Fracking: An Environmental Breakdown

Annie Hicks

Blue Group

CAP Critical Thinking Paper

April 30th, 2017

 Hydraulic fracturing activity levels have been rising steadily for the past decade, and for

good reason: its a cheap and effective way of getting the resources the U.S. needs. But at what

cost? Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of shooting pressurized fluids deep into the

shale rock to extract natural gases and other fossil fuels, which are then burned to create the

energy that many people use today (Shukman). It is an efficient way of obtaining fossil fuels, but

its terrible for the environment and the people exposed to its byproducts. Texas has more

fracking wells since 2005 than any other American state, with a whopping total of 33,753 wells,

while many other states have had one or less (Fracking Wells States Map). This excessive

number of wells, and subsequent fracking operations, can be dangerous to the communities they

surround, and other cities all over the world. The waste fluid from fracking is left in open-air pits

to evaporate, releasing harmful VOCs, volatile organic compounds, into the atmosphere, creating

acid rain, ground level ozone, contaminated air, and contributing to global warming (Mills). 72

trillion gallons of water and 360 billion gallons of chemicals are needed to run the gas wells in

the US currently (Lister). This mixture can be leaked into nearby groundwater, and pollute public

drinking sources (Water-Age). Byproducts of fracking can also cause serious health risks. In

instances of ingested contaminated water, cases of sensory, respiratory, and neurological damage

were reported (Lister). Researchers at John Hopkins have found that living near hydraulic

fracturing operations is associated with premature births and high-risk pregnancies (HUB Staff).

Finally, the process of injecting highly pressurized liquid mixtures deep into the shale rock and

massive underground waste disposal wells are causing more frequent and more powerful

earthquakes and tremors near fracking sites (Holstein). The Texas State Government must ban

hydraulic fracturing operations, because its byproducts pollute the air and contribute to climate
change, can infiltrate drinking water, pose significant risks to human health, and may be

responsible for more frequent tremors and earthquakes.

Hydraulic fracturing begins with shale rock and a well. A highly pressurized mixture of

water, sand, and a variety of chemicals is injected, through a pipe, deep into the shale rock

(Shukman). This fluid creates fissures in the ground, and pushes the gas and oil back to the

surface (Shukman). This method allows the U.S. to extract resources that would have otherwise

been unavailable (Is Fracking A Good Idea?). Texass Barnett fracking field is said to have

enough natural gas to last 110 years, which makes fracking appealing (Is Fracking A Good

Idea?).

Gas from shale made up 1% of Americas energy sources in 2001, but now it makes up

over 25%, and is growing steadily (Is Fracking a Good Idea?). Many people want to expand

fracking operations in the U.S. because of its economic benefits, but many others are opposed to

its detrimental environmental effects (Nol). 2016 Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and

Bernie Sanders were both opposed to the continuation of fracking, and made statements about

their plans to reduce it if they were elected (Seitz-Wald). President Trump, however, is in favor

of the expansion of hydraulic fracturing, saying he will lift the restrictions on American energy

(Bierman). In April 2012, the EPA issued new air pollution regulations related to U.S. oil and

gas production, which claimed the air pollutants from fracking would be reduced by 95% (What

Are the New Fracking Rules?). Skeptics have criticized these measures by saying theyre just

political theater (Fracking). Although this was a small step in the right direction, it is not

nearly enough to address the issue fully.

One issue that has arisen regarding fracking is its effect on climate change and global

warming. It pollutes the air with methane, benzene, and sulfur oxide, which are greenhouse gases
that contribute to global climate change (Is Fracking A Good Idea?). A major byproduct of

hydro-fracking fluid is methane gas, which is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas

(Greenpeace). Carbon dioxide may be more common, but methane gas can be 85 to 105 times

more damaging to the climate over a 2- year period (Greenpeace). Thirty to seventy percent of

the waste fluid from fracking wells is brought back up to the surface and left to evaporate,

allowing the gases to be released back into the air (Crane-Murdoch). These gases react with the

sunlight to create ground level ozone (Fracking). One country-side town in Wyoming reported

ozone levels higher than those in smog-ridden cities such as Los Angeles (Fracking). At least 2.5

billion pounds of methane were produced from Texass fracking wells alone in 2014 (Mosier).

This makes Texas very vulnerable to long term side effects from fracking.

One of the most talked about problems with fracking has been the contamination of local

drinking water. Methane concentrations are 17 times higher in drinking-water wells near

fracturing sites than in normal wells, and there have been over 1,000 documented cases of

contaminated water next to areas of gas drilling (Water-Age).While most of the fracking fluid is

brought up to the surface, 30 to 40% of it is left under the ground (Mills). This mixture isnt

biodegradable, and it sometimes is injected to underground waste wells or aquifers, but it usually

stays in the fissures that it created (Mills). This water can seep through the ground to contaminate

groundwater which is used for drinking, or other public water sources (Lister). Municipal water

treatment and sewage facilities are not equipped to accommodate this sort of fluid (Fracking). In

2011, The New York Times reported that treatment plants that were overwhelmed by the shale gas

waste they couldnt fully treat dumped the contaminated water into the Monongahela and

Susquehanna rivers, which provide drinking water to almost 7 million people (Fracking).

Fracking has already been linked to drinking water contamination in Pennsylvania, Colorado,
Ohio, Wyoming, New York, and West Virginia (Greenpeace). A 2013 University of Texas Study

reported that private water wells near Barnett Shale gas drilling sites were more likely to be

contaminated with heavy metals (Mosier). An EPA draft report released in 2015 found more than

150 instances of groundwater contamination due to shale drilling and fracking (Mosier). As

stated in a 2011 Congressional Report on the chemicals used in fracking, The 14 leading

hydraulic fracturing companies in the U.S. injected 10.2 million gallons of more than 650

products that contained chemicals that are known or possible human carcinogens, regulated

under the Safe Drinking Water Act, or listed as hazardous air pollutants (qtd. In Mills).

According to Glenn Miller, PhD., if public water were contaminated with as little as 0.1% of

fracking wastewater, it would result in a violation of drinking water standards (Mills). Some

homeowners have even reported being able to light their tap water aflame due to oil

contamination from the fracking wells (Greenpeace).

The byproducts of fracking can lead to many serious health problems and risks. The fluid

used for hydraulic fracturing contains 750 chemicals, 29 of which are carcinogens, or substances

linked to causing cancer (Is Fracking a Good Idea?). These chemicals can cause minor health

issues such as headaches, but the consequences can be as serious as lifelong reproductive and

neurological problems, sometimes leading to premature births of babies. Other damaging health

problems tied to fracking include asthma, high blood pressure, anemia, neurological illness, heart

attacks and cancer (EWContributor). Many carcinogenic chemicals have been found in fracking

fluids, and, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, these carcinogens can cause tissue

damage, stomach ulcers, and a decrease in the number of red blood cells above 125 PPM

exposure (Lister). Over 75% of 353 possible chemicals can affect the skin, eyes, and other

sensory organs, 52% affect the nervous system, 40% affect the immune and kidney system and
46% affect the cardiovascular system and blood, depending upon the dosage (Lister). The

wastewater that returns to the surface contains both radium and bromides, which reacts with the

chlorine in filtering plants to create trihalomethanes, or chemicals that can cause cancer and

increase the risk of reproductive or developmental health problems (Mills). The use of the large

number of oxidants, particularly hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of bromide can produce

compounds that could potentially cause cancer, and radium is a radioactive metal that can cause

leukemia (Mills). Benzene, toluene, xylenes, ethyl benzene, and a variety of other BTEX

compounds are often found in chemical breakdowns of fracking fluid brought to the surface,

which is also most likely in the fluid left underground (Mills). These five compounds will tend to

remain in water, and only be weakly absorbed (Mills). Methanol, which is also found in

antifreeze and paint solvent, can cause eye irritation, headache, and fatigue in vapor form, and

can be fatal if ingested (Kelley). One hydraulic fracturing company used 67,222 gallons of two

products containing hydrogen fluoride in 2008 and 2009, which is highly corrosive, and repeated

ingestion can lead to the hardening of bones, with a lethal dose at only 1.5 grams (Kelley). Other

chemicals used for hydro-fracking include naphthalene, sulfuric acid, crystalline silica, and

formaldehyde (Kelley).

Johns Hopkins University researchers found that expectant mothers living in the most

active area of fracking drilling and production activity were 40 percent more likely to give birth

prematurely than those living far away from fracking wells (HUB Staff). Eleven percent of the

11,000 babies born in this study were born before the 37th week of pregnancy, in preterm (HUB

Staff). These women were are thirty percent more likely to have high risk pregnancies, with

symptoms such as excessive weight gain or high blood pressure (HUB Staff). These problems

could be happening because of ingestion of contaminated water, poor air quality, or increased
stress because of the higher levels of noise and traffic in fracking heavy states such as

Pennsylvania and Texas (EWContributor). 75 percent of the 353 chemicals identified by the

Chemical Abstract Service could affect the skin, eyes, and other sensory organs, and the

respiratory and gastrointestinal systems (qtd. in Mills).

Some studies have connected more frequent and intense earthquakes as results of

fracking practices. These earthquakes are becoming more widespread, including in Oklahoma,

Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Kansas (Lin). State officials have said that the seismicity

rate in Oklahoma in 2013 was 70 times greater than it was in 2008 (Lin). Ohios state

Department of Natural Resources verified in March 2012 that the hydraulic fracturing practices

were to blame for a series of earthquakes, the first ever recorded with epicenters near

Youngstown. Some speculate the exact reasons for these tremors, with reasons such as the

dramatic increase of wells and increase of fluid used in each well, but a more likely reason is the

great amounts of waste that are being injected back into underground holding spaces (Horwitt

and Formuzis).

Texas has always been a major oil production state, and in 2013, Texas was responsible

for 30% of the United Statess oil production and has seen a 77% increase in oil production since

2008 (Wittmeyer). State law remains unclear about requirements for water use and water wells

drilled for fracking, and water contamination violations recorded over the past few years are

evidence to this shortcoming (Wittmeyer). With over 33,000 hydraulic fracturing wells in Texas,

citizens are at a higher risk of health issues and water contamination than any other state

(Fracking Wells States Map). Many Texan gas and oil companies use disposed wells to hold

their waste fluid underground instead of letting it evaporate, which poses a higher risk of water

contamination (Wittmeyer).
 Since Texas is a state with such a high rate of fracking activity, it is crucial for the safety

of its residents and the environment for the state government to approve a complete ban to

hydraulic fracturing operations inside its borders. With all of its health risks and environmental

effects, the economic benefits are not worth it.

 Works Cited

Bierman, Noah. "Donald Trump promises to 'lift the restrictions on American energy' in

appeal to fracking industry." LA Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sept. 2016, www.latimes.com.

Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Crane-Murdoch, Sierra. "Unpacking Health Hazards in Fracking's Chemical Cocktail."

High Country News, 21 Feb. 2011, www.hcn.org. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

EWContributor. "Johns Hopkins Study Links Fracking to Premature Births, High-Risk

Pregnancies." EcoWatch, 21 Oct. 2015, www.ecowatch.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

"Fracking." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Detroit, Gale, 2015. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.

"Fracking Wells States Map." Governing, 2017, www.governing.com. Accessed 2 Apr.

2017. Map.

Holstein, Elgie, performer. Hydraulic Fracturing Hearing. House Committee, 2015.

CSPAN, www.c-span.org. Accessed 12 Feb. 2017.

Horwitt, Dusty, and Alex Formuzis. "Fracking Causes Seismic Instability and

Earthquakes." Fracking, edited by Tamara Thompson, Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. Originally

published as "USGS: Recent Earthquakes 'Almost Certainly Manmade'Report Implicates Oil

and Natural Gas Drilling,", Apr. 2012.

HUB Staff. "Johns Hopkins study links fracking to premature births, high-risk

pregnancies." Johns Hopkins University, 12 Oct. 2015, hub.jhu.edu. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.
 "Is Fracking a Good Idea?" US News and World Report. N.p., 28 Nov. 2011. Web. 15

Dec. 2015. <http://www.usnews.com>.

Kelley, Michael B. "The 10 Scariest Chemicals Used In Hydraulic Fracking." Business

Insider, 16 Mar. 2012, www.businessinsider.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Lin, Rong-Gong, II. "Man-made earthquakes increasing in central and eastern U.S., study

finds." LA Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2015, www.latimes.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Lister, Emily. "Fracking Hell." The Butler Scholarly Journal, butlerscholarlyjournal.com.

Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Mills, Rick. "Hydraulic Fracturing." Ahead of the Herd, aheadoftheherd.com. Accessed 2

Apr. 2017.

Mosier, Jeff. "Texas fracking numbers are mind-boggling, but what do they really mean?"

Dallas News, www.dallasnews.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Noel, John. E-mail interview. 9 Nov. 2015.

Seitz-Wald, Alex. "The Sleeper Issue of the 2016 Democratic Primary." MSNBC. NBC

News, 2 Oct. 2104. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <http://www.msnbc.com>.

Shukman, David. "What Is Fracking and Why Is It Controversial?" BBC News. BBC, 27

June 2013. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <http://www.bbc.com>.

Water-Age. "WTF! What the Frack!! Stop Hydraulic Fracturing! We Want Drinkable

Water!" Change, 2014, www.change.org. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

"What Are the New Fracking Rules?" What Is Fracking. Energy From Shale, n.d. Web. 2

Oct. 2015. <http://www.what-is-fracking.com>.

Wittmeyer, Hannah. "Fracking Regulations in Texas." Frackwire, 9 July 2013,

frackwire.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

 Annotated Bibliography

Bierman, Noah. "Donald Trump promises to 'lift the restrictions on American energy' in

appeal to fracking industry." LA Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sept. 2016, www.latimes.com.

Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. related fracking to very current issues and had good quotes

Crane-Murdoch, Sierra. "Unpacking Health Hazards in Fracking's Chemical Cocktail."

High Country News, 21 Feb. 2011, www.hcn.org. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. very detailed table with

the health effects next to different sources all related to fracking

EWContributor. "Johns Hopkins Study Links Fracking to Premature Births, High-Risk

Pregnancies." EcoWatch, 21 Oct. 2015, www.ecowatch.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. extra

background information on the johns hopkins study

"Fracking." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Detroit, Gale, 2015. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017. basic info on fracking and

why people are against it. good for basic knowledge, but not too many specific facts

"Fracking: The New Global Water Crisis." Food and Water Watch. N.p., 7 Mar. 2012.

Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org>.

report on the effect of shale fracking on fresh water sources and how theyre polluted

"Fracking Wells States Map." Governing, 2017, www.governing.com. Accessed 2 Apr.

2017. Map. great to show easily which states had more fracking activity

Holstein, Elgie, performer. Hydraulic Fracturing Hearing. House Committee, 2015.

CSPAN, www.c-span.org. Accessed 12 Feb. 2017. This clip includes researchers and regulators

testifying at a hearing on the safety of fracking. The discussion includes the benefits of hydraulic

fracturing as well as potential environmental hazards such as tainted water supplies, earthquakes,
and methane leaks. Clips from the hearing can be used to also show the differing views on

fracking.

Horwitt, Dusty, and Alex Formuzis. "Fracking Causes Seismic Instability and

Earthquakes." Fracking, edited by Tamara Thompson, Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. Originally

published as "USGS: Recent Earthquakes 'Almost Certainly Manmade'Report Implicates Oil

and Natural Gas Drilling,", Apr. 2012. Gave multiple reasons for the earthquakes, but tied it all

back to fracking eventually.

HUB Staff. "Johns Hopkins study links fracking to premature births, high-risk

pregnancies." Johns Hopkins University, 12 Oct. 2015, hub.jhu.edu/. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

study on premature births and extreme health defects in women near fracking facilities

"Is Fracking a Good Idea?" US News and World Report. N.p., 28 Nov. 2011. Web. 15

Dec. 2015. <http://www.usnews.com>. Talks about chemicals and carcinogens, the EPAs

restrictions, and how the process is harmful

Kelley, Michael B. "The 10 Scariest Chemicals Used In Hydraulic Fracking." Business

Insider, 16 Mar. 2012, www.businessinsider.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. matches symptoms to

each chemical in fracking fluid and also related them to other household items

Lin, Rong-Gong, II. "Man-made earthquakes increasing in central and eastern U.S., study

finds." LA Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2015, www.latimes.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

info on earthquakes with helpful graphs

Lister, Emily. "Fracking Hell." The Butler Scholarly Journal,

butlerscholarlyjournal.com/. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. very thorough explanation of health effect,

definite use in argument 3

 Mills, Rick. "Hydraulic Fracturing." Ahead of the Herd, aheadoftheherd.com. Accessed 2

Apr. 2017. amazing details and quotes from other sources with a credible background. covers all

chemicals very thoroughly

Mosier, Jeff. "Texas fracking numbers are mind-boggling, but what do they really mean?"

Dallas News, www.dallasnews.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. clarified a lot of things i didn't

understand

Noel, John. E-mail interview. 9 Nov. 2015. interesting quotes, good information about

methane and drinking water in particular. possible use for arguments 1 and 2

Seitz-Wald, Alex. "The Sleeper Issue of the 2016 Democratic Primary." MSNBC. NBC

News, 2 Oct. 2104. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <http://www.msnbc.com>. Talks about previous efforts to

ban fracking, particularly in Maryland, and politicians views on the industry

Shukman, David. "What Is Fracking and Why Is It Controversial?" BBC News. BBC, 27

June 2013. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. <http://www.bbc.com>. Does a very thorough job of explaining

the process and how things might go wrong to cause these issues

Water-Age. "WTF! What the Frack!! Stop Hydraulic Fracturing! We Want Drinkable

Water!" Change, 2014, www.change.org. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. specific details on chemicals in

drinking water

"What Are the New Fracking Rules?" What Is Fracking. Energy From Shale, n.d. Web. 2

Oct. 2015. <http://www.what-is-fracking.com>. Explains possible efforts to reduce the damage

of fracking

Wittmeyer, Hannah. "Fracking Regulations in Texas." Frackwire, 9 July 2013,

frackwire.com. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017. a lot of specifics about texas and attempts to restrict

fracking there