Name: ____________________________________

Per.____

Hydraulic Fracturing: Fracking

Go to http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/02/27/us/fracking.html?_r=0 to complete the
following.
Step 1-3
Describe the shape/direction of wells using in fracking.
A vertical well is used to drill a thousand feet deep then turns horizontally.
What is the casing?
Its cements added to seal the well from the ground water.
Describe the position of the well relative to the water table and layers of sandstone/limestone.
The well continues vertically until the shell formation is reached
How far does the vertical well continue?
For several thousand feet
Once the well reaches the shale, what happens?
It separates into perforations and the blasting natural gas is trapped.
Step 4
What does the perforating gun do?
Explosions piece the pipe and cement
Step 5
What is added to the well? Why?
A mixture of water and often toxic additives it widens the shale structure
What problems does this create?
Thousands of vertical joints in rock strata may connect, allowing drilling fluids to seep towards
the surface.
Step 6
What happens to the fracking fluids?
It can be stored in a pit or in tanks which can leak in many ways
What problems does this create?
It can because pond bemns, pipe liners may fail, and heavy rain can cause pond to over flow

Step 7
How is natural gas recovered?
It flows from the fracture in the shale into the pipe and to the surface.
What problems does this create?

Name: ____________________________________
Per.____
The first batches of natural gas are flared or vented into the atmosphere. As a potent greenhouse
gas, rather than capture.
Step 8
How does gas escape and rise into the well?
As the fluids recedes, sand grains, or ceramic, pellets remains in the fractures, holding them
open so pressurized gas ca escape and rise through the well.
What problems does this create?
Gas is flared or vented in the atmosphere

In the Water

In the Air

Name: ____________________________________
Per.____
Now go to http://www.npr.org/2012/04/05/150055142/science-and-the-fracking-boom-missinganswers to complete the following:
Pollutant
Highly pressurize, the
emit nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic
compounds both
contribute to smog

Fracking Source/Location
Gas Pipeline

Health Effects

Volatile organic
compounds can quickly
become gases and
escape into the
atmosphere
Potent greenhouse
methane escapes into
the air as well as toxic
compounds such as
benzene
Gas production emits
gasses that are toxic.

Wastewater storage

Some of the volatile

compounds you inhale
maybe toxic

Flaring gas

Pollution is across the

country added up and
being toxic isnt good for
our health.

Living Nearby

Methane escapes from

instrument storage
tanks.
Diesel gas shoots
through the pipeline and
the water which racks
the pipeline causing it to
go into the earth.
Gathers metals and salt
from undergrounds
making the polluted
water even dirtier.
Frack fluid is released

Storage Tanks

Gas production can

release gasses that can
cause cancer such as
diesel, benzene,
formaldehyde.
Depending on your
immune system
The methane irritates
the lungs

Reveals Frack fluid,

methane, and salty
brine.
Fractures release natural
gas to the water

Well Construction

The EPA says capturing

these materials will
reduce smog and
protect people from
toxic pollutants like
benzene that can cause
cancer.

Diesel exhaust

Has been linked to

cancer, asthma and
other health effects.

Storing Waste

Linked to earthquakes.

Fracking a Well

Don know exactly was

in it. But it does reveal
minerals into the water
causing it to be more
dirty
The chemicals it reveals
contaminate the water
when theirs a leak.
The gases released
when a leak
contaminated the water
leaving it dirty and

Drinking Water

Name: ____________________________________
Per.____

Chemicals to watch

smelly
Uses too much water,
waste water, makes
water potentially
unrenewable.
Release the natural
gasses that are in the
trucks of lines only if an
accident happens
Companies vent natural
methane into the air

Sharing Water

The hydraulic fracturing

puts a strain on the
water supply

Trucking Water

Can continue to release

toxic chemicals long
after theyve hooked up
to a pipe line.

VOCs

Engines and trucks

release nitrogen oxides.

Nitrogen oxides

Gas wells are major

contributions to the
ozone.

Ozone

Fracked gas wells, Texas

and Pennsylvania are
putting dangerous
chemicals into the
environment

Living in Gas Country

Accidents may
happened that can
cause spills and
contaminate the water.
Is not bad to inhale
methane but too much
can suffocate people.
If you inhale enough of
these they can cause
too much dizziness,
nausea, headaches, or
irritation of the eyes and
throat. Long term
exposure can cause
cancer, blood disorders,
birth defects, and
neurological problems.
Irritates lungs and
healthy people and
women with asthma.
Affect people with their
health especially those
with lung problems and
asthma
Makes people sick

Methane

Name: ____________________________________
Per.____
Go to YouTube!
1. Fracking song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=timfvNgr_Q4 (copy and paste the link)
2. Home video of water believed contaminated by fracking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6G6Ap-mF0k&feature=fvwrel
Or try this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=4LBjSXWQRV8
What happens?
The water catches on fire.
3. The truth about fracking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_xJqPjE_I
a. Sum up Ron Baileys description of fracking.
Fracking is injecting into deep wells water under high pressure with sand to crack open rocks to
release hydrocarbpon molecules like oil or natural gas.

b. What is his personal opinion about fracking?

Chemicals dangerous, the gas can escape and enter peoples drinking water. Fracking is somebody who
created a well in competently talk
4. http://fracfocus.org/chemical-use/why-chemicals-are-used
a. What are the six main types of chemicals used in fracking?
Acid, breaker,biocide,gel,iron control, and non- popping agent.
b. Click on What Chemicals Are Used, and count how many.
60

5. http://www2.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing
a.

What does the EPA say are the 4 known risks of hydrocracking?

6. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-08/gas-fracking-chemicals-detected-in-wyoming-aquifer-epasays.html
a. What was the EPAs conclusion about contamination after digging its monitoring wells?
The chemicals in the deep wells are well above acceptable standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Where do they think the contamination came from?

b. That synthetic chemicals discovered in the aquifer are just as likely the result of contamination from
their own sampling.

Name: ____________________________________
Per.____
c. What did the industry say?
That they havent been any proven cases of fracking fluids contaminating drinking water.