ADDRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT HYDRAULIC FRACTURING скачать в хорошем качестве

ADDRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT HYDRAULIC FRACTURING

Hydraulic fracturing, a process used to recover oil or natural gas in tight rock formations, was first used in Canada in 1953 at the Alberta oil sands. According to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers or CAPP, most oil and natural gas wells are 2 to 4 km below the surface. This is much lower than drinking water aquifers, which are typically 18 to 150 metres below the surface, so water contamination risk is slight. Multiple layers of steel casing are cemented at the sides of the well to provide a barrier between groundwater sources. Runoff water is intercepted and diverted away from creeks, ponds, and other surface water features. CAPP is also working to reduce the volume of water used in oil and natural gas development, engaging in initiatives to recycle water, and researching technologies that require less water. About 98.5% of hydraulic fracturing fluid is water and sand, with the remaining 1.5% consisting of additives with properties to limit bacterial growth and prevent corrosion. The additives used vary from one rock formation to another, but all are publicly disclosed and regulated. Another concern about hydraulic fracturing is seismic activity caused when fluid is forced into rock layers to release oil or natural gas. This creates small earthquakes around 2 to 3 km below ground. This is rarely felt at the surface, and is of a very low magnitude. All seismic activity, however, is monitored closely, and if any seismic event of 4.0 or greater on the Richter scale occurs, fracturing operations immediately stop. So, concerns about fracturing are thus not founded, and Canada should continue to use our oil and natural gas resources to gain an economic advantage in the world. To learn more about this and other topics in climate change, please visit icsc-canada.com