Fracking : What is

the true cost ?

Sosa-Serrano Oriana
SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT |
 chemicals which are then used to pump

beneath to release the oil or gas trapped

Fracking
underground. When water is mixed with

dangerous chemicals it can no longer be

treated or reused due to the high centration

of chemicals. This water is considered

wastewater since it cant be reused, fracking

Figure 1 This image shows a fracking area (
McCarthy , 2012) companies dispose of this wastewater by

injecting it back into the ground after the oil

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF
or gas have been taken out from
FRACKING?
underground. This method has posed a risk

for hundreds of small earthquakes, water &

I
s the consumption of fresh water that

is used in fracking worth risking the soil contamination and accidental

environment and the lives of residents wastewater spills. One serious incident that

for the extraction of oil and natural gas? was caused by fracking was the oil spill in

What is fracking? Fracking is a technique the Gulf of Mexico, this oil spill caused

that has been used for years to extract oil serious contamination to beaches, ocean and

and natural gas from other ecosystems.

underground. Fresh Which is the main

water, that could be reason why fracking

used for better has become a

purposes, gets mixed controversial method

with dangerous used to extract oil and

Figure 2 In this image it shows the process and the effects of
fracking (Sierra Club BC , 2014)

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gas. Although the environment is put to risk make sure that fracking doesnt pose a risk

when fracking is done, there are many who to humans and the environment.

support it. Pro Fracking vs Anti Fracking

GOT CLEAN WATER? When discussing Fracking, people

This method tend to fall into two sides, the

poses a risk for the side that doesnt support it and

natural environment as the side that does. There are

it can lead to many people who support

earthquakes, water fracking due to the creation of

contamination and many jobs and its positive

wastewater spills. Figure 4 In this image it shows unclean water effects on the economy. They
from a fracking site (McCarthy , 2012)
These risks are the argue that banning fracking

main reason why fracking has would make gas and energy

become a controversial prices increase at a dramatic

method. Few laws have been rate. The side against fracking

made to regulate where and doesnt believe that just

how companies dispose their because it benefits our

hazardous waste, which could economy it should be used.

be considered an issue if the The other side disagrees with

disposal is near a populated fracking as a method to extract

area. Due to the lack of oil and natural gas from

regulations on fracking Figure3These are some of the underground because its a

dangerous chemicals that gets mixed
scientist have to scramble to with our fresh water (Sayer Ji , 2015) hazard to the environment. They

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argue that fracking leads to contamination of purposes like getting this freshwater to those

freshwater, as well as the lives of the people who dont have access to it. I believe an

living near a fracking zone. alternative method should be found to get

Do You Want Fresh Water In the energy we need, the negative effect of

fracking out ways the positive and we

The Future?

My opinion on this

topic is that fracking shouldnt

be used , instead we should

depend on alternative

methods to get energy. Its not

worth the risk of endangering

our environment and us , Figure 5 In this image it shows how much gas gets extracted everyday
around the world, especially the U.S. By 2020 the U.S will be one of the
fracking has caused damage to the world's top oil and gas producer.(Yergin, 2011)
should do something about now before it is
environment like , hundreds of small
too late.
earthquakes , water and soil contamination ,

and accidental wastewater spills.

Wastewater from fracking cannot be reused

for other purposes and it cant be treated due Waste water from
fracking cannot be reused
to the high concentration of chemicals,
for other purposes and it
(Madsen, 2016 ). Massive amounts of cant be treated due to the
freshwater is wasted when they go through high concentration of
chemicals . ~ Madsen
fracking, instead of this water being used for

fracking it should be used for better

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 References

Madsen, W. (2016, 13 Oct). No: Let's

continue obama's wise push for
clean, renewable energy. TCA News
Service Retrieved from
http://sks.sirs.com