Fracking An Effective Energy Resource - 1144 Words

Introduction Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is the process of drilling wells thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface to extract natural gas deposits that are trapped in shale layers. Large amounts of a solution containing water, sand, and chemicals are shot down the well to fracture the shale layers, thus releasing the desired product. Natural gas is seen as a potential solution to the energy dilemma that faces the world today. However, the process of fracking and the advantages and disadvantages it poses to the environment are heavily debated. In order to gather a real idea of viability of fracking, all issues must be taken in to account and the subject must be looked at from multiple perspectives. Review Analysis Fracking presents many benefits to the energy industry. The first benefit is that fracking provides an effective energy resource that is accessible today. The use of natural gas from fracking has displaced the use of coal as an energy source. Coal was the source of approximately 50% of the electricity production in the United States in 2008. By 2012, it was down to 37% (Wihbey, 2015). During that time, natural gas production rose, and the amount that came from fracking increased dramatically. In 2000, fracking provided 1% of the nation’s natural gas. By 2012, fracking produced over 30% of the natural gas for the United States, with that number expected to rise to about 50% by 2035 (McGlynn, 2011). With the development of hydraulic fracturingShow MoreRelatedFracking, The Splitting Decision : An Analysis1726 Words   |  7 PagesFracking, The Splitting Decision: An Analysis of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Fracking Abstract Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of drilling into the Earth and subsequently directly a high-pressure water, sand, and chemical mixture at shale rock to release the gas inside, out through the head of the well. Fracking allows firms to access previously inaccessible resources of oil and gas buried underneath the earth and hidden in the rocks. In the U.S., fracking has boostedRead MoreFracking And Its Wastewater Disposal1489 Words   |  6 PagesDat Ninh T. Drosselmeyer Engl 1113 – 088 14 November 2016 1393 words Fracking and its wastewater disposal are threatening human’s life In recent years, there has been an increasing concern about whether or not should factories keep using Fracking as their main method to extract oil and gas from the underground. 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As of 2013, coal provided approximately 40% of the world’s electricity needs and provides 29% of the total world energy supply with oil being the largest at 31%. Coal-fired power plants are resp onsible for over 83% of the CO2 pollution since 1990, and have the highest ratio of CO2 output per unit of electricity out of all the fossil fuels. These emissions cause effects worldwide;