Brooke Auten

Instructor: Malcolm Campbell

English 1103
10 April, 2016

Shale the Drilling Stop?: Threats that Fracking Has on the Environment

Centuries ago, sunlight was the source of human energy. Sunlight provided humans with
food, heat, light, and even clothing. The amount of sunlight that fell upon the earth was the
maximum amount of energy humans had to survive off of. As time passed, the earths population
kept increasing and the light that was provided was no longer enough to support all of earths
inhabitants. Eventually, pockets of energy stored in resources like coal and oil were discovered.
This discovery has created the world today; a world dependent on nonrenewable resources.
Human life is subsidized by oil, however, the population is continuing to grow and the supply of
oil will eventually run out. (The 11th Hour).
Due to the fact oil is a nonrenewable resource, is in such high demand and practically
crucial in todays society, a new procedure has risen that is referred to as hydraulic fracturing.
Hydraulic fracturing, also commonly referred to as fracking, is a process that includes drilling
down into the earth, breaking rock beds by using high pressure water mixtures, and extracting oil
from shale. Drilling companies have claimed that fracking will allow the recovery of trillions of
cubic feet of shale gas. The results of fracking has also created lower gas prices, a boost in oil
production, and has allowed oil to become more abundant, therefore giving us plenty of more
time before the resource runs out and is no longer existent. (Shukman). The oil and natural gas
industries have positive impacts to the economy because when the energy industry flourishes, so

does the country's economy. This industry undoubtedly creates jobs for many Americans. In fact,
the oil and gas industry supported 8.4 million full and part-time jobs. This increase in jobs led to
an increase labour income, which rose to be $597.6 billion, and added $1.2 trillion in economic
value. (Energy Tomorrow). The oil and gas boom has also bettered the United States national
security position. The United States has been able to reduce its dependence on unstable parts of
the world, like the Middle East. According to Richard D. Blackwell, The energy boom will add
fuel to the country's economic revitalization, and the reduction of its dependence on energy..The
boom in U.S oil and gas production..should enhance U.S global leadership in the years to
come, says Blackman.
What Harm Does Fracking Cause?
Climate change is a popular topic to discuss in controversial conversations, especially
today. Many scientists, environmentalists, and even engineers, have conducted studies that show
climate change to be a real thing that is happening to our world. Climate change will deeply affect
the environment, humans, and the way we live. There are however some people who still argue
against the proof of scientists claiming that climate change is a made up thing. With all of the data
collected from studies that show climate change to be happening, it is more rare for people to
argue saying climate change is not happening, or affecting life around us. Climate pollution has
created a one degree celsius increase in global temperatures since 2011. That may not seem like
much, but it does not take much at all to throw off the balance of the earth and the environment.
The International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) has clearly warned that an increase of of 1.5
degrees celsius in global temperatures will be dangerous and damaging. Recent shifts in climate
change have had worldwide impacts to the natural system. Impacts such as droughts, floods,
warming oceans, violent storms, and melting of ice caps results from climate change. Even

though the process of hydraulic fracturing is thought to be safer than traditional extraction of oil,
fracking is still just as harmful to the environment as coal and oil (remove is).. This is because
natural gas is mostly made up of methane; a gas, like carbon dioxide, that contributes to the
greenhouse effect. Methane, due to fracking, is leaking from places like well sites, processing
plants, compressor stations, and is even leaking beneath city streets. (Food and Water Watch).
Fracking causes a multitude of threats to our environment. In todays time, we need to cut
out as many harmful and damaging factors as we can in order to protect and regress the
environment against climate change. The U.S Geological Survey released a report confirming
that fracking, does infact, lead to earthquakes. Oklahoma has experienced 585 earthquakes in
2014- that is more earthquakes than the last thirty five years combined. The report goes on to
explain that the increase in earthquakes are triggered by the injection of wastewater deep into
disposal wells. During this process, methane and toxic chemicals leak into the groundwater that
is used by nearby citizens as drinking water. Over one thousand cases have been reported of
contaminated drinking water in local areas near fracking sites. Other cases of respiratory,
sensory, and neurological damage from drinking contaminated drinking water have been reported
as well. (Alternet). The fact that there are multiple cases that involve water contamination due to
fracking, and health risks due to this contamination, makes me disgusted that our government
does not put hydraulic fracturing to a stop. Not only is it contributing to climate change, which is
going to be something my generation and generations below me will have to deal with, it is also
putting humans at risk. Most hydraulic fracturing well sites are located in the most driest states in
America where water supply is scarce, like in Texas, Nevada, California, and other states located
in the western part of America. Fifty five percent of the locations where fracking takes place, in
2011, where areas considered to be in a drought. The problem with this is that fracking uses and

wastes an insane amount of fresh water in order to extract shale gas; up to 600,000 gallons are
used in the fracking process. To complete the fracking process, millions of gallons of fresh water
is used just to frack a single well. (The Gaurdian). On average, 9.6 million gallons of water is
used per well, thus creating an effect on the farming and drinking sources in areas near these
sites. Once all of the water is used, it goes to be stored underground, causing the millions of
gallons of water to be removed from the water cycle. Fresh water is already a resource that is non
renewable, therefore, it should not be wasted at such large amounts by which it is. Studies from
the U.S Geological Survey show that fracking will increase the demand for groundwater by
thirty percent. (ScientificAmerican).

Works Cited

Shukman, David. What is Fracking and Why is it Controversial? BBC News. BBC News. 16
December, 2015. Web. 10 April 2016.

Blackman, David. Oil &amp: Gas Boom 2014: Jobs, Economic Growth and Security. Forbes. Forbes
Magazine. 20 February 2014. Web. 7 April 2016.

MacMillan, Hugh. With 5 More Years of Business-As-Usual, Fracking will Bust the Carbon Budget.
Food and Water Watch. Food and Water Watch. 08 December 2015. Web. 10 April 2016.

Loki, Reynald. 8 Dangerous Side Effects That the Industry Doesnt Want You to Hear About.
Alternet. Alternet. 28 April 2015. Web. 10 April 2016.

The 11th Hour. Dir. Leila Conners and Nadia Conners. By Leonardo DiCaprio. Prod. Chuck
Castleberry, Brian Gerber, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio, Stephen Hawking, and
James Woosey. Warner Bros., 2007. WarnerBros. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.

Jobs, Growth, and Security. Energy Tomorrow. American Petroleum Institution. July 2013. Web. 10
April 2016.

Goldenberg, Suzanne. Fracking is Depleting Water Supplies in Americas Driest Areas, Report
Shows. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. 05 February 2014. Web. 11 April 2016.

Magill, Bobby. Water Use Rises as Fracking Expands). ScientificAmerican. Springer Nature. 1 July
2105. Web. 11 April 2016.

Centner, Terence J., and Nicholas S. Eberhart. The Use of Best Management Practices to Respond to
Externalities From Developing Shale Gas Resources. Journal of Environmental Planning and
Management.(2015) p.746-68. Web. 13 March, 2016.