A: List the major ideas, concepts or key points- point by point
Anthony Ingraffea, Scientists in the March meeting hosted by the EPA to help determine whether fracking is guilty as charged. Fracking is infusing toxic chemicals and gas intro drinking-water supplies. Basic technique of hydraulic fracturing has been used in conventional-style wells since 1940s.Scientists and regulators are trying to answer the complex question. Department of Environmental Conservation unveiled a plan to give drilling companies access to 85% of state's portion of the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations.The idea that water blasts deep underground can directly contaminate drinking water, by creating unexpected pathways for gas or liquid to travel between deep hale and shallow groundwater. Faulty cementing is the leading suspect in possible sources of contamination. Any well has to pass through near-surface layers that contain groundwater. When methane is released from rock, enough initial pressure exists to drive water and chemicals back up the hole.
C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using specific citations from the article to support your view
I think that fracking is horrible, and that we should find a way to stop it. It takes two to four million gallons of water for a single lateral and 15,000 to 60,000 gallons of chemicals. Transporting liquids involves fleet of tanker trucks and large storage containers. 75% percent of what is blasted down comes back up. With the contamination of drinking water due to fracking, it can harm human health, animal health and could also kill the humans and animals. I think it should be illegal to pay a person money to frack on their property. The irony is, although it is very possible that gas companies have been guilty of carelessness in how they drill wells and dispose of waste, fracking technology itself may be exonerated. I think people all over the world should be educated on this topic and try to find a way to stop fracking in general.
So what?:
Says who?:
What if?... We don't stop it:
What does this remind me of?: The movie we watched in class called Gasland. In that movie a guy name Josh learns what fracking is and what badd effects it does to our planet and the people on it.
- Fracking is infusing toxic chemicals and gas intro drinking-water supplies
- Basic technique of hydraulic fracturing has been used in conventional-style wells since 1940s.
- When vertical well shaft hits layer of shale, chemically treated water and sand are blasted down at high pressure to crack open rock and liberate natural gas.
- Technique been combined with a newer technology called directional or horizontal, drilling- the ability to turn a downward-plodding drill bit as much as 90 degrees and continue drilling within the layer, parallel to the ground surface.
- Result is a veritable Gas Rush.
- U.S estimated 827 trillion cubic feet of unconventional shale gas within reach
- Unlike fracking of vertical wells, horizontal fracking needs enormous volumes of water and chemicals
- Ponds and tanks are needed to store the flowback water that comes up the hole after wells have been fractured
- Fracking is not that powerful. It is not enough to blow open new fissures.
- Companies may drill a dozen or more vertical wells to maximize access to gas.
- Scientists and regulators are trying to answer the complex question.
- Department of Environmental Conservation unveiled a plan to give drilling companies access to 85% of state's portion of the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations.
- Fracking would not be allowed in NYC or Syracuse watersheds, because water supplies and unfiltered between those water supplies.
- It takes two to four million gallons of water for a single lateral and 15,000 to 60,000 gallons of chemicals.
- Transporting liquids involves fleet of tanker trucks and large storage containers
- 75% percent of what is blasted down comes back up.
- Chemicals are used to help fracking flow
- Toxic water must be stored on-site and later transported to treatment plants or is reused
- Companies use open-air pits dug into the ground.
- All these processes can cause accidents.
- DoEP fined Chesapeake almost $1 million for contaminating 16 families' water wells with methane as a result of improper drilling practices.
- The problem might not be fully fixable.
- A significant percentage of cement jobs will fail.
- Contamination because of bad cementing has been a long standing problem
- The question is whether any other causes exist.
- If methane is getting into drinking water because of unconventional gas drilling, why aren't the fracking chemicals?
- When methane is released from rock, enough initial pressure exists to drive water and chemicals back up the hole.
- If fracking could connect with preexisting fissures, chemicals could pose a groundwater risk.
- EPA is finding ways in which drilling could contaminate water supplies, from unlined and leaky storage pits to faulty well cementing
- Poor cementing accounts for a number of groundwater contamination cases.
- Methane migration is also a problem
- The question is whether any other causes exist.
Anthony Ingraffea, Scientists in the March meeting hosted by the EPA to help determine whether fracking is guilty as charged. Fracking is infusing toxic chemicals and gas intro drinking-water supplies. Basic technique of hydraulic fracturing has been used in conventional-style wells since 1940s.Scientists and regulators are trying to answer the complex question. Department of Environmental Conservation unveiled a plan to give drilling companies access to 85% of state's portion of the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations.The idea that water blasts deep underground can directly contaminate drinking water, by creating unexpected pathways for gas or liquid to travel between deep hale and shallow groundwater. Faulty cementing is the leading suspect in possible sources of contamination. Any well has to pass through near-surface layers that contain groundwater. When methane is released from rock, enough initial pressure exists to drive water and chemicals back up the hole.
C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using specific citations from the article to support your view
I think that fracking is horrible, and that we should find a way to stop it. It takes two to four million gallons of water for a single lateral and 15,000 to 60,000 gallons of chemicals. Transporting liquids involves fleet of tanker trucks and large storage containers. 75% percent of what is blasted down comes back up. With the contamination of drinking water due to fracking, it can harm human health, animal health and could also kill the humans and animals. I think it should be illegal to pay a person money to frack on their property. The irony is, although it is very possible that gas companies have been guilty of carelessness in how they drill wells and dispose of waste, fracking technology itself may be exonerated. I think people all over the world should be educated on this topic and try to find a way to stop fracking in general.
So what?:
- Fracking uses up a large amount of water and chemicals for just one drill.
- It can get into our water and make us sick
Says who?:
- Chris Mooney
- Anthony Gorody
- Lisa Jackson
- Anthony Ingraffea
What if?... We don't stop it:
- More people will get sick and die
- Fracking will start to be everywhere
- It'll get out of hand that people won't be able to stop it
What does this remind me of?: The movie we watched in class called Gasland. In that movie a guy name Josh learns what fracking is and what badd effects it does to our planet and the people on it.