reservoirs of gases and oil in their pores, and fracking breaks them from the pores of the rocks to production wells. As a overview of the process, drilling companies drill a vertical well straight down to the shale bedrock, and then drill laterally through the shale layer. While drilling laterally, they pump air, water, and corrosives into the well to pressurize the chamber and fracture the shale rock. One the shale has been fractured, natural gas is released which can then be harvested and refined for use as fuel (Kershner 2015). A deep well is drilled in order to begin the fracking process. The wells are on average 7,700 feet deep (nearly six Empire State buildings). Once a certain depth is reached, the well turns and from that point on drills laterally. According to the EPA, the horizontal tunnel may range from 1,000 to 6,000 feet in length. A steel casing is put into the hole, lining the entire cavity. The casing is to protect groundwater and the surrounding land from any fracking related leakage. The casing is perforated throughout, allowing for tiny particles or water to escape. Fracking fluid and corrosives are pumped through these small perforations to pressurize the chamber and crack the shale bed (K ershner 2015). The fluid is highly pressurized and is composed of water, sand, and other additives, which cause the fissures to remain open. Gas or other resources flow from the open fissures back to surface level in the water that is pumped back up. Fracturing in this way typically takes a period of three to ten days to complete. The figure below is a visual representation of the fracking process, outlined above.
reservoirs of gases and oil in their pores, and fracking breaks them from the pores of the rocks to production wells. As a overview of the process, drilling companies drill a vertical well straight down to the shale bedrock, and then drill laterally through the shale layer. While drilling laterally, they pump air, water, and corrosives into the well to pressurize the chamber and fracture the shale rock. One the shale has been fractured, natural gas is released which can then be harvested and refined for use as fuel (Kershner 2015). A deep well is drilled in order to begin the fracking process. The wells are on average 7,700 feet deep (nearly six Empire State buildings). Once a certain depth is reached, the well turns and from that point on drills laterally. According to the EPA, the horizontal tunnel may range from 1,000 to 6,000 feet in length. A steel casing is put into the hole, lining the entire cavity. The casing is to protect groundwater and the surrounding land from any fracking related leakage. The casing is perforated throughout, allowing for tiny particles or water to escape. Fracking fluid and corrosives are pumped through these small perforations to pressurize the chamber and crack the shale bed (K ershner 2015). The fluid is highly pressurized and is composed of water, sand, and other additives, which cause the fissures to remain open. Gas or other resources flow from the open fissures back to surface level in the water that is pumped back up. Fracturing in this way typically takes a period of three to ten days to complete. The figure below is a visual representation of the fracking process, outlined above.
Team13-FrackingPaperFinal.docx