NATURAL GAS DRILLING

Sophie Mintz, Juliet Damasco, Ali Siegele

Discussion

What do you know about fracking and natural gas?

Are you concerned with the drilling that is happening at the Marcellus Shale?

Are you for natural gas drilling or against it?

How do you think drilling is affecting the environment?

What is natural gas?Natural gas is mostly methane, naturally

occurring in deep deposits (shales) in the earth

Cleaner and less expensive than oil seen as a good alternative

Extracted from the earth through fracking: injecting mass amounts of chemicals into the earth to break rock and release the gases

How Hydraulic Fracturing worksAfter the drilling process

and steel casing and cement are put along the drill path to protect aquifers, a rig will inject fracturing fluid at extremely high pressures through the drill site.

The fluid creates fractures that bring gas into the enclosed drill path

Drill construction breakdownhttp

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrouwraUWAE&feature=player_embedded

The Marcellus Shale

The Marcellus Shale is one of the largest deposits of natural gas, holding an estimated 500 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Fracturing FluidFracturing fluid is one of

the biggest concerns to people living near natural gas drilling sites

The fracturing fluid is made up of 90% water, 9.5% sand, and .5% chemicals.

The sand acts as a “prop” for the fractures the fluid creates, keeping them open to allow the flow of natural gas.

When water supplies are polluted from fracking, this can happen.

ProProduces less greenhouse gasesDoes not significantly contribute to smog

formationEmits almost no sulfur dioxide less acid rainCan be used for transportation cuts down on air

pollutionBecoming an important source of electricity

Pro, continued

The drill sites don’t leave a huge impact when they are no longer in use. The drills are removed and the large site is cut down to a small fenced-in area that has some pipes left over.

Gives many people jobsPotential energy independence Burns cleaner than other fossil fuelsBuys time to develop renewable energy

ConNatural gas is just another type of fossil fuelEnding our reliance on foreign oil by using our own fossil

fuels doesn’t benefit the environmentNatural gas is no longer cheapLarge-scale fracking outweighs any environmental benefits

to using natural gas instead of oilFracking contaminates ground water

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01 

Cons, continued

Water pollution Leaks more emissions than coalHydraulic fracking has been linked to

earthquakes Companies don't have to disclose chemicals

used in fracturing fluid. The 2005 Bush/Cheney Energy Bill exempts natural gas from the Safe Drinking Water Act. This took the EPA off the job.

Requires large amounts of water

Political Parties’ Views on Fracking

Green Democrat Republican Libertarian

Most PermissiveMost Restrictive

Green PartyWants to abolish Fracking

Prohibit all Gas Drilling on public lands

Potential for environmental damage and contamination of water supplies are primary concerns

Continued reliance on fossil fuels delays shift to renewable energy supplies

Democrats

Support Fracking but want to levy higher taxes on the drilling

industryWant more centralized (federal/EPA level)

control

Require tougher environmental regulationsMore limitations on where fracking can be

doneTighter restrictions on waste-water handling

and testing

Republicans

Support FrackingPermit more widespread use of FrackingExpand drilling on public lands

Fewer and more relaxed environmental regulationsWant less interference for businessWant to push more authority to local

governments to control the practice

LibertarianSupport Fracking

Improves energy independenceCreates jobs and economic activity

Have the most permissive views on Fracking

Very limited regulation and taxes on the drilling industry

Dangers of hydraulic fracturing

Video review: Issues with hydraulic fracturing

Groundwater can become contaminated, and low levels of radioactivity have been reported from some areas.

Not all the fracturing fluid is removed when drilling is finished. The fluid will remain underground and never biodegrade.

The fluid contains chemicals that are potentially cancer-causing

Speaking upGasland: a documentary focusing on how

people’s lives have been affected by natural gas drilling across the US.

Post-presentation discussion

Have you changed your opinion on drilling after learning more about it?

What actions should be taken to make the process safer for those living around drill sites?