Fracking Case

Oil is a finite resource but it also one of the most sought after commodity in the world today. It is almost as valuable as water because without it, industries are unable to function, products cannot be bought or sold, people are not able to travel and so on and so forth. This nation must find a way to reduce its dependency on foreign oil. One way to do it is develop alternative sources of energy. Aside from crude oil, energy needs can be met using natural gas. However, conventional drilling techniques have certain limitations when it comes to the extraction of natural gas trapped in rocks that are located hundreds of meters below ground. Thus, a new technology has been developed called hydraulic fracturing. This drilling technique promises to increase yield and efficiency but critics are saying that it can also damage the environment. It is therefore important to find ways to improve the use of hydraulic fracturing to reduce impact to the environment.

Hydraulic Fracturing is also known as hydrofracking. It is a drilling method that uses “high volumes of water, sand and chemicals to release natural gas from dense rock” (Navarro, 2011, p.1). This is a drilling method developed by the petroleum industry in order to access petroleum products from places that are blocked by less porous rocks and therefore prevents the flow of the target resource towards the surface. Natural gas buried deep beneath the earth’s crust and inaccessible by conventional means of drilling can now be accessed by hydrofracking (Marion, 2011). This technology can multiply the availability of natural gas in the United States.

In a time when prices of petroleum products have reached unprecedented levels it is welcome news that alternative sources of energy can be accessed within the United States. Furthermore, there is added good news because the inevitable outcome of fossil fuel harvesting is financial gain for the state and for its people. It can help resuscitate a weak economy and can boost the earning potential of the local residents. However, the technology has serious drawbacks. It is imperative to find ways to mitigate the environmental impact in order to make hydrofracking a viable technology that could efficiently extract natural gas from deep within the earth.

Environmental Problems Encountered

In the southern part of New York, in an area known as the Marcellus Shale there is huge potential to extract natural gas using hydrofracking. However, the plan to drill has prompted a wave of criticism coming from environmentalists, local activists and lawmakers who are seriously concerned about the environmental impact of hydrofracking. The requirement for huge volumes of freshwater that needed to be pumped into the target area automatically raises a red flag when it comes to water conservation. Consider for instance the fact that “a single hydrofracked well requires