Hello friends of STEEMIT today I want to tell you about Hydraulic fracturing, or hydraulic stimulation (also known by the English term fracking) is a technique that enables an increase the extraction of gas and oil from the subsoil.
¿What does it consist of?
It is based on the drilling of vertical or horizontal wells, more than 2500 meters deep, in order to create one or more channels of high permeability, through the injection of high pressure water; so that it exceeds the strength of the rock and allows generating a controlled fracture at the bottom of the well or desired section, containing hydrocarbons.
To generate this impact that allows the opening o the said channel, the water is mixed with some pointed material and chemical agents, with the purpose of expanding the existing fracture in the rocky substratum where the gas and oil are enclosed to favor their extraction towards the surface.
Positive Impacts of FRANKING
The sympathizers of this technique have spoken out in defense, arguing that the practice of FRANKING has no greater risks compared to other technologies used in the industry; and they emphasize the economic benefits that hydrocarbon extraction allows since the existing demand can be covered by these practices.
For these reasons, hydraulic fracturing has been the subject of much global attention, being promoted in some countries, while others have imposed serious negatives to its use or have prohibited it. In the United States, it is estimated that the generalization of this practice has increased the proven gas reserves by about 47% in four years and in 11% the estimate of the existence of oil. The advancement of this technique has allowed the country to increase natural gas production by 35% since 2005 and eliminate the need for imports. As for oil, production has increased 45% since 2010, which has made the United States the second largest producer of oil in the world.
The unconventional hydrocarbons already represent a contribution of 430000 million dollars to the Gross Domestic Product and the creation of 2.7 million jobs, with salaries that double the average of the United States; At the same time, the price of natural gas is cheaper than that of most industrialized countries.
¿How does it affect the environment?
Those who oppose, on the other hand, argue about the great environmental impact generated by the extraction of hydrocarbons through this practice, since a high water consumption is generated to carry it out, adding sonic pollution due to the high noise generated, the use of chemical products, air pollution; but the most critical is the seismic activity that has occurred in recent times in the regions where FRACKING has been applied
Currently, those who are against criticizing the excessive use of the vital liquid (WATER) since it is the main asset that is needed for the exploitation of hydrocarbons through this technique, some more radicals have promoted campaigns against; to achieve its regularization or paralysis.
Some researchers, however, believe that the productivity of the wells exploited by hydraulic fracturing are inflated and minimize the impact that the significant reduction in the productivity of the wells that takes place after the first or second year of operation will have on the production.
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