Anastasia Hendren

Writing for Sustainability

Joyce Mosher
22 September 2015
The Hidden Secrets of Hydraulic Fracturing
Our Current way of living involves draining natural gas and oil wells. Across
the planet, we suck these reservoirs dry then move on to the next. Many of us do
not think about the process needed to get natural gas and oil. All we are concerned
about is whether our cars, heaters, and BBQs work properly. Janna Palliser
addresses how oil and natural gas companies retrieve their liquid gold, and how
our world is being damaged in the process. In Fracking Fury, Palliser explains the
process and destruction of hydraulic fracturing. Throughout her writing, Palliser
remains informative with an unbiased, academic tone. Through this type of writers
voice, she accomplishes her purpose of honestly showing the brutalities of the
worlds oil and gas companies.
Hydraulic fracturing is the physical process of creating fractures in
underground rock formations thousands of feet below the surface to release the
flow of natural gas and oil. This unconventional method is used in majority of wells
across the central United States. Palliser goes into a detailed description and
definition of fracking. Step by step, she examines the depth of drilling, proponents
used, and why people have issues with fracking,
Fracking wells are typically drilled thousands of feet down, with directional
sections spanning even farther. The actual fracturing of the rock happens when
millions of gallons of liquid are pumped through the target area. These liquids are
portrayed as being just water, but in reality it is full of harsh elements and

chemicals. Usually fracking fluids contain brine, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and
radionuclides. The main issue with using these chemical fluids is the aftermath.
Many times, these companies do not recycle this liquid. The usual disposal of it is to
put it in underground wells.
Palliser does a great job at being objective when she shows the pros and cons
of hydraulic fracturing. She is looking at both sides of the issue, which has the
opportunity to appeal to every audience. She outlines the pros as a source of
domestic revenue, local jobs, less reliance on foreign sources, and the burning of
natural gas releases lower levels of carbon dioxide and various other oxides into the
atmosphere. Yet, when Palliser gets into her cons for fracking the facts become
intriguing and a bit frightening.
Water quality is by far one of the most prominent threats of fracking. More
time than not, fluid leak off (injected fluids escaping to surrounding wells and
formations) runs down to surrounding groundwater aquifers and homes. In
PavillionA, Wyoming, the EPA found high levels of benzene, acetone, toluene, and
naphthalene; traces of diesel fuel; and at least one chemical used in HF (the solvent
2-Butoxyethanol) in environmental monitoring wells drilled deep into an aquifer
(Palliser). Residents around this area have experienced some pretty significant
neurological disorders due to this fluid leak off. Aside from fluid leak off issues,
another major concern is the amount of water needed. Operations in North Dakota
use approximately 5.5 billion gallons of surface and groundwater. America had been
in a water crisis for too long now, so how does it make sense to allow these
companies to use our clean drinking water?

After water quality, the next major concern of hydraulic fracturing is its affect
on human and animal health, along with the health of the environment. There have
been studies on people living near these sites. The health effects the local
community has experienced range from burning of the nose, throat, and eyes;
headaches; as well as neurological, dermatological, vascular, sensory,
immunological, urological, and gastrointestinal issues (Palliser). Animals have also
been impacted by hydraulic fracturing. Farm animals and wildlife that drink out of
contaminated creeks and rivers have experiences adverse health effects such as
neurological, reproductive, respiratory problems as well as death. At one farm, 17
cows died within an hour of being exposed to hydraulic fracturing fluid (Palliser). It
is absurd that humans and animals are suffering severe effects of this destructive
process. Yet, humans and animals are not the only living things that are being
harmed.
Our beautiful planet has also seen adverse effects of hydraulic fracturing in
the last twenty years. A main concern is the drastic increase of earthquakes near
fracking sites. Many of these sites are located in states that to not regularly
experience earthquakes. Since 2009, Oklahoma has had more earthquakes per year
than California. Studies have proven that these earthquakes are caused by the
reinjection of fracking fluid into the ground for disposal. This reintroduction of extra
liquids allows the rock formations to slip along each other more easily.
Aside from earthquakes, there is the prominent factor of pollution. Hydraulic
fracturing industries produce a frightening amount of water and air pollution. Runoff
of this toxic fluid can travel quite far from the initial drilling site. This runoff has
been known to contain levels of radioactivity. There is also the concern for natural
gas and oil spills, which happen more frequently than the general public knows. Air

pollution from hydraulic fracturing entails bacteria released from underground along
with emissions from machinery and vehicles used in the process.
Now, many are asking why these companies are allowed to continue their
deadly operations. The industry of natural gas and oil had a lot of money tied into it,
and therefore have been granted many loopholes in the system. Palliser examines
how Congress exempted hydraulic fracturing operations from the Safe Drinking
Water Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act (Palliser). These pieces of
legislation become so weak when we allow dangerous operations, such as hydraulic
fracturing, to slip through the system. Along with these exemptions, hydraulic
fracturing companies can keep the chemicals they use a secret from the public. So,
who really knows what these companies are putting into our environment and
exposing us to?
With public knowledge about fracking growing, many are demanding change.
States, such as New York, have banned drilling operations in areas that are near
drinking water. The EPA is also studying the effects of hydraulic fracturing on
drinking water quality. Yet, all other concerns with fracking, pollution and effects on
health, will not be examined by the EPA.
Janna Palliser explains and examines hydraulic fracturing dangers in a
wonderful way. She keeps her writing voice objective and academic. Palliser is
effective in getting her point across in a way that many different people can clearly
understand. In other words, she does not shove her opinion down the audiences
throat. But, rather she just states the cold hard facts of the hydraulic fracturing
industry, and lets one decide their opinion for themselves.

Works Cited
Palliser, Janna. "Fracking Fury." Science Scope (2012): 20-24. EBSCOhost. Web. 13
Sept. 2015.