Saturday, November 10, 2018

Useful Knowledge On Clean Fracking Technology

By Jose Foster


Although fracking is only attaining popularity today, it is a technology that has been around for about two centuries. Other names used to refer to this process include hydraulic fracturing, faccing, hydrofracking, and hydrofracturing. According to history, this technology has been around since the 1800s. During that time, gas and oil shale formations underground were reached using explosives instead of water. Facts regarding clean fracking technology.

Firms later in 1930s made a decision to begin applying non-explosive methods. In the course of the next decade, experiments were done to find out how effectual non-explosive methods could be. The invention of hydrofrac technology was done by 1949. By 1950s, the use of the new technology became much popular. About 3000 wells were adopting the new technology per month at that time.

In the early versions of this technology, 750 gallons of fluid were used. The fluid was composed of gelled crude oil, gelled kerosene, water, and 400 pounds of sand. That amount and composition of fluid would remain in use for a very long time. Today, things have changed a bit, allowing between 75000 and 320000 pounds of sand and 8 million gallons of water to be used.

Technological advancements have enabled the use of various fluid forms. A number of the fluids in use are foams, gels and slickwater. Present-day fracking fluid comprises elements like biocines, guan gum, diesel fuels, friction reducers, benzene and hydrochloric acid. Many of the listed ingredients are hazardous to the environment. This is why that there are demands all over that hydrofracking be made harmless to the environment.

The large amount of water consumed in the process calls for safe disposal to prevent environmental problems. State waterways such as lakes, rivers, and oceans were the final destination of the wastewater used in fraccing before1985. Changes have occurred currently, with wastewater being disposed in deep injection wells. Brine disposal well is also a term used for these wells.

Besides being disposed of in brine disposal wells, some private treatment facilities take the wastewater to process it. However, even though the wastewater can be processed, not all of it can be processed successfully. Some still contain hydrofracturing fluid and need to be injected back into the ground or disposed in landfills. Even though these disposal methods seemed error proof, they are now being discovered to have some bad effects.

One of the main adverse effects associated with disposal of wastewater is contaminated drinking water. Somehow, the wastewater finds its way back into the water system and causes pollution. Also, water depletion has come up as a major effects associated with the use of such large amounts of water on oil extraction. Lastly, the environment is also affected negatively by both the process of hydrofracking and water disposal methods.

Suggestions to obtain better means of reusing wastewater so as to reduce its adverse effects have been made. One suggestion is to use techniques that allow for reuse of wastewater. Secondly, reduction of fresh water amounts used in the process would curb impact. Thirdly, using other forms of fuel other than diesel would reduce exhaust production. And lastly, escape of methane during mining should be curbed.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment