New technologies are being researched and developed to make fracking safer.
Talk about three: Waterless fracking, using recycled water or brine for the injection well, and changing the chemical use.
The three pieces of evidence above prove that measures are being undertaken to make fracking a safer, more environmentally friendly practice.
This evidence is important for my essay because the essay is entirely about new fracking methods.
Adaption of Outline Item:
One idea that has sprung up is the idea of “waterless fracking”. The idea, admittedly, sounds a bit odd when one thinks about fracking. Just about every description of fracking states that pressurized water is necessary to break apart the shale rock containing oil and gas. However, several companies, including Snyder Farm Group in New York state, are currently experimenting with a propane gel and sand mixture that would be injected into the drill site as a replacement for pressurized water (Fox News. “Can waterless fracking in New York side-step Cuomo’s ban?”). Such an innovation would eliminate the need for water to not only be trucked in from elsewhere, but from being used at all.
However, not all companies may adopt waterless fracking. Although, a second proposal would be to simply use recycled water for the fracking process. Critics of fracking often point out that the industry uses large amounts of fresh water. Such water, they argue, is incredibly precious to the environment and human well being. However, a solution may very well be on the way. According to National Geographic Magazine, “(Oil and gas) industry researchers have worked to perfect friction-reducing additives that would allow operators to use recycled "gray" water or brine pumped from underground” (National Geographic. “Green Fracking?”).
Finally, the chemicals being used in the fracking process could be changed altogether. Critics of
fracking argue that the industry uses toxic chemicals in the drilling and harvesting process. New
chemical discoveries, however, could eliminate such harmful agents. Patricia Waldron of Inside
Science reports that, “Halliburton, a prominent producer of fracking fluids, presented a product
called CleanStim. The product contains chemicals approved for use in the food industry, such as an
enzyme found in soybeans and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.” (Inside Science. “In Search of
Greener Fracking for Natural Gas”). If products like CleanStim could be implemented throughout
the industry, the use of traditional, less environmentally friendly chemicals could be cut down
substantially.
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