The term fracking has been talked about a lot in the past decade and there has been a lot to say and show for it. Over the past few days the government announced a halt to fracking due to the occurrence of earthquakes and tremors.
What is fracking?
Fracking is known as hydraulic fracturing which is essentially applying pressure to the source rock by using water, gas and other chemicals. This works by digging underneath the ground so that water and sand can travel to the impermeable rock (oil/gas cannot escape from this rock) where the shale gas is present. This is through a vertical or angled pipe which would be 1 mile beneath the Earth. The water, gas and sand are injected at very high pressures which creates cracks and in turn allowing the shale gas to push upwards. So, where the shale gas was, has now been substituted by water and sand. The shale gas is pushed upwards and collected. As well, the water and sand are collected and taken away so that no living organisms will be affected in the area. I have added a diagram for you to get the gist of it!
So what is the problem with it?
The main trigger of this process is to create fissures by blasting water and sand within the rocks which in turn can create tremors around the area. Water is the main function of this process as 97% of water is used and the rest are sand/chemicals. After the fracturing process, we are left with contaminated water which is said to be stored in a safe container where it is transported away from the site. However, spillages can occur from the top of the extraction and leakages can seep through from the blasting. This was a major issue in Texas where methane was found in their drinking water from hydraulic fracturing. As well as contaminated water, noise can be a big issue as this extraction involves blasting and digging which will affect the habitats as well as the public living around the area. The main concern is how this affects the human health where there has been several cases in America.
Fracking is still a very old technique which has been used for decades. The idea of it being the next big thing in the fossil fuel industry still has a long way to go. I do agree that we need to be more sustainable with our energy however, the way we extract it has to be sustainable as well. Economically, this would be a massive boost for the UK and knowing that there is a lot of shale gas underneath the UK would bring another incentive. However, the money shouldn’t hide the environmental aspects as well as human health! All in all, we still do have a long way to until we crack the code for hydraulic fracturing whether that means more research to better our understanding or using different materials/equipment to aid or improve the extraction technique.
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