Julie Goodwin

Professor Patterson
ENC 2135- section 11
5 November 2015
Hydraulic Fracturing
Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking, is a process that uses
horizontal drilling to fracture rock which then releases shale gas and oil. This process has
undoubtedly been the biggest innovation in energy yet to come. With the media population of the
subject and more controversies arriving associated with the process, the idea of this process has
been described using the words revolutionary and disastrous interchangeably (Jackson).
What is the reality? Is chemically contaminated water a fair trade for gas? Would you say you are
willing to put your personal health and the health of countless other individuals at risk for the
sake of the great impact this drilling has on the U.S. economy? Do we have any other option?
This idea of clean or reusable energy is great but it is economically unreasonable. Upon
reviewing countless collected data upon the subject fracking is the most economically
sustainable and realistic. Given this, I will speak of opposing views on Fracking, both the pros
and cons of fracking and the impacts it has on society and the environment, and ways to improve
the current system, while present you with the real facts despite the overblown media and
government views.
To put in laymans terms, hydraulic fracking is an operation in which a drilling system
drills straight down and then gradually makes a ninety degree turn, horizontally running straight
into a reservoir of natural gas, encased in rock. The drilling system pumps a mixture of sand

water and chemicals into the rock at a very high pressure, resulting in a fracture, which the gas
can then escape from, up the drilling system well, being collected.
Fracking has resulted in a number of incidents that were hazardous to the public in the
past decade. In the article Should We Frack, it was provided that about half of the incidents
that occurred were damaging to ground/well as a result of deficient casings of the wells. While
many would automatically read that sentence and focus on the intrusion of the gas into our water,
very few would look at it with a realistic view to see that it would not have occurred if the well
casings were sufficient. Only a mere 2% of problems reported between the years 2005-2009 were
related to air quality. Not only has fracking provided a positive effect in our economy, as well as
providing many jobs within the country, it is the most economically sound option of energy.
There are also ways to improve the process of fracking using sound engineering management
(Environmental Perspective Update). In the Introduction to Fracking: At Issue the pros and
cons of the issue were set on a justice balance within a couple of sentences. Tearing at your
morals and safety concern while your sense tries to rip them onto the side of reality and logic,
Thompson said:
Fracking is the backbone of an American natural gas boom that is boosting the
economy, creating jobs and energy export opportunities, and strengthening US energy
independence with the lowest domestic natural gas prices in a decade. But it also uses
millions of gallons of water, which end up contaminated with toxic chemicals and
radiation that can imperil water supplies for millions of people (Introduction to Fracking:
At Issue).
Despite the benefits previously stated, there is anything but a deficit of those against
hydraulic fracturing. With results relating contamination of water and even large scale disasters

such as earthquakes back to hydraulic fracturing, it does not come as a surprise that this topic has
many against it. Reasons like this are what contributed to this process being banned in France
and consistently protested in the UK. In the U.S. many states have taken steps to ban fracking
entirely statewide. The amount of emissions into the atmosphere from this process seem to be
unknown. The hydraulic fracturing process takes up a very large amount, up to 30%, of their
counties water usage. Not only does fracking use a very large amount of water, but when doing
so it puts our health at risk when gas leaks into our drinking water and atmosphere. Others do not
necessarily believe that fracking is all bad, but believe that this new resource of energy is now
distracting policy makers and investors from investing in the renewable energy industry, and
encouraging further reliance on natural resources and fossil fuels. The professionals consistently
speak about mitigating the process but to what extent? Will this process ever be truly sound and
safe to use?
As we all very well know, everything in life comes with a risk factor. There is no such
thing as perfection, merely just people working to the bone trying to get closer and closer to it,
by minimizing the risk factor bit-by-bit. For our country to produce shale gas, which keeps the
price of oil and gas low while keeping other economic factors still intact such as jobs, the reward
is trying to balance out the risk. Brain surgeons dont get those sizeable incomes for treating their
job as if they were playing the Operation board game. Petroleum Engineers have so much
constantly riding on every thousandth of a decimal in each calculation they make. This technique
is still very knew, being created by George Mitchell, a Texas oil man.in 1998 (Preface to
should fracking be permitted). With that being said, I am older than this process. There is so
much to be improved and learned about this process. Engineers right now have merely scraped
the surface. In our rapidly advancing time of technology, there is no telling how fool proof this

process can be made. But people crucifying those involved and for it, seem to be a little extreme
for something that could end up being the breakthrough not only the country, but the world has
been waiting for in respect to energy solutions and gas.
While this issue is split down the middle in costs and benefits, the job of engineers is to
reduce the risk while increasing the reward. As this system continues to be studied, more
opportunities of improvement arise as more instances of disaster arise. With the basis of fracking
illustrated through this paper one can form an ethical opinion based on knowledge from reliable
resources. The choice of the economic success in the energy industry of our country or your
health is in your hands and the hands of lawmakers, officials, and investors that you have a direct
part in electing so the public knowledge of what is at issue is crucial.

Julie Goodwin
Professor Patterson
Section 11 ENC 2135
29 October 2015
Prep Assignment 2
Is This Our Best Option? What are the Environmental and Societal impacts of Hydraulic
Fracturing?
Annotated Bibliography
Allen, David T. "Atmospheric Emissions and Air Quality Impacts from Natural Gas Production
and use." Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vol 5 5 (2014): 55-75.
Print.
This source speaks for the negative side of fracking, in which they display the major
downsides, impacts, and indirect consequences the emission of natural gases as a result of
fracturing has on our environment and could have on our health.
This review shows what impact fracking has on the public and why they should not only
know about this issue and their stance on it, but how it directly impacts each and every one
of them in their lives.

Boudet, Hilary, et al. ""Fracking" Controversy and Communication: Using National Survey Data
to Understand Public Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing." Energy Policy 65 (2014): 57-67.
Print.
This journal deciphers where the public stands on the issue of hydraulic fracturing or
fracking. Upon performing a survey they derived information regarding Americans
viewpoints on this topic as a whole, whether the subject was for or against it, or if they had
any knowledge on the subject. They also collected further details about their subjects
allowing them to draw conclusions about the typical person who is most likely to be for or
against it.
This source is beneficial to my research paper because although every survey is flawed
because you cannot make the sample population perfect or unbiased, it gives us an idea of
what actual citizens think on this controversy issue, and not just the viewpoints of the
media, government, or environmental agencies.
Jackson, Robert B., et al. "The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Fracking." Annual Review
of Environment and Resources, Vol 39 39 (2014): 327-62. Print.
This not only gives us a clear and understandable definition of what fracking actually is,
allowing us to provide the reader with the best illustration in their mind as they proceed
through the paper, but it also fights both sides of the argument. It speaks of fracking
outcomes when preformed successfully and the result is not drastic to the environment and
also speaks of times that media prefers to focus on when the impact is larger and leads to
health threats.

This article allows readers to make informed decisions and opinions about the topic without
clear bias trying to sway them to a particular party, unlike the first source who clearly
defines the side they stand on but is reliable because it is supported well.
Spence, David B. "Federalism, Regulatory Lags, and the Political Economy of Energy
Production." University of Pennsylvania Law Review 161.2 (2013): 431-508. Print.
This source is beneficial to the topic and paper because it ties in the legal and government
standpoint and actions that affect citizens. It shows us the standing regulations and
rationales behind them as well as views to why these should be changed.
Missing:
I think information and sources I am missing in my research so far that would be beneficial to
add are some examples of the discussion of the topic in very recent news such as news talk
shows, newspaper, or forums online. I could then compare and contrast the information in
these articles with the sources I found and show if they are biased and/or exaggerated.
Research Prep Assignment 3: Works Cited
Allen, David T. "Atmospheric Emissions and Air Quality Impacts from Natural Gas Production
and use." Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vol 5 5 (2014): 55-75.
Print.
This source speaks for the negative side of fracking, in which they display the major
downsides, impacts, and indirect consequences the emission of natural gases as a result of
fracturing has on our environment and could have on our health.

Beaver, Bruce. "Should we Frack?" Perspectives on Science & Christian Faith 67.3 (2015): 17587. Print.
This resource gives us information backing up both arguments. The information used to
represent the arguments are very detailed and specific therefore I will use this resource in
the individual divided sections of pro and anti-fracking. The Environmentally Responsible
Fracking was especially interesting to me because it raised many valuable points that
rarely, if ever, have been brought up, especially on the pro-fracking side.
Boudet, Hilary, et al. ""Fracking" Controversy and Communication: Using National Survey Data
to Understand Public Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing." Energy Policy 65 (2014): 57-67.
Print.
This journal deciphers where the public stands on the issue of hydraulic fracturing or
fracking. Upon performing a survey they derived information regarding Americans
viewpoints on this topic as a whole, whether the subject was for or against it, or if they had
any knowledge on the subject. They also collected further details about their subjects
allowing them to draw conclusions about the typical person who is most likely to be for or
against it.
CRAWFORD, MARK. "FRACTURING Rocks to Unlock New Oil." Mechanical Engineering
135.12 (2013): 24-9. Print.
This resources gives me a very good visual and design layout if I were to set up my paper as
a blog or wiki. The design and layout re useful for me to refer to as well as information
within the article, especially regarding ways to improve fracturing, which I may add as a

subsection of pro-fracking, for it presents ways to improve the model to make it more
efficient.
GOODWIN, RICHARD W. "Environmental Perspective Update: Hydraulic Fracturing."
Pollution Engineering 46.10 (2014): 34-8. Print.
This resource speaks of both the positive and negative aspects of fracking but shines light on
how many old views and beliefs of fracking are no longer as severe as media makes it seem.
This will complement the above resource well because it too shows ways it can be and has
been improved to achieve more environmentally sound ways to extract gas.
"Introduction to Fracking: At Issue." Fracking. Ed. Tamara Thompson. Detroit: Greenhaven
Press, 2013. Print.
This abstract and excerpt will allow me to briefly explain fracking and the issue I am
presenting in my paper in a way that is to the point to use for my introduction and overview.
Jackson, Robert B., et al. "The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Fracking." Annual Review
of Environment and Resources, Vol 39 39 (2014): 327-62. Print.
This resource will provide a level headed overview of the issue at hand. It shows both
realities of the controversial and opposing viewpoints of the issue. This resource will allow
me to extract data so readers can further interpret the main ideas of the arguments in an
overview of what is at issue section of the paper.
Spence, David B. "Federalism, Regulatory Lags, and the Political Economy of Energy
Production." University of Pennsylvania Law Review 161.2 (2013): 431-508. Print.

This source is beneficial to the topic and paper because it ties in the legal and government
standpoint and actions that affect citizens. It shows us the standing regulations and
rationales behind them as well as views to why these should be changed.
Stamford, Laurence, and Adisa Azapagic. "A Fractured Truth." TCE: The Chemical
Engineer.881 (2014): 26-30. Print.
This article peaks of what is the most affordable and sound option of energy for a country
and looks at many other possibilities and compares it to that of other countries, although we
do not have the same environment and resources (such as wind Like Denmark). The layout
of this resource is also a good reference for me if I want to make a model similar to a blog,
article, or wiki, which includes many diagrams and charts as well.
Ehrenberg, Rachel. The Facts Behind the FRACK: Scientists Weigh in on the Hydraulic
Fracturing Debate. Science News 182.5 (2012): 2025. Web
This resource not only provides us with a more lay-man description of
fracking and what some of the major issues and incidents are, but also the reality of
the causes behind them.