Hydraulic Fracturing and Its Impact

ENGL 202C
10/20/2013 Aimira Sharipova

Figure 1: Fracking Landscape (Source: Hands Up)

Audience and Scope

The audience for this description is a general public with little or no knowledge on hydraulic fracturing. The main purpose of this research is to explain any possible relations of hydraulic fracturing and the impairment of drinking water resources. Besides hydraulic fracturings effect on drinking water resources, it has a potential impact regarding other environmental issues like risks to air quality, the potential migration of gases and hydraulic fracturing chemicals to the surface, the potential mishandling of waste, and the health effects of these, such as cancer.1,2

Introduction
Hydraulic fracturing is an effective process that aids in natural gas extraction. It involves a wide variety of chemical compounds, fluid additives, and other materials that may represent threat to either human or the environment. Since some chemicals are known as carcinogens, there is a potential to become exposed and acquire serious health conditions. Besides health effects hydraulic fracturing contributed to environmental hazards. Both health and environment consequences are described in this document.

The Process of Hydraulic Fracturing

Hydraulic fracturing produces fractures in the rock formation that stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil, increasing the volumes that can be recovered. Wells may be drilled vertically hundreds to thousands of feet below the land surface and may include horizontal or directional sections extending thousands of feet.3 The steps taken in hydraulic fracturing are as follows3: Fractures formation. They are created by pumping large quantities of fluids at high pressures down a wellbore and into the target rock. Enlarging fractures. Water, proppant and chemical additives fluid contains allow opening and enlarging fractures within the rock formation. Injection process. Have fluids flow into the open fractures. After injection. The internal pressure of the rock formation causes fluid to return to the surface through the wellbore after the injection process performed. Treatment of produced water. The fluid at the surface commonly known as flow back is stored on site for further disposal or recycling. - Underground disposal - Wastewater treatment

Figure 2: What is Hydraulic Fracturing (Source: ProPublica)

Hazards
Hydraulic fracturing development has a potential to influence both human life and the environment. Society should be aware of the specific consequences such methods of extracting natural resources may cause.

Environmental Hazards The more source water is taken to perform the hydraulic fracturing process, the more potential hazard it is to the environment. Specially, the withdrawal of water has a significant impact in arid regions since it will decrease drinking water availability in these areas. Additionally, withdrawals of large volumes of water can cause the water levels in aquifers to decrease. The consequences of water decrease by some amount in aquifers are salination of water, increase in concentration of some contaminants and appearance of new chemical compounds, or bacterial growth.4

Figure 3: Gas is flared into the air from one of many wells (Source: Boise Weekly)

Also, there are some concerns regarding air quality in areas where extraction of natural resources takes place. There is a possibility of emissions into the atmosphere due to hydraulic fracturing. The EPA considers several potential sources of air emissions like methane produced by flowback, emissions from truck traffic and diesel engines used in drilling equipment, and dust coming from dirt roads.4 Moreover, air pollution may result from the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases.3

Health Hazards People may suffer from that issue by being the main consumers of drinking water. Extraction of oil and gas may result in scarcity of water supplies since the process requires large volumes of water sources. Contamination of water with different chemicals may adversely affect human health. Among potential chemicals are boric acid, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, ethylene glycol, and monoethylamine.3 These chemical compounds are unsafe in their undiluted form and can result in kidney, liver, heart, blood, and brain damage through continued or chronic exposure.3

Figure 4: Drinking water affected by fracturing (Source: Propane.Pro)

The next area of concern is occupational risks. By means of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) data, there are a growing number of annual occupational fatalities in the drilling industry for all US workers.4 Workers might be exposed to hydraulic fracturing fluid chemicals and to a variety of disease causing materials. The EPA in its Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan discusses certain public safety hazards that might arise due to some emergency situations such as spills from either drilling sites or the transportation of materials associated with extraction.4 Stakeholders in fracturing operations suppose that these emergency situations may be the result of sabotage. Therefore, it is important to provide adequate public safety and security at drilling sites. In addition, residents of the areas near drilling sites often indicate health problems due to the extraction of gas and oil. People complain that they experience headaches, diarrhea, nosebleeds, dizziness, blackouts, muscle spasms, and other health related problems.5 Nevertheless, there are no supportive facts to determine the connection between fracturing and potential health impact yet. Some experts suppose that it is a result of air pollution near these regions.6

What You Can Do

Figure 5: Activists rally against proposed hydraulic fracturing in New York City (Source: The Telegraph)

If you already have an existing well, it is important to take note of any possible abnormalities in your own system. Such issues as corrosion of pipes and improper installation techniques can easily detract from your investigations. Next, proper water testing is crucial for accurate accounts of contamination. If you are having a well built, test water quality first, during and after the installation. Have a professional, such as a hydrologist, come and investigate the groundwater flow, surroundings of your well, and to thoroughly test the water quality in the area. To ensure continued safety, it is extremely important to conduct periodic testing if you are concerned about contaminants, especially if you do live in proximity to any industrial hydro-fracturing operations. Finally, know where to report cases of contamination. Your state and local authorities have jurisdiction over well water quality and safety and reports can be made to them. For specific incidences involving possible industrial injection well water contamination (the only current case the Federal government has jurisdiction over) the EPA urges residents to report their findings using the 7520 or UIC programs reporting forms.7

Conclusion
Hydraulic fracturing is an effective process that aids in natural gas extraction. Chemicals used have the potential to be extremely harmful to the environment and its inhabitants. In order to ensure hydraulic fracturing is not causing harm to the environment and people, the process
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should be more closely monitored. If the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing were to contaminate the groundwater, some drinking water supplies may become contaminated. Natural gas through extraction is a promising energy source for the U.S. as we strive to become more energy independent. And as with any industrial operation, precautions for protecting the environment, and the people who are involved, cannot be overlooked.

References
1

Brown, V. J. (n.d.). Industry Issues: Putting the Heat on Gas. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1817691/
2

Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing (n.d.). In United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Hydraulic%20Fracturi ng%20Report%204.18.11.pdf.
3

Natural Gas Extraction - Hydraulic Fracturing (n.d.). In U.S. Environmental protection Agency. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracture/ EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan (n.d.). In U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.epa.gov/hfstudy/HF_Study__Plan_110211_FINAL_508.pdf Schmidt, C. W. (n.d.). Blind Rush? Shale Gas Boom Proceeds Amid Human Health Questions. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3237379/ Study Shows Air Emissions Near Fracking Sites May Have Serious Health Impacts (n.d.). In Colorado School of Public Health. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://attheforefront.ucdenver.edu/?p=2546 Reporting Forms (n.d.). In U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/reportingforms.cfm