He fracking or also known as hydraulic fracturingit is a practice that has been carried out in USA and other countries around the world in order to extracting resources such as oil and gas from the subsurface in an unconventional way. This technique is performed by injecting water with sand and some chemicals..
To do this, it is necessary to exert a large amount of pressure and in this way extract these resources, which causes fractures and large-scale damage in the different layers of the soil. He fracking o hydraulic fracturing which has been carried out for some time, has gradually caused serious environmental and social consequences.
A technique extremely aggressive for the environmentwhich has been practiced in EU since the mid-19th century. And it originally consisted of drilling a well where nitroglycerin was placed and everything was destroyed, in order to obtain oil. The places where it was practiced Fracking thus they have not yet recovered.
Currently, a system is used in which several deep wells are drilled (more than 2,500 meters) that are cased and cemented. These ‘channels’ (vertical and horizontal) are those that conduct the water mixed with 350 to 400 chemicals and sand. These are injected under pressure to overcome the resistance of the rock and achieve fracture, in order to promote the release of oil and/or gas contained in the substrate.
Harmful consequences for the environment and humans of Fracking
Among the many harmful effects that Fracking has or hydraulic fracturing, we will highlight the most important ones. Since they are the ones who have led to the establishment of a special day in the year to warn the population of how harmful this practice can be, for the present and the future of the planet.
- Agua: Huge amounts of water are needed to carry out these practices. And that liquid cannot be cleaned 100%, so reduces water availability for living beings.
- Pollution: In addition to the water used, the water tables are polluted, due to the chemicals used. In the vicinity of the Fracking areas, the fauna and flora are affected by the pollution noise and lack of drinking water.
- Earthquakes and earthquakes: Fracking is responsible for numerous episodes of induced seismicity and the increase in the frequency of telluric movements.
- Methane: he Fracking is a super methane emittera greenhouse gas that can be between 21 and 80 times more effective than CO2, in aggravating the global warming.
- Forced migration: Given the living conditions generated in the land surrounding Fracking prospecting, many people have had to abandon their lands and lose their livelihoods. Because they are no longer productive or because his own health was at stake.
- Economy: These methods have become profitable because the price of oil has risen disproportionately. So he Fracking does not contribute to stabilizing its price.