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Natural Gas Drilling

Natural Gas Drilling. Sophie Mintz, Juliet Damasco , Ali Siegele. Discussion. What do you know about fracking and natural gas? Are you concerned with the drilling that is happening at the Marcellus Shale? Are you for natural gas drilling or against it?

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Natural Gas Drilling

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  1. Natural Gas Drilling Sophie Mintz, Juliet Damasco, Ali Siegele

  2. Discussion • What do you know about fracking and natural gas? • Are you concerned with the drilling that is happening at the Marcellus Shale? • Are you for natural gas drilling or against it? • How do you think drilling is affecting the environment?

  3. What is natural gas? • Natural gas is mostly methane, naturally occurring in deep deposits (shales) in the earth • Cleaner and less expensive than oil  seen as a good alternative • Extracted from the earth through fracking: injecting mass amounts of chemicals into the earth to break rock and release the gases

  4. How Hydraulic Fracturing works • After the drilling process and steel casing and cement are put along the drill path to protect aquifers, a rig will inject fracturing fluid at extremely high pressures through the drill site. • The fluid creates fractures that bring gas into the enclosed drill path Drill construction breakdown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrouwraUWAE&feature=player_embedded

  5. The Marcellus Shale • The Marcellus Shale is one of the largest deposits of natural gas, holding an estimated 500 trillion cubic feet of gas.

  6. Fracturing Fluid • Fracturing fluid is one of the biggest concerns to people living near natural gas drilling sites • The fracturing fluid is made up of 90% water, 9.5% sand, and .5% chemicals. • The sand acts as a “prop” for the fractures the fluid creates, keeping them open to allow the flow of natural gas. • When water supplies are polluted from fracking, this can happen.

  7. Produces less greenhouse gases Does not significantly contribute to smog formation Emits almost no sulfur dioxide  less acid rain Can be used for transportation  cuts down on air pollution Becoming an important source of electricity Pro

  8. Pro, continued • The drill sites don’t leave a huge impact when they are no longer in use. The drills are removed and the large site is cut down to a small fenced-in area that has some pipes left over. • Gives many people jobs • Potential energy independence • Burns cleaner than other fossil fuels • Buys time to develop renewable energy

  9. Natural gas is just another type of fossil fuel Ending our reliance on foreign oil by using our own fossil fuels doesn’t benefit the environment Natural gas is no longer cheap Large-scale fracking outweighs any environmental benefits to using natural gas instead of oil Fracking contaminates ground water Con http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01

  10. Cons, continued • Water pollution • Leaks more emissions than coal • Hydraulicfrackinghas been linked to earthquakes • Companies don't have to disclose chemicals used in fracturing fluid. The 2005 Bush/Cheney Energy Bill exempts natural gas from the Safe Drinking Water Act. This took the EPA off the job. • Requires large amounts of water

  11. Political Parties’ Views on Fracking

  12. Green Party • Wants to abolish Fracking • Prohibit all Gas Drilling on public lands • Potential for environmental damage and contamination of water supplies are primary concerns • Continued reliance on fossil fuels delays shift to renewable energy supplies

  13. Democrats • Support Fracking • but want to levy higher taxes on the drilling industry • Want more centralized (federal/EPA level) control • Require tougher environmental regulations • More limitations on where fracking can be done • Tighter restrictions on waste-water handling and testing

  14. Republicans • Support Fracking • Permit more widespread use of Fracking • Expand drilling on public lands • Fewer and more relaxed environmental regulations • Want less interference for business • Want to push more authority to local governments to control the practice

  15. Libertarian • Support Fracking • Improves energy independence • Creates jobs and economic activity • Have the most permissive views on Fracking • Very limited regulation and taxes on the drilling industry

  16. Dangers of hydraulic fracturing

  17. Video review: Issues with hydraulic fracturing • Groundwater can become contaminated, and low levels of radioactivity have been reported from some areas. • Not all the fracturing fluid is removed when drilling is finished. The fluid will remain underground and never biodegrade. • The fluid contains chemicals that are potentially cancer-causing

  18. Speaking up • Gasland: a documentary focusing on how people’s lives have been affected by natural gas drilling across the US.

  19. Post-presentation discussion • Have you changed your opinion on drilling after learning more about it? • What actions should be taken to make the process safer for those living around drill sites?

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