Zachary Phelps Professor Malcolm Campbell UWRT 1103 02/09/2015 Topic Proposal: What in the World is Hydraulic Fracturing? Introduction What is hydraulic fracturing, how does it work, and what effects does it have on the environment? I will be examining how...
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Zachary Phelps Professor Malcolm Campbell UWRT 1103 02/09/2015 Topic Proposal: What in the World is Hydraulic Fracturing? Introduction What is hydraulic fracturing, how does it work, and what effects does it have on the environment? I will be examining how the process of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) works, how it is beneficial to society, and how it effects the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “hydraulic fracturing produces fractures in the rock formation that stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil, increasing the volumes that can be recovered. Wells may be drilled vertically hundreds to thousands of feet below the land surface and may include horizontal or directional sections extending thousands of feet.” In essence, a chemical mixture is injected thousands of feet underground to fracture and split shale rock formations that contain natural gas to allow it to escape easier to the surface. It is then harvested and used for energy production purposes.
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