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The Pros And Cons Of Fracking

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Many see hydraulic fracturing or fracking as a good source of oil pumping but others see major problems with this process. Hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ is the process of oil and gas pumping using a water, sand and some chemicals to drill horizontally against rocks. The water and sands pressure is raised to a point of breaking or fracturing the rocks which then releases the oil and gases (Lallanilla). There are many pros and cons to this process of fracking. Some more than others. The history behind fracking can be tracked all the way back to 1862 but the first form of fracking innovation did not happen until the 1930s, when drillers used a non-explosive liquid substitute called acid, instead of nitroglycerin. This made wells more resistant to closing, thus increasing productivity (Manfreda). The difference between hydraulic fracturing and regular oil drilling is that hydraulic fracturing is a horizontal drill. Where regular oil drilling is a vertical drill. …show more content…

The overwhelming supply of oil and gas may seem a negative aspect today, but there will come a time when these resources become hard to get again. Through fracking, whatever shortage the world will experience will be resolved. Hydraulic fracturing will also lead to safer ideas of pumping natural gas. Using both fracking and oil drilling, running out of fuel will be out of the picture (“List”). Another benefit behind using hydraulic fracturing is that it has a low energy cost. With the oil and gas produced locally, industries that rely on these fuel resources can become more competitive due to lower energy cost. This is why many believed that fracking has positively transformed the energy situation in the U.S.

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