Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Alternative Process For Clean Fracking Technology

By Earlene McGee


One element that is deemed to be very necessary in many operations is water. It is the most basic need. Aside from that, it also aids some companies in extracting gases that are buried and trapped in rocks beneath the ground. Before, this was a very slow operation because extracting the gases and oils would be next to impossible. However, when fracking was discovered, everything changed and the speed of the operation improved.

Fracking is the method that has made the entire process possible. It is easy to find it and pump it out of the formation if there is already a crack on the surface. Fracking makes use of water to make fractures on the surface. Then then, the pump will suck out the gas and oil that is located inside. There are still efforts being made to make it better and to have a clean fracking technology.

Compared to coal and other fossil fuels, natural gas releases minimal carbon dioxide. This is helpful for the environment because it does not contribute too much to the global warming unlike coal. It is also a good alternative since the plants for this is not hard and expensive to make. In short, it is more sustainable.

However, it cannot be denied that there are still risks to using it. There are is an ongoing debate on the effectiveness of the method and whether it is better or worse than burning coal. It was never been connected to environment friendly choices. Because of the liquid being utilized, a huge amount of fresh water is wasted every single day. It also creates liquid that has high toxicity content.

It still has carbon dioxide emissions which can only mean that somehow it still contributes to global warming. Aside from that, there are always possibilities for leaks. The gases being drilled are harmful when not contained well. These are just some of the points that company owners are seeking to improve in the coming years and operations.

For example, there is one method that uses not water but a gelled liquid that has propane content. Because of the sticky consistency of the liquid, it can hold the formation better especially for the extraction operation. It eliminates the need for water and it also minimizes the possibility of leaks.

Brine is known to be another means to do fracking. It a substitute to the fresh liquid that is being utilized. This is when waters are recycled. The procedure is altered a bit to make sure that the recycled liquids will be effective for the method of fracturing the formation of rocks.

One other alternative being utilized is treating waste water. This might be a very expensive alternative but it is also very efficient. With this, you can easily achieve the same result as when you used fresh water. Because the liquid has undergone treatment, it is safe to say that it is already clean and safe to be utilized.

To power the machines, there is a need for fuel, specifically diesel. And when machines are on, they emit smoke that contains thousands of pollutants and gases that can affect the environment in a very negative way. And because of this, they are thinking of using natural gases as the best alternative.




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