Jonathan Mason 1 Introduction Hydraulic Fracturing Outline a Coming to college was a change in events to say the least but it was the best choice that I made for my future at that time I want to be the most productive efficient and effective person I can be as a young American I think this is a mindset that many oil companies have towards their production b Thesis Hydraulic Fracturing is a process that has been drilled on by skepticisms but has benefited the country and the rest of the world in significant ways 2 What is Hydraulic Fracturing Facts from Exxon Mobile a Drill Preparation b Drilling Multiple cement and steel casings to form barrier between groundwater and well Empire State Building 1 453ft from top to bottom Average depth of a drilled well is height of 8 Empire State Buildings stacked on top of each other Shale zone turn More steel and cement c Perforating device Hydraulic Fracturing this device is pumped full of water 90 sand 9 5 and few chemicals that prevent bacterial growth and reduce friction 0 5 all in order to puncture small holes through the cement and steel into the shale rock This rock contains minuscule pockets of natural gas d Producing gas This consists of placing a well head of 4 6 ft tall A natural gas well can produce gas for up to four decades while being monitored to ensure integrity 3 Cons with Hydraulic Fracturing Boling the following is true a According to executive vice president of Southwestern Energy Company Mark i The integrity of the cement wall that separates the water table from the drill has been known not to hold well This is not the caused by the actual fracking but rather the imperfection of the cement and steel well Some evidence of this when some people s sink water igniting when a lighter is held closely to it ii The second large concern is the fracfluid that is shot through the shale rock to get to the pockets of natural gas This fluid has been know to be full of neurotoxins carcinogens and irritants This is not a fact simply because most of these drilling companies do not have to disclose the chemicals they use iii The third risk explained by the vice president was that the drill could come in contact with a fault line in the rock This could lead to a seismic disaster that could lead to contamination in the water table 4 Pros a Halliburton states more than 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas has been produced 1947 present b 2002 EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency releases draft of hydraulic fracturing study initial findings indicate the technology does not pose a threat to drinking water c 2009 EPA officials unable to identify a single case of contamination tied to hydraulic fracturing d 2010 Director of EPA reports that there is no information that suggests that state officials are not doing a good job on regulating hydraulic fracturing 5 Conclusion a Restatement of Thesis b Summary statements