Monday, October 29, 2018

Useful Knowledge On Clean Fracking Technology

By Jose Foster


Fracking is only becoming popular today even though it is a technology that has been existing for around two centuries. Hydraulic fracturing, hydrofracking, faccing, and hydrofracturing are other names given to this process. The technology has been in existence since the 1800s as indicated by history. Instead of water, explosives were used to reach gas and oil shale formations underground before facing was invented. Here are useful tips about clean fracking technology.

Afterwards in the 1930s, firms decided to embrace the use of non-explosive methods. In the following decade, experiments were conducted extensively. The hydrofracking technology was developed by 1949. Adoption grew immensely in 1950s. During that time, the adoption rate stood at 3000 wells every month.

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.

Advancements in technology have also allowed for the use of different forms of fluid. Some of the common types of fluids in use are slickwater, gels, and foams. Modern fracking fluid is composed of several different ingredients, including guan gum, biocines, friction reducers, diesel fuel, hydrochloric acid, and benzene. Most of these ingredients are highly harmful to the environment. That is why there are calls everywhere demanding that hydrofracking should be made environmentally friendly.

There should be careful disposal of wastewater produced to avert negative impact because a lot of water is utilized in fracking. Prior to 1985, all the resultant wastewater found its way in waterways of the state such as lakes, oceans and rivers. Today, however, it is different since the water is disposed in deep wells. These are also called brine disposal wells.

Besides disposing wastewater in deep wells, some private treatment facilities acquire it for processing into useful water. Even though the water can be processed and refined, not all of it can be processed successfully. Wastewater that cannot be processed usually contain hydrofracturing fluid and must be disposed in landfills or pumped into deep wells. Disposal into landfills and deep wells was once deemed error proof but that has changed now as some problems are associated with the process.

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.




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