TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 - EARTH WEEK - FRACKING

 TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 - EARTH WEEK

First, a comment from RP - “2020 was a great year for the environment. Smog was lifted all over the world. Waterways were clear. Animals went into cities as they were void of people. We should learn from this.”  Yup - when people work from home, there is less pollution, less smog.  (Unfortunately, I hope we can have a great year for the environment without having a global pandemic!!)

FRACKING

I’ve been looking at the Yale Climate Connections about Fracking: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2015/05/pros-and-cons-of-frackng-5-key-issues/

What is fracking?

‘Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand, and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.

The process can be carried out vertically or, more commonly, by drilling horizontally to the rock layer, which can create new pathways to release gas or used to extend existing channels.

The term fracking refers to how the rock is fractured apart by the high-pressure mixture.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-14432401

Basically, it is forcing natural gas into a reservoir by the pressure of a mixture pumped into the rock (frequently shale rock).  

While maybe not the best analogy, think of a lumpy flour mixture in a Tupperware container.  You add some liquid, replace the lid, and shake vigorously to mix the ingredients.  So, in this case, you add a mixture under pressure, and (generally) the natural gas gets pushed into a spot where it can be extracted.  

YALE says:

“Where energy needs and short-term economic growth are set against our children’s health and future. Where the consequences of bad, short-sighted decisions may be borne primarily by a small subset of under-served and undeserving persons.”

I’m going to rely on this academic expertise to help today.

“AIR QUALITY, HEALTH, AND THE ENERGY MENU

The new supply of natural gas reachable by fracking is now changing the overall picture for U.S. electricity generation, with consequences for air quality.

On one side - natural gas fracking reduces the demand for coal - and coal-burning does affect air quality.  On the other side - natural gas also affects air quality - not to the same extent - and is also a non-renewable source of energy.  “ Coal made up about 50 percent of U.S. electricity generation in 2008, 37 percent by 2012; meanwhile, natural gas went from about 20 percent to about 30 percent during that same period. In particular, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions have been reduced dramatically.“

GREENHOUSE GAS LEAKS, METHANE, AND FUGITIVE EMISSIONS

The extraction process results in some greenhouse gas emissions leakage.

“We know that, at the power plant level, natural gas produces only somewhere between 44 and 50 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions compared with the burning of coal.” and from the other side “at other points in the life cycle, namely transmission and distribution, there are further ample leaks. Falling natural gas prices will only encourage more energy use, negating any “cleaner” benefits of gas. Finally, there is no question that the embrace of cheap natural gas will undercut incentives to invest in solar, wind, and other renewables.”  

DRINKING WATER WARS

Fracking may threaten human health by contaminating drinking water supplies.

The proponents say, “It is highly unlikely that well-run drilling operations, which involve extracting oil and gas from thousands of feet down in the ground, are creating cracks that allow chemicals to reach relatively shallow aquifers and surface water supplies”  (my skeptic mind says “okay for well-run drilling operations - but what about the not-so-well-run operations?”)

Opponents counter with, “there have been numerous reports by citizens across the country of fouled tap water; it is a fact that some of the tap water has even turned bubbly and flammable, as a result of increased methane. Well blowouts have happened, and they are a complete hazard to the environment.  we know that there are many who cut corners out in the field, no matter the federal or state regulations we try to impose.”  (my comment - so I turn on my faucet and I can have ‘bubby and flammable” water!!  Hmmm .. I better use bottled water for my coffee this week!!!”)

INFRASTRUCTURE, RESOURCES, AND COMMUNITIES

Fracking operations are sometimes taking place near and around populated areas, with consequences for the local built and natural environments.

The pros said, “it doesn’t last forever.  The crews will move out in a few years” the cons say, “Yeah, yeah - just like strip-mining - the coal mine owners will ‘reclaim’ the land when they are done with it - but nobody seems to ‘hold their feet to the fire’ - and they move away, reorganize, and disappear without reclaiming the infrastructure and aesthetics”.

EARTHQUAKES: SEISMIC WORRIES

Fracking wells, drilled thousands of feet down, may change geology in a potentially negative way, leading to earthquakes.

The proponents say, “Earthquakes are a naturally occurring phenomenon, and even in the few instances where fracking operations likely contributed to them, they were minor.”   

The opponents say, “ We are only just beginning to understand what we are doing to our local geologies, and this is dangerous.”

So, definitely a highly discussed and highly volatile issue.  I like cheap energy prices, and I like fracking and other processes in somebody else’s backyard (like northwest North Dakota).

What kind of a world will my grandchildren have?  I don’t know but I would like to think I/we left the environment a little better than when we came into the world.

So, what will happen?  I do know that, unfortunately, money talks - and when the right palms are ‘greased’ permits and fracking will continue - with or without proper study.

BUT - I also know that LOVE WINS!!! 

HUGS!!

Karen