The production of crude oil in the United States has almost caught up to the amount Saudi Arabia produces. This is because we use a method called hydraulic fracturing which is a mining practice that involves a rock-cracking pressurized mix of water, sand, and chemicals. With the process of hydraulic fracturing, scientists have found that drinking water sources may be threatened by thousands of shallow oil and gas wells that are mined using this process.
One possible solution to this problem could be using a different/more innovative technique using isotopic "tracer" compounds, which distinguish the source of chemicals in the water. Rob Jackson, Stanford's environmental science professor, has not found evidence that this method doesn't allow the frack water contaminants to seep upward into the drinking-water aquifers. But this method is innovative and can stop the problem at the source.
Possible barriers to the solution is that the United States may not want to fund this technique because of the high cost that comes with it. Also this method has not been tested thoroughly, and it may allow the frack water contaminants to seep upward into the purifiers like the regular method.
Personally I agree with Jackson on the innovative technique using isotopic "tracer" compounds, and that it is a possible solution to the problem. It shows the source of chemicals in the water, which can allow scientists to find other solutions of how to decrease the threat of thousands of shallow oil and gas wells that are mined in the process of hydraulic fracturing.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150721124437.htm
This is a very disconcerting environmental problem. Especially since only about two percent of Earth's water is actually freshwater, and only one percent is drinkable. Large corporations typically view the Earth as a source of income, and oil companies are no exception. You're right in saying that the United States probably would not want to fund the alternative isotopic tracer method, because cutting corners at the expense of the future for profit is typical of our country. Also, many people are probably not aware of this issue, making it difficult to find more solutions. Another solution may be to find more sustainable sources of energy other than fossil fuels which have to be mined, and then we can get rid of the whole greenhouse gases/global warming problem too.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Ginny. I believe that the US, along with other nations, should be finding environmentally friendly solutions to our energy problem rather than trying to pick which of the damaging ones is better than the others. No drinking water should be put at risk since the supply we have is limited, and oil in general should be put on the back burner as something that we know we will be able to use because it is clearly not the best choice considering its known effects and the state of our planet at this point.
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