Even though hydraulic fracturing has the potential to offer customers more oil and gas resources, the extraction technique can have long-term detrimental effects on the environment.
Fremont, CA: In the past few years, the oil and gas industry in the United States has experienced unprecedented production levels due to hydraulic fracturing, sometimes known as fracking. This extraction method involves mixing chemicals with a significant volume of water and sand under high pressure to build rock formations, which are then used to fracture the material surrounding oil and gas, allowing it to be retrieved. Fracking is divisive because of the large number of natural resources required to complete the operation and the harmful effects it can have on the air and water quality of the fracked areas.
Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing on air quality
Methane is one of the main pollutants emitted during the fracking process. Methane is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. On a 20-year horizon, its global warming potential is 84 times that of carbon dioxide, and on a 100-year horizon, it is 28 times. Fracking has a negative influence on persons who live near extraction sites, in addition to its global impact. A variety of auxiliary components emitted at well sites can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, mouth, and throat, among other things. Asthma and other respiratory diseases might be aggravated by local air pollution.
Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing on water quality
The fracking process consumes billions of gallons of water each year on a national and state basis. According to the EPA, the typical volume of water consumed per well is 1.5 million gallons on a local level. This use reduces the amount of freshwater accessible to surrounding households, which is especially important in locations where water is scarce. When water is in short supply near fracking sites, it may be transferred from other parts of the country, pulling water from lakes and rivers across the country. Another big concern is water contamination, as chemicals employed in the fracking process have the potential to leak back into local water supplies.
Other environmental issues
Fracking can have long-term repercussions on the soil and adjacent vegetation, in addition to air and water pollution. Water spills with excessive salt can damage the soil's ability to support plant growth.
