Hydrofracking

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Just wondering if anyone is paying attention to this topic. I am, and I'm not a big fan. Your thoughts.

What the frak are you talking about?

Can we get a description or link to a description?

what is hydrofracking?

Hydrofracking, aka hydraulic fracturing is basically the drilling and fracturing of undergroung rock formations for the purpose of extracting natural gas. The process is becoming extremely popular with oil companies because it is very econimical and is completely exempt from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act because of the Energy Policy Act passed in 2005 by the Bush administration. The process involves pumping millions of gallons of water along with many nasty chemicals into the ground. It's difficult to be more specific about which chemicals are used because the oil companies are not (yet) required to release them to the public. The PA Dept of Environmental Protection claims to be aware of at least 85 chemicals (other states DEP's have different numbers - NY has found nearly 300), many of which are toxic. Contamination to the degree of residents being able to light their kitchen faucet on fire has been reported.

The reason I have not posted a link is because this is a highly controversial topic and even the wikipedia page warns of bias. Almost everything that I have read on the subject is nothing more than an argument for or against the process. I watched the documentary Gasland on HBO a few months ago and was shocked and outraged by what I saw, but opponents say the film is nothing more than environmental crybabying. I urge people to do their own homework on the subject as it is likely to have a significant impact on their daily lives, one way or another.

Is it related to this?


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEtgvwllNpg[/youtube]


Probably this too:


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01EK76Sy4A&feature=related[/youtube]

Yes.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZe1AeH0Qz8[/youtube]

Burning oil ain't good no matter how you look at it, I realise that our civilisation currently relies on it somewhat but we need to be seriously looking into and developing renewable energy sources. We've all seen the wind turbines but it just ain't good enough, there needs to be more done.

Personally I think practical and usable fusion is the key, but I doubt we will be seeing it any time soon

And here I always thought "hydrofracking" was when you did it in the shower...

That's a different kind of drilling.


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji-cT58rgNc[/youtube]

Also capable of gaseous explosions.

Forget controlled fusion. It ain't going to happen. What we need is to pave North America from coast to coast with fission breeder reactors. We can shovel the waste back in.

ruveyn

Of course its a bad idea. That being said, most who have any influence over the decision are either blinded by the pie in the sky dream of energy independence regardless of how many end up with flammable water, or have conflicts of interest with the natural gas industry.

I wonder if the mist from a shower would be able to catch on fire.

All t6he reactors now under construction are running grossly over estimated cost of construction and way behind schedule. No private insurance company would insure their safety so that has to be done by government. Reactors now in operation have continual shut downs and all sorts of leaks and malfunctions that make them extremely dangerous and their management is continuously caught in lie about their safety and bad maintenance. Future prospects look no better.
See http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/200 ... -sense.htm

As a Production Chemist in the Oil Industry I can say this:

This seems to me a total and complete beat up of a commonly employed method if improving oil production in wells that have shown declining performance. seems that someone who has zero experience in the oil industry has grabbed this and is now running off at the mouth with their ignorance.

More often an acid mixture is pumped down a well at pressure, followed by water, and held at high pressure to clean existing fractures and create new fractures. Fracturing increases the permeability of the subsurface rock to oil, thus enhancing production. the real chemical mixture is probably 6-10 different materials, not 300 as mentioned.

These are oil reservoirs we are talking about, and should have little to do with any water reservoirs used by both nature and people.

If gas is encroaching into potable water reservoirs, then its either a screw up by engineers, or something else entirely.

Environmental crybabying at its best

The reactors we use for producing electricity are light-water reactors, not breeders. This gives us the problem of waste disposal. With breeder reactors there is virtually no waste until the fissiles are transmuted to lead.

What good is safety in the cold and dark? Are you suggesting that we freeze to death in the winter safely? All power production and distribution is dangerous. Dams can collapse. Windmill blades can break. Electric power lines can collapse and burn. Gas can leak and explode. Oil can leak into the oceans (as recent events have clearly shown).

Modular breeder reactors can be made as safe as necessary and can be right sized to the power requirements of a region. By building lots of modular reactors it will make the very long distance transmission of electricity unnecessary.

Burn ecologists, not wood.

ruveyn