natural gas drilling
DESCRIPTION
Natural Gas Drilling. Sophie Mintz, Juliet Damasco , Ali Siegele. Discussion. What do you know about fracking and natural gas? Are you concerned with the drilling that is happening at the Marcellus Shale? Are you for natural gas drilling or against it? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
NATURAL GAS DRILLING
Sophie Mintz, Juliet Damasco, Ali Siegele
Discussion
What do you know about fracking and natural gas?
Are you concerned with the drilling that is happening at the Marcellus Shale?
Are you for natural gas drilling or against it?
How do you think drilling is affecting the environment?
What is natural gas?Natural gas is mostly methane, naturally
occurring in deep deposits (shales) in the earth
Cleaner and less expensive than oil seen as a good alternative
Extracted from the earth through fracking: injecting mass amounts of chemicals into the earth to break rock and release the gases
How Hydraulic Fracturing worksAfter the drilling process
and steel casing and cement are put along the drill path to protect aquifers, a rig will inject fracturing fluid at extremely high pressures through the drill site.
The fluid creates fractures that bring gas into the enclosed drill path
Drill construction breakdownhttp
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrouwraUWAE&feature=player_embedded
The Marcellus Shale
The Marcellus Shale is one of the largest deposits of natural gas, holding an estimated 500 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Fracturing FluidFracturing fluid is one of
the biggest concerns to people living near natural gas drilling sites
The fracturing fluid is made up of 90% water, 9.5% sand, and .5% chemicals.
The sand acts as a “prop” for the fractures the fluid creates, keeping them open to allow the flow of natural gas.
When water supplies are polluted from fracking, this can happen.
ProProduces less greenhouse gasesDoes not significantly contribute to smog
formationEmits almost no sulfur dioxide less acid rainCan be used for transportation cuts down on air
pollutionBecoming an important source of electricity
Pro, continued
The drill sites don’t leave a huge impact when they are no longer in use. The drills are removed and the large site is cut down to a small fenced-in area that has some pipes left over.
Gives many people jobsPotential energy independence Burns cleaner than other fossil fuelsBuys time to develop renewable energy
ConNatural gas is just another type of fossil fuelEnding our reliance on foreign oil by using our own fossil
fuels doesn’t benefit the environmentNatural gas is no longer cheapLarge-scale fracking outweighs any environmental benefits
to using natural gas instead of oilFracking contaminates ground water
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01
Cons, continued
Water pollution Leaks more emissions than coalHydraulic fracking has been linked to
earthquakes Companies don't have to disclose chemicals
used in fracturing fluid. The 2005 Bush/Cheney Energy Bill exempts natural gas from the Safe Drinking Water Act. This took the EPA off the job.
Requires large amounts of water
Political Parties’ Views on Fracking
Green Democrat Republican Libertarian
Most PermissiveMost Restrictive
Green PartyWants to abolish Fracking
Prohibit all Gas Drilling on public lands
Potential for environmental damage and contamination of water supplies are primary concerns
Continued reliance on fossil fuels delays shift to renewable energy supplies
Democrats
Support Fracking but want to levy higher taxes on the drilling
industryWant more centralized (federal/EPA level)
control
Require tougher environmental regulationsMore limitations on where fracking can be
doneTighter restrictions on waste-water handling
and testing
Republicans
Support FrackingPermit more widespread use of FrackingExpand drilling on public lands
Fewer and more relaxed environmental regulationsWant less interference for businessWant to push more authority to local
governments to control the practice
LibertarianSupport Fracking
Improves energy independenceCreates jobs and economic activity
Have the most permissive views on Fracking
Very limited regulation and taxes on the drilling industry
Dangers of hydraulic fracturing
Video review: Issues with hydraulic fracturing
Groundwater can become contaminated, and low levels of radioactivity have been reported from some areas.
Not all the fracturing fluid is removed when drilling is finished. The fluid will remain underground and never biodegrade.
The fluid contains chemicals that are potentially cancer-causing
Speaking upGasland: a documentary focusing on how
people’s lives have been affected by natural gas drilling across the US.
Post-presentation discussion
Have you changed your opinion on drilling after learning more about it?
What actions should be taken to make the process safer for those living around drill sites?