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FRACKING: OBTAINING ENERGY BY DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT
Alexandra Connor (alc202@pitt.edu)
and unnecessary areas of the rock. Once the cement is
placed, a mixture of water, sand, and toxic chemicals under
extreme pressures are pushed through the well to create
fractures deep in the rock. These fractures cause the release
of natural gas.
INTRODUCTION: NATURAL GAS AS AN
ENERGY SOURCE
The U.S. has been searching for alternative energy
sources that are clean and more abundant than our current
resources. Currently, we depend on resources that are
depleting rapidly and causing harm to the environment. Oil
is one of these major problem-causing resources. As seen
through high gas prices, oil is a resource in high demand and
low quantity and is problematic to our national economy.
Another current resource that is frequently used is coal,
which when burned emits greenhouse gasses, such as carbon
dioxide, that are affecting the atmosphere and leading to
global warming. Researchers have been working to discover
more sustainable and dependable energy resources such as
solar power, wind power, nuclear power, and natural gas.
Fracking is the process used to extract natural gas from
rock. This process causes many environmental issues, which
fracking companies disregard in favor of immediate profit. If
continued, some believe that fracking will contaminate
water, release other harmful chemicals into the air (such as
methane) and affect the stability of geological faults. As an
engineer interested in the chemical field with an
understanding of the codes of ethics for engineers, I do not
think fracking should be used until it is refined to have less
harmful effects on the environment. I believe in this century
with advancing technologies, we need to think of the longterm effects of everything we do to our environment so we
do not destroy the Earth for future generations.
FRACKING IMPACTS ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
Natural gas was originally thought as a cleaner and more
environmentally friendly energy source when compared to
other fossil fuels. A study done at Cornell University
demonstrated that when natural gas is obtained by fracking,
it is in fact highly polluting since it releases both carbon
dioxide and methane during production and distribution [1].
Although the amount of carbon dioxide released is lower
compared to other fossil fuels, the amount of methane gas
released is substantially higher. The Hudson River
Environmental Society said, “Considering the 20-year
horizon, the greenhouse gas footprint for shale gas is at least
20% greater than and perhaps more than twice as great as
that for coal when expressed per quantity of energy available
during combustion” [2]. Therefore, if we are trying to move
in the direction of environmentally aware energy resources,
fracking natural gas is not a solution. The methane that is
produced by fracking also would need to be contained if the
process was followed through; and although it is possible, it
is a very large investment in infrastructure.
Fracking requires a large amount of water for the process
to work and create the fractures in the rock. This massive
amount of fresh water that might otherwise go to human
consumption or agriculture is mixed with sand and toxic
chemicals, such as, trimethyl benzene, butoxyl ethanol,
acetone and acetic acid [2]. Once the natural gas is released,
the wastewater is supposed to be recovered from the ground,
but usually only 30-50% of this water is recovered. The
wastewater that is unable to be recovered stays in the rock
and due to the high pressures the ground is put under,
sometimes there can be well failures or cracks that allow this
wastewater to leak into unwanted and dangerous places,
such as the water table, rivers, or streams. Many people
living around areas of that fracking take place worry that
their drinking water will be contaminated as well. Some
companies have claimed to have developed “green”
fracturing fluids based on chemicals allowed in food supply
[2]. CleanStim produced by the company Halliburton is one
of these “green” fluid products that have been advertised to
be so clean that an executive could drink a glass of it [2].
Although these fluids may not be toxic, substances used in
FRACKING: WHY ARE WE DOING IT
AND WHAT IS IT?
The U.S. has been researching the use of natural gas and
how to obtain it because it is known to have an exorbitant
amount of natural gas compared to other nations. Obama
even mentioned that natural gas has the potential to make the
U.S. into the “Saudi Arabia of natural gas” [1]. Natural gas
is found deep in the Earth’s rock (specifically shale) and is
obtained through an engineered development known as
hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. The process of
fracking has many steps. First, a well is vertically drilled and
then turns to continue drilling horizontally. Horizontal
drilling is used to maximize the area that can be used to
obtain gas by a single vertical well, which is then filled with
cement. The cement is used to block the water and chemicals
that are put down the well from leaking into the water table
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering
October 30, 2012
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Alexandra Connor
foods do belong in drinking water. The treatment and
containment of this wastewater is extremely expensive.
Long-term storage deep underground was proposed as a
cheap and easy alternative to trying to recover the
wastewater but, beginning in March 2011 there were
complications when a series of earthquakes hit Ohio in an
area where tremors had been previously unknown.
Researchers believe the cause of the earthquakes was from
the number of deep injection wells that were being used to
store the wastewater [2]. The pressure and lubrication caused
by the wastewater mobilized the previously stationary
geological faults [2].
attracts many tourists, the profound change in the landscape
would negatively impact the tourism.
NATURAL GAS COMPARED TO OTHER
ENERGY
Natural gas has the ability to be a great energy resource.
The amount of energy that can come of it is comparable to
that of oil [5]. However, we have seen the disasters that have
come from oil spills and nuclear power plants that have
wrecked communities and costs millions and fracking raises
these same environmental and health concerns. Why would
we begin a process that is already speculated to have such
dangers if we have seen the devastating results from our
previous mistakes? Other energies that have been under
development such as wind, solar, and water power are fully
environmentally green, renewable, and are still able to make
a lot of power. Other forms of energy have been undergoing
research such as hydrogen power and ethanol fuel energy
[5]. Both of these energies are non-renewable and clean as
well. I believe instead of millions of dollars into fracking,
we should be investing our money into research and further
development of these clean and renewable sources of
energy.
FRACKING IMPACTS ON THE
ECONOMY
Supporters of fracking argue that it will help the national
economy by creating new jobs and bringing money in by
exporting the natural gas to other countries. It has been
estimated that fracking could create 600,000 new jobs [3].
With the amount of U.S. citizens out of work this figure
seems promising; but we must remember that a majority of
these jobs would be low paying in the construction field. The
estimated contribution to the economy from fracking and
natural gas is highly speculated and changes often.
Currently, “natural gas is currently trading at $2.30 per
thousand cubic feet, the lowest price in a decade [and the]
EPA estimates the price will remain below $5.00 per
thousand cubic feet through 2035” [1]. At this price, the
profit margin is extremely slim and does not outweigh the
harmful environmental impacts.
Supporters of fracking also say that fracking will
contribute greatly to the local economies where the
construction is taking place. They argue that the gas
companies will help by renting office space, hotel rooms and
equipment, as well as buying gasoline, shopping at local
retailers, and eating at local restaurants [4]. The economic
impact on the local business may be felt for years. However,
natural gas is a nonrenewable resource so once all of the
natural gas is removed from the area and the gas companies
leave, the thriving economy will quickly begin falling back
to where it was before the gas companies began their work.
Owners of the land being used for the fracking are paid for
the use of their property. The land becomes of a higher value
and increases the real estate. The fracking companies make
agreements with property owners, but the leases often “do
not require the lessee to compensate the landowner for
damages caused by contaminated water and give drillers
wide latitude to cut trees, clear ground, store equipment and
run lights at all hours” [1]. The town officials must also
consider the impact on the roads from the trucks and heavy
equipment, and the extra safety officials, such as police and
fire fighters, needed to make the fracking process safe. The
process would also be destructive to rural areas. In places
such as Lycoming County where the landscape’s beauty
ENGINEERING ETHICS: HOW ENGINEERS
SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS
The National Society of Professional Engineers has a
code of ethics that all engineers are supposed to follow. In
this code, it is said “[e]ngineering has a direct and vital
impact on the quality of life for all people...and [engineers]
must be dedicated to the protection of the public health,
safety and welfare” [5]. The code of ethics, specifically for
chemical engineers provided by the American Institute of
Chemical Engineers, says members shall “protect the
environment in performance of their professional duties” [6].
I have shown that fracking negatively impacts both the
environment and the people living around the fracking area.
Water contamination, greenhouse gasses, and mobilizing
geological faults are all issues that engineers must take into
consideration when they ask themselves if they are
following their code of ethics. It is unethical to harm the
environment in these ways to gain profit like they are
currently doing. It is also said in both the national and
specific chemical codes of ethics that “engineers shall not be
influence in their professional duties by conflicting interests”
[5]. Unfortunately, with fracking comes profit and many
companies are supporting fracking because of this profit.
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Alexandra Connor
However, it is up to engineers to look at all of the pros and
cons and to see that the small profit to be made is
incomparable to the damage that will be done on the
environment if fracking is continued. Instead of agreeing to
fracking, engineers should search for ways to obtain the
natural gas in a clean manner.
it is crucial that engineering students become familiar with
these codes.
CONCLUSION
The negative environmental impacts of the environment
in no way outweighs the small economic gain that fracking
could have for the U.S. The fears of water contamination
increase in greenhouse gasses and the problems with the
wastewater containment are all fears that should be
recognized by engineers and fracking companies. The
national ethics code for engineers make a point for engineers
to recognize how their decisions will impact the social
welfare. Fracking further destroying the environment would
be going against the code of ethics because the environment
and human population are directly linked. Natural gas is a
nonrenewable resource and I believe instead of investment
being made to the infrastructure of fracking as we know it,
these investments should be put toward developing other
energy resources (such as hydrogen or ethanol energies) or
different ways to obtain the natural gas.
WHY I AS AN ENGINEER CARE ABOUT
FRACKING
I chose this topic because I am interested in chemical
engineering and my aunt has been working on financing a
fracking project. Listening to her explain the fracking
process and the great economic impact she claimed it would
have made me interested in the topic. The negative effects
on the environment caused by fracking really struck me
when I was researching because I think we should be
environmentally conscious in all of our actions so we do not
continue to destroy the world we live in. Fracking has the
ability to directly affect me because projects are being
planned for the Marcellus Shale, located in the western part
of Pennsylvania. Since my family and I live in Pennsylvania
the decisions that go into fracking will not only impact us,
but our friends as well.
THE EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGE TO
THIS RESEARCH
I believe this writing assignment was an educational
opportunity to learn about current issues that the world is
facing. I think it is important for students studying to be
engineers, like me, to begin learning the engineering
problems that we will be facing when we graduate. Professor
Charles Vest of MIT said, “I have suggested that
engineering students prepared for 2020 and beyond must be
excited by their freshman year; must have an understanding
of what engineers actually do; must write and communicate
well; and must think clearly about ethics and social
responsibility” [7]. The job of being an engineer has a great
responsibility attached to it. Engineers must be proficient
and exact in everything they do because their work affects
other. Engineers need to learn these skills at an early level so
by the time they graduate they are ready to contribute to the
science, research, and development of the world. This
assignment also made me look at the code of ethics that I
otherwise might not have read. I think it is important that all
engineers know the code of ethics because they are
important people whose decisions affect many. The codes of
ethics guide engineers to make these important decisions, so
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Alexandra Connor
REFERENCES
[1] Guelpa, Philip. (February 2, 2012). “Obama backs
hydrofracking in State of the Union speech.” World Socialist
Web Site. (Online blog).
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/frac-f02.shtml
[2] Litten, Simon. (October 6, 2011) “Shale Gas,
Hydrofracking, and Managing Risk.”Hudson River
Environmental Society. (online article)
http://www.hres.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content
&view=article&id=78%3Ashale-gas-hydrofracking-andmanaging-risk
[3] Navarro, Mireya. (September 7, 2011) “Report
Outlines Rewards and Risks of Upstate Natural Gas
Drilling.” The New York Times. (online article)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/nyregion/albany-studyshows-hydrofrackings-risks-and-rewards.html
[4] Thompson, David. (July 17, 2008). “Gas explorationpros and cons.” Williamsport Sun-Gazette. (online article)
http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/513070.ht
ml
[5] Brantley, Max. (May 4, 2012). “Fracking Benefits
inflated and impact ignored.”Arkansas Times.[online blog]
http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/05/fr
acking-benefits-exaggerated-and-costs-underestimated
[6] “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National
Society of Professional Engineers. (online reference).
www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html
[7] “Code of Ethics.” American Institute of Chemical
Engineers. (online reference).
http://www.aiche.org/about/code-ethics
[8] “Educating Engineers for 2020 and Beyond.”
(October 25, 2012). National Academy of Engineering.
(online article) www.engineeringchallengers.org/cms
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank Dan Mcmilan for explaining
the assignment to our class as well as the librarians for all of
their help. I would also like to thank my uncle Rick for
helping me research the topic and giving me his thoughts on
fracking. Also, my aunt, Saundra, for getting me interested
in the fracking topic.
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