created by hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing
requires that a drill be dug straight through aquifers in order to access the natural gas. All kinds
of chemicals that are harmful to the environment and humans are leaking into aquifers. When
these chemicals find their way into drinking water and other water sources it is almost
impossible to remove them. There was a recent incident in California where it was discovered
that the Central Valley Water Board found high levels of toxic chemicals including arsenic,
thallium, and nitrates in water-supply wells (California Aquifers 1). These chemicals are
commonly found in groundwater and rivers around fracking sites. This is a problem because
arsenic is a cancer causing agent and thallium is a major component in rat poison. It is not worth
it to contaminate our sources of fresh water so that energy corporations can make a profit. The
more energy corporations drill, the more drinking water becomes irreparably harmed.
There is no warning or method of knowing when chemicals and natural gas escape into
drinking water wells. People living in the area surrounding fracking wells are often the ones who
have to suffer the consequences. In many states where fracking is permitted, residents are able
to light their tap water on fire because of the dangerous levels of methane inside the water (Bad
Water 1). Methane is the main compound that natural gas is made of and fracking is the only

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

reasonable explanation for methane being in the water. Other toxic chemicals such as arsenic
and benzene, cancer causing elements, have commonly been found in this water (Bad Water 1).
If people were to unknowingly ingest water contaminated by fracking then the damage to their
health would be severe. These victims could get cancer, suffer from adverse health defects,
become extremely sick, or even die. Wastewater from fracking is being disposed of at treatment
plants that do not effectively remove contaminants before discharging the water in rivers and
waterways (Gilbert 3). This means that water contaminated with these toxins is being released
back into the environment for us to use and drink. Even fish we eat can become carriers of these
contaminants, passing their toxins onto us in a process known as biological magnification.
Biological magnification is when animals consume toxins and pesticides from nature and as they
are eaten these toxins are carried up the food chain. The environment and human beings are both
directly and negatively affected by the fracking process. These lethal chemicals should never be
exposed to civilians or the environment in which we depend on.
The question of whether or not hydraulic fracturing contaminates groundwater has been
disputed and tested numerous times, and the results are often shocking. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) stated in one well that was drilled they measured 246 micrograms of
benzene per liter, far above the maximum permitted level of five micrograms per liter (Soloman
3). In another study done by Duke University, researchers found elevated methane levels in 13
or 26 wells tested in northeastern Pennsylvania, to the point where the water could catch fire
(Mann 1). Nearly everywhere that hydraulic fracturing occurs, a trail of contamination and
pollution follows. Methane and chemicals from the drilling process can be found in water wells
near drilling sites all over the map, causing the remarkable phenomenon of water so
contaminated that it actually catches fire at the kitchen tap (Fox 8). The more energy companies

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

drill, the more drinking water becomes irreparably harmed, and there is no easy way to clean an
aquifer once it has been contaminated.
Hydraulic fracturing can also cause the disturbing effect of unnatural seismic activity in
areas that previously had little to no record of any seismic activity at all. The Fort Worth Basin
area of Texas does not sit anywhere near tectonic plate boundaries, meaning that it should not
experience any major seismic activity. However, it is being argued that because of this areas
popularity for fracking activity that the large influx of seismic activity in the mid-continent,
including the Fort Worth Basin, is due to fluid-injection activities used in modern energy
production. (Bruno, Tamara, Morgan, and Lloyd 1). The wells that are drilled to extract the
natural gas displace millions of tons of earth and soil that has otherwise not been touched for
thousands of years. When people inject water, for example, or extract geothermal energy
latent earthquakes can be triggered (Duenwald 1). When this occurs the ground surrounding the
drilled area becomes unstable and can collapse, causing tremors and shifts in the ground. The
hydraulic fracturing chemical mixture is also a problem, when great volumes of water reach
crystalline basement rock that lies close to a fault induce earthquakes that otherwise might not
have happened for hundreds of years (Duenwald 1). Putting innocent peoples livelihood and
welfare on the line because of earthquakes to harvest energy for profit is not worth the risk.
These earthquakes can cause unintended damage to buildings and the environment, and when
people live in areas where there is no need for any kind of insurance to protect them, they are left
with no answers and with no help. Earthquakes cause serious damage and billions of dollars in
damage every year and we should not be adding to this because of hydraulic fracturing.
Every day that hydraulic fracturing occurs without regulation our environment continues
to be poisoned. We have seen the effects that harvesting oil and other forms of energy have on

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

the environment from deforestation to oil spills. Despite all the evidence, these energy
corporations deny that anything negative actually happens to the environment. ExxonMobil, one
of the top producers of natural gas, claims that Safety of people, communities and the
environment is the top priority for all responsible companies and authorities working to develop
unconventional gas resources and they make it a major selling point that they have 60+ years
of fracking experience. Chevron, another major energy corporation operating in the fracking
industry, claims that keeping people safe and protecting the environment are core values.
Wherever we operate, we work closely with local governments, respect our neighbors and invest
in the community. After thoroughly examining the websites and claims that these energy
corporations have made I realized that there was one major flaw in their defense of fracking; they
all claim to be fracking in a clean manner, but none of them provide examples of how this is
happening. Rather than provide the community with examples of how their process is safer
compared to others the energy corporations they feed the public lies, and what they want to hear.
And a majority of the public believes every word of it until fracking comes to their town or they
do further investigation. The truth and facts about hydraulic fracturing must be honestly told to
the public.
There are many other new alternatives to producing energy that have sprung up within
the past few decades that could be more promising and safer for our environment than hydraulic
fracturing. Some of the most promising forms of alternative energy are solar power and fission.
The sun sends energy to our planet at very high volumes, in fact every hour the sun beams onto
Earth more than enough energy to satisfy global energy needs for an entire year (Solar Power
1). Solar power is quite simple, power cells are manufactured to capture sunlight and convert the
energy from the sunlight into usable energy. This form of alternative energy is currently being

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

utilized mostly in areas with hot climates and in areas that receive lots of sunlight year round.
National Geographic states that solar power technology produces less than one tenth of one
percent of global energy demand. This means that we are already utilizing it greatly as a
resource. What makes solar power so great is the fact that it produces no waste or pollution
whatsoever. The only drawback is that the technology is so new that it isnt very efficient for
powering large areas and that it is extremely expensive to create solar power panels.
Fusion has only recently started being developed with the past few years. The
process of fusion can only be done with the process of fission, also known as nuclear power.
Fission has been used for decades to power our communities and it is extremely reliable. Fission
uses the power of uranium to split atoms apart and then harnesses that energy from their
separation, and this is where fusion comes in. Scientists have discovered that if you expose these
atoms to very high temperatures and pressure then they will bond back together, which also
creates energy. In a fusion reaction, energy is released when two light atomic nuclei are fused
together to form one heavier atom (Fusion Energy 1). In essence, if you can combine and split
these atoms to create energy whenever you would like then there would be an endless supply of
energy. The only problem with fusion is that it requires uranium, which is rare, expensive, and a
dwindling resource. Also, the science behind it is relatively new so it may be years before we can
actually take advantage of this. These ways of producing alternative energy are extremely
promising and require time to become perfected.
At the end of the day, we need to be doing more to protect our environment. As a
civilization we need to step up, speak out, and take action to go the extra mile to preserve our
environment. We only get one Earth and one chance, once we screw up there is no way to turn
back. And we will not know it is too late until we have passed that point. People in the United

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

States and around the world need to let their leaders know that we will not stand to have our
planet, our home, ruthlessly destroyed for the profit of others. The first step is stopping hydraulic
fracturing from continuing its destructive path through our environment and then moving onto
other things that are doing the same thing. This is not something that one person can do alone, so
we all must band together to show that we really do care about our planet and our future.

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

Works Cited
American River Association. "Natural Gas Development Putting Clean Water at Risk for
Millions of People." Susquehanna 2011. American Rivers, 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.
Bad Water Found at Fracking Site; EPA Suggests Gas Drilling Method May Be Responsible.
Washington Times [Washington, DC] 9 Dec. 2011: A01. Opposing Viewpoints In
Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.
Bruno, Tamara, Vincent Morgan, James Lloyd, and Adam Weaver. "USGSs Increase of Texass
Earthquake Risk Level: Commercial Real Estate and Insurance Implications | JD Supra."
JD Supra. N.p., 25 Mar. 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.
"California Aquifers Contaminated with Billions of Gallons of Fracking Wastewater." RT USA.
RT USA, 9 Oct. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.
Canadian Mining Journal. "Hydraulic Fracturing: An in Depth Look at How It's Done."
Hydraulic Fracturing: An in Depth Look at How It's Done 134 (2013): 40-41. Elsevier
B.V. Web. 2 Mar. 2015.
Congressional Digest. "Hydraulic Fracturing Overview: Growth of the Process and Safe
Drinking Water Concerns." Fracking and Drinking Water Safety 91.3 (2012): 71+.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

Congressional Digest. "Natural Gas Facts and Figures: Supply, Demand and Price Projections."
Hydraulic Fracturing Overview: Growth of the Process and Safe Drinking Water
Concerns 91.3 (2012): 76+. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.
Duenwald, Mary. "Why Fracking Worsens Earthquakes in the Heartland."The Daily Journal.
N.p., 2 Feb. 2015. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.
Fox, Josh. "Josh Fox's View: Ban Fracking Now - USATODAY.com." USATODAY.COM.
USA Today, 6 June 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.
"Fusion Energy." How Fusion Works. Calham Center for Fusion Energy, n.d. Web. 24 Apr.
2015.
Gilbert, Daniel. Ohio Shuts Down Wells Following Quakes. Wall Street Journal. 03 Jan 2012:
A.3. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 09 Mar. 2015
"Learn about Hydraulic Fracturing." ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Chevron. "Addressing the Issues." Addressing the Issues. Chevron, Dec. 2014. Web. 01
Apr. 2015.
Mann, Arnold J. EPAs Failure to Investigate Ground Water Contamination Is McClatchy
Tribune News Service. 16 Jul. 2011: N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.
Nicholson, Barclay, and Blanson, Kadian. "Tracking Fracking Case Law: Hydraulic Fracturing
Litigation." Natural Resources & Environment 26.2, Oil & Gas: POST-DEEPWATER
HORIZON (2011): 25-29. JSTOR. Web. 02 Mar. 2015.
"Solar Power Energy Information, Solar Power Energy Facts - National Geographic." National
Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.

Zachary Phelps

Malcolm Campbell

800873665

Soloman, Deborah. EPA Ties Fracking, Pollution. Wall Street Journal. 05 May. 2010. Web. 28
Mar. 2015.