Understanding Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) - Multidisciplinary Session Held By The Geological Society of America (GSA)

How Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) Works
Credit: NPR, GRAPHIC BY PROPUBLICA/CREATIVE COMMONS

A multidisciplinary session on understanding the science and the water, air, and health issues behind fracking was set up by The Geological Society of America (GSA) in Denver. The goal of the session is to present to researchers and the general public, the state of the science of facking.

Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking is the use of water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure to fracture rock for the purpose of obtaining natural gas trapped below the surface of the Earth. There are environmental and health concerns raised with fracking. Some of the risks that are attributed to fracking are water and air contamination, resulting toxic waste products, and increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02) levels.

The sessions held in Denver covered topics such as outdoor air emissions from fracking, and specific health risks from exposure to the process.

The sessions of note are:

• Session 064: Energy and Health: The Emergence of Medical Geology In Response to the Shale Gas Boom
• Session 022: Geochemistry of Flowback and Produced Waters From Hydraulically Fractured Black Shale
• Session 299: A Comprehensive Look at Hydraulic Fracturing For Hydrocarbon Recovery and Other Purposes

Stanford Researchers Map Out Alternative Energy Plan For New York

In the shadow of the controversial decision whether or not to allow hydraulic fracturing in the State of New York, researchers at Stanford University has laid out a plan on the use of alternative energy.

Hydraulic fracturing is the creation and propagation of fractures in a rock layer. It is a process used to extract petroleum, natural gas and other substances from source rocks.

There have been harsh criticism and environmental concerns with the process of hydraulic fracturing. The State of New York will soon decide whether to approve this process in the state. Supporters of the decision feel that it will bring an economic boom from the resulting jobs and that it will help end dependence on imported oil.

Researchers believe that instead of focusing on hydraulic fracturing, it will be best environmentally and economically to focus on using alternative energy such as solar and wind power instead.