In 3-5 sentences relate the impact of the industrial use of water for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) with the availability and quality of water.
(4 points) Hint: Unit 7 Lesson 2, Page 3 and 7. CITE THIS SOURCE IN YOUR PARAGRAPH
How to Answer - Include these points:
> Define Hydraulic Fracturing, aka Fracking.
> Describe the source(s), use(s), and possible disposal problems for the water used in this process.
CITE THIS SOURCE IN YOUR PARAGRAPH. Unit 7 Lesson 2, Page 3 and 7
Paragraph Sentence Starters – Just fill in the blanks, then copy/paste into the essay box on your test! Remember to copy/paste the source we give you below in your answer!
Hydraulic fracturing is used to get _______ _____ from deep within the earth. A tunnel is drilled 1-2 miles to reach _____, which is sedimentary rock where the gas occurs. Then fracking _____ is pumped into the tunnel at high pressure so that it _____ the shale, releasing the gas. (U7L2, Click on Environmental Impacts of Fracking Transcript. Download the transcript OR click the link for the Fracking PDF. )
About _______ gallons of water are needed to make the fracking fluid for one well. This puts stress on ________ ________ supplies, which is where companies get the water for their fracking fluid. This would _____ (choose one: increase or decrease) the quantity of water available for everyone to use. (U7L2, Click on Environmental Impacts of Fracking Transcript. Download the transcript OR click the link for the Fracking PDF. )
Used fracking fluid contains additional _________ and __________ materials from the earth. (U7L2, Click on Environmental Impacts of Fracking Transcript. Download the transcript OR click the link for the Fracking PDF. )
Similar to coal and oil, the processing of natural gas produces __________. It contains ___________ that can leak into ____________ and waterways. This would _____ (choose one: improve or worsen) the quality of water available for everyone to use. (U7L2 Page 7, Click on Processing Fossil Fuels. Scroll down to Page 2, last paragraph).
Copy this source on your test: Source: Unit 7 Lesson 2, Page 3 and 7
PAGE 3:
ESS A U7L3 Environmental Impacts of Fracking Transcript
NARRATOR: Natural gas is considered the cleanest fossil fuel—it emits less carbon
dioxide when used. But how do environmental impacts of acquiring this resource
compare? One common way of retrieving natural gas—hydraulic fracturing, or fracking—
causes pollution and creates other environmental concerns. Fracking is used to get
natural gas or oil from deep within the earth.
An animation of an operating power plant is shown. It is followed by decals representing
fracking, pollution, natural gas, and oil.
NARRATOR: To begin, land is cleared for equipment. Then, a well is created. A vertical
tunnel is drilled as deep as 1–2 miles to reach shale, sedimentary rock composed of
clay, where oil and natural gas occur. The tunnel then turns 90 degrees and a
perforating gun punctures holes in the shale. Next, fracking fluid is pumped into the
tunnel at such high pressure that it shatters the shale.
The animation shows the land being cleared by a bulldozer, a large well being built, and
a drill being used to drill down to the shale. The tunnel then turns and runs horizontally.
Large holes are punctured above and below the tunnel and fluid is pumped in.
NARRATOR: This fluid is made of mostly water but also contains sand to keep the
cracks open, as well as chemicals such as mineral dissolvers and disinfectants.
A beaker filled with the fracking fluid shows that it is made up of 90% water, 9% sand,
and 1% chemicals.
NARRATOR: Once the shale is shattered, the oil or natural gas escapes. The fracking
fluid and oil or natural gas are then pumped out.
The animation shows the oil or natural gas coming out of the punctured holes and
traveling up through the tunnel and into a tanker truck.
NARRATOR: Fracking can have serious environmental consequences. When natural
gas and oil are burned, they release carbon dioxide. When they are extracted from the
earth, methane—the primary component of natural gas—escapes.
An animation shows the power plant releasing carbon dioxide, which is made up of two
oxygen atoms connected to a central carbon atom with double lines. The well is then
shown releasing methane, which is made up of four hydrogen atoms connected to a
central carbon atom with single lines.
NARRATOR: Methane damages the environment even more than carbon dioxide as it
traps more heat, causing temperatures to rise.
Two thermometers are shown, one in front of the well releasing methane and one in
front of the power plant releasing carbon dioxide. The thermometer in front of the well
rises higher than the one in front of the power plant.
NARRATOR: About 2–5 million gallons of water are needed to make the fracking fluid
for one well. This puts stress on local water supplies, especially areas with an already
low supply.
As a water tank fills up to supply water to the fracking operation, the water flowing out of
a sink faucet slows to a stop.
NARRATOR: The water supply can also be harmed by the fluid itself. When fracking
tunnels crack from accidents or mishandling, fracking fluid can leak back into the water,
polluting it.
A crack in the fracking well is shown above the layer of shale, where water aquifers are.
The crack connects the well to the water and pollutants travel from the well into the
water supply.
NARRATOR: Used fracking fluid contains additional chemicals and radioactive materials
from the earth. It is often injected into disposal wells deep underground for storage. This
causes pressure imbalances underground, leading to earthquakes that can be felt and
cause damage. Additional long-term storage effects are unknown.
The polluted water from the fracking well is pumped into a tanker truck and placed into a
deep well near the fracking site, which causes the ground to shake.
NARRATOR: While it can be valuable to study long-term impacts of fracking, some
argue that we should invest more in renewable energy sources.
Solar panels and wind turbines are shown.
NARRATOR: While natural gas may emit less carbon dioxide, when obtained through
fracking, is it worth the environmental costs?
PAGE 7:
What is one difference between the environmental impacts of processing coal and natural gas? Possible response: Natural gas emits less carbon dioxide than coal. What is one impact that processing all fossil fuels has on the environment? All processing of fossil fuels requires disposal of wastewater that could cause contamination if leaked into the water system.
1 answer
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is used to extract natural gas or oil from deep within the earth by drilling 1-2 miles to reach shale, which is a type of sedimentary rock. In this process, about 2-5 million gallons of water are needed to create the fracking fluid, which stresses local water supplies and may decrease the availability of water for other users (U7L2, Click on Environmental Impacts of Fracking Transcript). Additionally, used fracking fluid contains various chemicals and radioactive materials, which can contaminate water sources if mishandled. As natural gas is processed, waste materials may leak into nearby waterways, worsening the quality of water available for communities (U7L2 Page 7).
