Free Hydraulic Fracturing Essay Sample

Should hydraulic fracturing stop?  The answer is “no”. Hydraulic fracturing is an effective and valuable means of extracting natural gas and should continue.  Shale gas plays a critical role in securing the future of American energy.  Hydraulic fracturing of natural gas from shale creates jobs, impacts economic growth, and is efficient to extract. Thus, this essay asserts that hydraulic fracturing should not stop.

Hydraulic fracturing is a source of jobs.  The creation of jobs is likely to be the most significant economic effect.  Many jobs created are the ripple effect of gas exploration.  The Marcellus Shale gas industry generated 156,000 jobs in Pennsylvania alone in 2011.  Projections for 2012 expand employment to 180,000 jobs due to the advanced stimulation techniques that are increasing overall productivity.  It is estimated that by 2025, there will be 1 million jobs created nationwide.  The continuation of hydraulic fracturing accounts for a significant impact to the economy by employing over 156,000 workers in Pennsylvania and an overall estimate of employment of 1 million workers.

In addition, hydraulic fracturing impacts economic growth.  Production from the wells stimulates the economy and provides additional resources for community services, such as health care, education and charities (Dammel, 23-35).  Pennsylvania’s 1,632 producing Marcellus wells pumped out 432.5 billion cubic feet of gas during the early part of 2011.  By way of approximation, Pennsylvania could be the second largest producer behind Texas by 2020.  In Pennsylvania, the Marcellus gas industry added $12.8 billion to the economy during 2011 and projected to increase to $14.5 billion in 2012.  Pennsylvania has had a profound effect on the United States natural gas market (Griswold, par. 3-9).  The continuation of hydraulic fracturing boosted the economy by $12.8 billion adding critical resources such as health care, education, and charities to the community.

Finally, hydraulic fracturing is efficient to extract.  The utilization of water during the fracturing process is a more efficient means of extraction.  Very little energy is wasted in decompression.  Shale gas extraction in 2011 easily surpassed that of the last three years combined.  Current production is equal to the total conventional gas extracted in the nation over the past 150 years.  Advances in the exploration of natural gas through fracturing have decreased the number of wells needed to produce the same amount of gas extracted in the 1980’s.  Drilling wastes have decreased by as much as 148 million barrels due to increased well productivity and fewer wells.  The continuation of hydraulic fracturing insures little wastes during decompression and meets gas demands with fewer wells.

In conclusion, hydraulic fracturing for natural gas should continue based on the reasons highlighted in this essay.  Fracturing is effective and valuable for job creation, economic growth, and effective extraction.  Hydraulic fracturing is crucial to global economic stability and as citizens we need to support extracting shale gas.  There are much more benefits of hydraulic fracturing than disadvantages; and thus, it is an activity that can be of great value to many people. 

 

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