Bursic, 2:00
L10
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FRACKING: AN ETHICAL OUTLOOK
David Zimmerman (dkz6@pitt.edu)
INTRODUCTION: A SHIFT TO
NATURAL GAS
OVERVIEW OF RISKS
While hydraulic fracturing might appear as an easy
solution to the production of natural gas, fracking does
possess environmental risks. The chemicals and water that
are pumped into the well have potential to seep into the
groundwater and contaminate it. After the fracking process
has been completed, this wastewater also is an
environmental risk. The wastewater must cleansed before it
can be safely recycled back into the environment.
Additionally, the fracking process may release pollutant and
dangerous gases into the air [2].
As the earth’s natural resources are continually
consumed, alternative forms of energy are critical. The
United States, for example, is slowly shifting from coal to
other resources such as natural gas. While Texas is
historically known as the largest producer of natural gas,
large amounts of natural gas have been found in the
geological formation of the Marcellus Shale, which is
located in the Appalachian Basin. Consequently, companies
have been investing in the drilling of natural gas in these
areas. Western Pennsylvania is currently undergoing a
natural gas boom, which has led to many Petroleum
Engineering jobs in the area. However, with this expansion
in drilling, many are questioning the environmental concerns
associated with fracking, which is part of the drilling process
in the Marcellus Shale. These environmental concerns are
also ethical issues that deal directly with the “Code of Ethics
for Engineers” and the “Guide of Professional Conduct” for
Petroleum Engineers. Analyzing ethical issues such as these
environmental concerns are critical for both Engineering
students as well as all Engineers in their workplace.
Fracking poses risks such as depletion of local water
supplies and groundwater contamination. Currently, research
is being conducted to address these risks. Due to the
environmental issues from fracking, Engineers must
emphasize ethical natural gas drilling in Western
Pennsylvania.
IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL GAS
Due to these environmental risks, many oppose fracking
in Western Pennsylvania. However, the Marcellus Shale
region and other similar regions contain far too much natural
gas to not be utilized. “Technically recoverable natural gas
from these shales is more than 1,744 trillion cubic feet.”[3]
If all of this gas was utilized, it would supply the United
States with gas for the next 90 years. In just the Marcellus
Shale region there is approximately enough gas to supply the
United States current gas needs for a little more than two
years [4]. Thus, this gas must be utilized in a safe and
responsible matter.
In addition to the sheer quantity of natural gas available,
natural gas presents many positive attributes when compared
with other fuel sources. The United States supply of natural
gas is constant and subject to little change. Many other fuel
sources, such as fossil fuel, are imported and thus subject to
relations between other nations. Moreover, natural gas has
variety of applications, such as cooking, heating and fuel for
vehicles. Additionally, natural gas has a high BTU, which
means that a small amount of gas contains a large amount of
energy. Lastly, natural gas is much better than coal. Natural
gas burns cleanly and emits about half the carbon dioxide
compared to the combustion of coal [3]. As the United States
moves towards clean and renewable energy, natural gas will
play a larger and larger part.
THE FRACKING PROCESS
In the case of the Marcellus Shale, hydraulic fracturing,
also known as fracking, is used to extract the natural gas
from the shale. The Marcellus Shale is a large geographical
black shale formation that is located deep underground. Due
to this shale formation, normal drilling methods are
uneconomical and pointless in regards to the extraction of
natural gas. However, with fracking, drilling in the
Marcellus Shale is profitable. After a conventional well has
been drilled, sand, water and chemicals are injected under
high pressure into the well. This fractures the shale
formation and allows natural gas to flow easily between the
fractured shale and thus out of the well. According to Robert
Rapier, fracking “is credited with boosting recoverable U.S.
oil reserves by 30% and natural gas reserves by 90%.” [1]
Fracking is key in regards to the extraction of natural gas in
the Marcellus Shale region.
OVERVIEW OF ETHICS RELATING TO
DRILLING
Ethics must be carefully taken into consideration when
drilling in Western Pennsylvania. Drilling, and more
specifically fracking, raises environmental concerns as well
as public safety concerns. Engineers involved in fracking
must take into consideration both the Society of Petroleum
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering
10/30/2012
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David Zimmerman
Engineers’ “Guide for Professional Conduct” as well as the
National society of Professional Engineers’ “Code of Ethics
for Engineers.” In regards to fracking, the National Society
of Professional Engineers maintains in their “Code of Ethics
for Engineers” that Engineers must “hold paramount the
safety, health, and welfare of the public.” [5] The Society of
Petroleum Engineers in their “Guide for Professional
Conduct” stresses both “the protection of the environment”
and “safeguarding the public welfare.” [6] Additionally, in
the Canons of Professional Conduct, The Society of
Petroleum Engineers stresses the need to warn the
employers, clientele and public of instances where the
“consequence of their professional duties…adversely
affects[s] the present or future public health and safety.”
Another cannon emphasizes the need for “technical and
economic measures” that reduces the impact on the
environemt [6]. Thus, ethically speaking, Engineers must
primarily be concerned with public safety and environmental
protection when drilling in Western Pennsylvania.
recently, companies have been storing the water in lined
holding ponds, which is by no means a great solution.
In Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Eureka Resources now
has a water recycling plant specifically made to clean
fracking water. The factory removes the gunk from the water
so that the water is able to be reused for fracking. The water
is still too salty to be released in the environment after being
processed at the factory. This is much more environmentally
friendly then using just using the water once. “For now,
about 90 percent of frack water is recycled in Pennsylvania
and then re-used in fracking,” which is a great improvement
after the Environmental Protection Agency cranked down on
the rules regarding the wastewater. [7] Solutions to
wastewater such as Eureka Resources should be utilized by
Petroleum Engineers when dealing with wastewater. Eureka
Resources represents a minimally intrusive environmental
factor as the water is significantly cleaner and can be reused
in fracking.
While the amount of water used in fracking must be
monitored, the quality of the water in the area is also
important. Homeowners must be assured that they have safe
drinking water throughout the drilling process. Ethically
speaking, safe drinking water is vital to public safety.
Historically, the lined holding ponds for the wastewater have
been known to leak which tends to pollute the groundwater.
Many homeowners in Western Pennsylvania rely on wells
which draw their water directly from the groundwater. Thus,
polluted groundwater can yield adverse effects to a
community’s health and wellbeing, especially, the welfare of
children in that community. While the Department of
Environmental Protection has imposed stricter laws for the
lined holding ponds which should prevent leakage,
Petroleum Engineers must make it a personal responsibility
to ensure that the regulations are being closely followed.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH
HAZARDS ADDRESSED
Due to the large amounts of water used in drilling, water
must be used in an environmentally safe manner.
Approximately, one to eight million gallons of water is used
in the fracking process. Due to the cost of moving a quantity
of water this large, drilling companies tend to use nearby
streams or water contained underground. This poses
environmental threats within Western Pennsylvania in areas
where water is in short supply or in the case of a drought.
Ethically speaking, a petroleum engineer involved in a
drilling site must ensure that the environment can handle this
absence of water. This job, however, is beyond the expertise
of a normal petroleum engineer. Thus, the engineer must
consult with environmental scientists and others to
determine the environmental impact of this absence of water.
Then based on the environmental impact must determine
according to the “Guide for Professional Conduct” as well as
the “Code of Ethics for Engineers” whether or not this
drilling site is an ethical location.
After a well has been hydraulic fractured, a clear plan for
the waste water must exist. When the water is exposed to the
shale, it picks up large concentrations of salts. Also, the
water picks up toxic and radioactive materials from the
shale, in addition to the toxins and chemicals added to the
water in the first place. This filthy wastewater will flow out
of the well for approximately a month. In the past, this water
was released back into the environment untreated.
Obviously, this was a huge environmental disaster.
Communities and the government quickly saw the adverse
effects of this water on wildlife, especially fish and other
animals that reside close to the water. Or the water would be
shipped to municipal waste plants which were unequipped to
handle the toxic waste contained by the water. More
PERSONAL IMPORTANCE
Personally, the Marcellus Shale represents an important
aspect in my life. My family owns our grandparents’ old
family farm which is located in Lawrence County where
fracking is beginning to take place. Currently, the county
only has 26 active well sites, but plans for many more are
underway. The property is currently under a natural gas
lease as are most of the surrounding farms. Plans have been
made to drill a well in the vicinity. The entire community
uses wells as drinking water. If fracking did end up polluting
the groundwater then the entire community would suffer
adverse effects as their wells would be potentially unfit to
drink. Additionally, the area is full of streams, small rivers,
ponds and lakes. If holding ponds were to leak, streams and
many other stream fed water sources would have a large
chance of becoming polluted. As the Marcellus Shale is
being drilled, I hope that Petroleum Engineers chose to drill
in an ethical manner.
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David Zimmerman
is a key role in the education of an Engineering student. It
forces students to think in an analytical fashion and it helps
students to meet the requirements of multiple educational
goals. As the drilling community learns to handle these
environmental factors better and better over time, the
community at large in Western Pennsylvania will become
more supportive of natural gas, as not only does it represent
clean energy, but an economic rush and revitalization similar
to the steel mill industry which revitalized the Pittsburgh
region in the 1800s. Many small towns in Western
Pennsylvania are receiving a large economic boosts from the
profits of the Marcellus Shale. More importantly though, the
United States is using a clean and renewable source of
energy.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE
Papers such as this one hold an important value in
educational places. To begin with, these papers help students
attain certain criteria from the Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology. Secondly, these papers are
good thinking tools, as the student is forced to analyze an
issue.
Educationally, this paper emphasizes many standards
proposed by Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology. This paper helps students to gain “an
understanding of professional and ethical responsibility,” to
“communicate effectively,” to “understand the impact of
engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental,
and societal context,” and to gain a “knowledge of
contemporary issues.” [8] This paper directly deals with four
of the requirements for engineering students. Skills such as
gaining a “knowledge of contemporary issues” help to make
engineering more relevant and interesting to students and
provide an outlook as to possible work situations.
Additionally, understanding how an engineering solution
effects the environment is important.
These papers also force students to carefully evaluate a
relevant issue while not being partisan by working for a
company that is forced to deal with such an issue. This is
important as the student is forced to carefully evaluate the
ethics in relationship to the problem. In five years from now,
if that same student is working for a company, the student
may be less likely to evaluate the possible ethical problems
in his work if it is harder or less economical. Thus, this
paper helps one understand the true impact that ignoring
ethics can have. For example, this paper forced me to think
about the possible health and environmental concerns of
fracking in Western Pennsylvania. Even though I had a
personal connection to fracking as my family owns land that
will be fracked in the near future, I had never thought or
researched the environmental aspects. After doing so, I
realized that careless or improper fracking had a potential
adverse effect on the environment and thus ethical
Petroleum Engineering is critical.
REFERENCES
[1] R. Rapier. (2010) Power Plays. Springer-Verlag New
York. (Print book). pp. 58.62
[2] S. O’Day, J Reece. (2012) “Top Environmental Concerns
in Fracking.” Oil & Gas Monitor (Online article).
http://www.oilgasmonitor.com/top-environmental-concernsfracking/1557/
[3] D. Kargbo, R. Wilhelm, D. Campbell. (2010) “Natural
Gas Plays in the Marcellus Shale: Challenges and Potential
Opportunities.” Environmental Science & Technology
(Online
article)
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es903811p
[4] (2012) “The Marcellus Boom: Frequently asked
questions.” Post-Gazette. (Online article). http://www.postgazette.com/stories/local/uncategorized/the-marcellus-boomfrequently-asked-questions-286530/
[5] “Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National Society of
Professional
Engineers.
(online
article).
http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html
[6] “Guide for Professional Conduct.” Society of Petroleum
Engineers.
(online
article)
http://www.spe.org/about/docs/professionalconduct.
pdf
CONCLUSION: A POSITIVE FUTURE
[7] C. Joyce. (2012) “With Gas Boom, Pennsylvania Fears
New
Toxic
Legacy.”
NPR
(Online
article)
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/14/149631363/when-frackingcomes-to-town-it-s-water-water-everywhere
[8] Todor Cooklev. (2010) “”The role of standards in
Engineering Education.” International Journal of IT
Standards and Standardization Research (online article)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jitsr.2010120701
Overall, natural gas is critical to the United States as we
turn towards clean and renewable energy. As drilling and
fracking increase in Western Pennsylvania, ethical concerns,
such as environmental and public safety, must be seriously
taken into consideration. The water used in fracking must be
taken from an environment that is able to lose that water
without any adverse effects on nature. Wastewater must be
carefully dealt with in a way that it is treated before
returning to the environment, ensuring safe drinking water
for the nearby community. Failure to address these issues,
could result in adverse effects to my family property and the
surrounding area. Analysis, such as that found in this paper,
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
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David Zimmerman
"Gasland: A film by Josh Fox ." Gasland: A film by Josh
Fox
.
N.p.,
n.d.
Web.
9
Oct.
2012.
<http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/whats-fracking>.
"Map of fracking in Pennsylvania Counties." State Impact.
N.p.,
n.d.
Web.
9
Oct.
2012.
<stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/drilling
Worstall, Tim. "Why Shale Gas is Closing Coal Plants: So
Why Do the Hippies Hate Shale? - Forbes." Information for
the World's Business Leaders - Forbes.com. N.p., 5 May
2012.
Web.
9
Oct.
2012.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/20
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the librarians in the Hillman Library
for their help both in research and finding books.
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