AWA: Academic Writing at Auckland

The Risks and Uncertainties of Hydraulic Fracturing on Water Source Contamination.

Part A: Outlining the Issue

This paper will discuss the risks and uncertainties associated with the controversial topic of hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as ‘fracking’. This highly contested form of gas and oil extraction has been criticized for its perceived detrimental effects on surrounding environments and the potential risks on human health. While there are many risks associated with fracking such as, increased chance of seismic eruptions and exacerbated greenhouse gas emissions, the most highly talked about issue is potential water source contamination. This paper will focus on the pollution of local groundwater aquifers and surface level water sites which can affect local drinking water, as a result of nearby hydraulic fracturing. There are many risks associated with water contamination as well as many uncertainties within the scientific community surrounding those potential risks.

Fracking gas wells are drilled to depths between 1,100 to more than 4,400 metres deep depending on the type of rock, in areas which has low permeability and highly porous rocks, which store water in reservoirs (PCE, 2012). A highly pressured mixture of water, chemicals and sand are are then injected into the well, to exhume the gas and oil trapped in deep shale rock. The sand holds the fractures in the rock open, to allow for the gas and oil to escape by creating new pathways for it to travel to the surface (PCE, 2012). Many pieces of literature have discussed how and why this process of fracking has lead to the contamination of ground and surface water pollution by fracking chemicals and greenhouse gases.

Part B: Associated Scientific Risks

There are three ways that fracking can potentially cause this pollution. The first potential water contamination risk is the spillage and leaking of fracking chemicals, wastewater or oil and gas during transport, storage and use (PCE, 2012). The spillage of these contaminants can have detrimental effects on the health of animals who consume surface water and kill plants and trees on and around the site (PCE, 2012). Contaminants may also have impacts on stormwater from runoff on fracking sites (Carpenter, 2013).

The second risk is the structural failure of the wells which travel through groundwater sources. If a well is located on top of an aquifer, the well needs to be safeguarded and reinforced with extra rings of steel and cement to supposedly create an impenetrable casing to protect the aquifer (Raimi, 2017). However, if wells are not constructed correctly, maintained and checked regularly, contamination of aquifers by fracking fluids may occur (Raimi, 2017).

The third and most commonly discussed form of water pollution in scientific reports, is through the potential migration of stray gas. Stray gases use fractures in the shale rock to migrate towards the surface and will often end up in underground aquifers (Meng, Ashby, 2014). The fractures in which gases migrate through can be man-made as a result of the fracking process or through naturally occuring cracks in the rock (Ladd, 2018). However, if migration occurred from natural fractures it would have occurred well before fracking took place, making it easy to distinguish migration as a result of hydraulic fracturing (Stephenson, 2015). This type of contamination is the most likely to affect drinking water in homes of people close to the fracking site. In the highly controversial documentary, ‘Gasland’ the tap water of local homes could be set alight, indicating high amounts of methane, from migration at a nearby fracking site (Raimi, 2017).

Part C: Uncertainties

There has been reported cases of each of these risks taking place, leading to contamination of local people’s water sources. These risks associated with fracking may have significant impacts on human and environmental health (Levant, 2014). However, there are many uncertainties within the scientific community about the potential human and environmental risks. Limited information is known about the long term risks to human and animal health through prolonged consumption of contaminated drinking water. Concerns and uncertainties about the potential of carcinogens related to exposure of contaminated water have been discussed in regards to this issue (Ladd, 2018). Other uncertainties includes the possibility of catastrophic failures or blowouts of a well above or below ground. A blowout could occur from any number of reasons yet there is no solidified way to predict a blowout or prevent its occurrence (PCE, 2012). In recorded cases of blowouts such as the 1995 Taranaki, New Zealand blowout, the mangahewa stream was extremely badly effected, and took over 18 months to fully recover (PCE, 2012). The uncertainties surrounding water pollution have lead

to the prohibition of hydraulic fracking in countries around the world until the risks and uncertainties have been fully understood, addressed and remodeled to prevent contamination risks (Ladd, 2018). While the scientific uncertainties and risks may be addressed and fixed through careful preparation and study, uncertainties on the negative socio-environmental impacts and geopolitical debates around the encouragement of fossil fuels may continue (Ladd, 2018).

Resources:

Adam T. Carpenter. (2013). Water and hydraulic fracturing. Journal (American Water Works Association), 105(3), 56-59. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/stable/jamewatworass.105.3.56

Levant, Ezra (2014) Groundswell the case for fracking.

Anthony E. Ladd (2018) Fractured Communities: Risk, Impacts, and Protest Against Hydraulic Fracking in U.S. Shale Regions. New Brunswick, Camden, Newark, New Jersey; London: Rutgers University Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/stable/j.ctt1sq5vhr

Meng, Q., & Ashby, S. (2014). Distance: A critical aspect for environmental impact assessment of hydraulic fracking. The Extractive Industries and Society,1(2), 124-126. doi:10.1016/j.exis.2014.07.004

Evaluating the environmental impacts of fracking in New Zealand: an interim report. (2012) Office of the Parliamentary commissioner for the environment (PCE)

Stephenson, M. (2015). The Science behind the Controversy. Shale Gas and Fracking. 141-145. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-801606-0.00009-1