Dangers Of Fracking, Its Benefits And Risks

Dangers of fracking, its benefits and risks

Introduction

The subtraction of unconventional hydrocarbons through the hydraulic fracturing technique has generated in much of the world and also in Colombia, quite controversial because of the environmental hazards that can lead to the implementation of this method in the mining-energy industry.

To understand more about this topic it is important to contextualize and clarify some concepts such as: What is fracking? Why is your approval seeks in Colombia? What risks brings to the environment? Among other issues, which will be discussed below.

Hydraulic fracturing or "fracking"

Hydraulic fracturing or better known for "fracking" anglicism is a procedure that allows obtaining, non -conventional deposits, gas and oil, which are contained in sedimentary rocks of fine grain to many meters underground. This action is carried out by means of horizontal and vertical perforations to more than 2500 meters deep through which a mixture of water, sand and chemicals are injected, which reduce the friction of water with the pipe so that it does not lose power and helpTo expand the existing fractures in the rock base, it is possible to break these rocks thus releasing gas hydrocarbons that, in turn, amount to the same duct to a storage area. This action takes an average of five to seven days, when this period has passed and the fracturing operation ends, the well is now ready to safely, extract oil or gas for years or decades.

Most people think that fracking is something new but the truth is that this method began to be used in the 50s, one of the first wells of this type was carried out in the Soviet Union, however, whereMore was generalized in North America, especially in the United States. Which, in recent years, has achieved the expansion of this large -scale practice thus increasing its gas and oil reserves suppressing the need for importation and reducing the costs of these products in that country.

This activity has been condemned by the adverse effects that it brings to the environment, above all, for water or aquifer sources, the contamination of the atmosphere and the possible disturbances in the tectonic plates causing an increase in seismic activity, all theseimpacts that can lead to human health risks.

The defenders argue that these are myths and that they are exceptional cases in which preventive measures have not been taken to avoid pollution or due to defects in the construction of wells, they also discuss that this technique has no major risks than any other usedPreviously by the industry and that instead favors the economy by extracting large amounts of hydrocarbons, which were previously unlawful.

These among other reasons, in which we will delve later, are for which so much controversy has been generated around this issue in different countries going from the promotion of this activity as is the case of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada until itsprohibition as in France, Bulgaria and Scotland.

Benefits

The argument that is usually always given when touching the benefits of fracking is the fact of increasing oil and gas reserves so that the country is not dependent on the producing countries of these products and that instead becomesIn an exporter of them and, thus, ensuring energy sustainability for several more years, thus promoting the economic growth of the country, in addition to the fact that these gases can be stored and used when energy demand requires it and this cannot be mitigatedWith renewable energy. Another of its arguments is based on the fact that the carbon emissions of this are lower than those of other fossil fuels.

The employment generation would increase since this process is long and the activities would be carried out 24 hours a day and additional to this after the extraction of hydrocarbons, they would require being transported. The region and sectors surrounding this would be the most benefited in this regard. With respect to the economy, there would be a reactivation of this for circulating money, which would increase. On the other hand, the Government would collect more money for consumption taxes, exports, production and income of oil companies.

Risks

At first glance it may seem that the fracking technique shows us a very positive perspective, however, we must not overlook the repercussions that it can bring, one of the most worrisome is the consumption and contamination of water since “(…)The water required for fracking is an average of 20 thousand cubic meters per well, which is equivalent to eight Olympic pools.”(Colombian Petroleum Association, 2017) We see then that the amount of water that this procedure uses is enough, we also know that“ approximately between 25% and 75% of the injected fracturing fluid returns to the surface, according to the Royal Society.”(Martins, 2013) GivePetroleum deposits or water contaminated with other water sources, also the mixture can be filtered and contaminated an aquifer. From these leaks they can also escape radioactive products, cancer hydrocarbons and gases such as methane, these can cause serious adverse effects on the air we breathe and therefore affect our health in the short and long term, in the same way, the fact that the landscapeIt deteriorates to carry out this process would cause environmental and also social problems. Economically speaking, fracking, affects the price of oil worldwide since it tends to lower because the country becomes energetically independent and this affects the main oil export countries which are forced to reduce the cost of this product forbe able to sell it as they had been doing.

Finally, one of the impacts commonly associated with hydraulic fracturing is the increase in seismic activity since by injecting water by a lot of power into the subsoil, mycrosisms are generated that are only detected by seismographs but sometimes they give rise to earthquakes of greater intensitythat the community can perceive and if no studies are made regarding the locations of the fences geological failures, some of them may be activated.

Why fracking in Colombia?

Already clarified some important aspects of fracking arises a doubt about whether Colombia has the need to implement this extraction mechanism, we are prepared to take this step, the country has the potential to be profitable this system and especially that so much can affect the country thisdecision.

Proven oil reserves went from 1.958 million barrels reported in 2018 to 2.036 million barrels in 2019. Its useful half -life increased from 6.2 years to 6.3 years.

In gas, proven reserves went from 3.782 Giga feet cubic in 2018 to 3.149 Giga cubic feet in 2019, and its average useful life was reduced from 9.8 years to 8.1 years. (National Hydrocarbons Agency Colombia, 2020)

According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, in principle, in recent years the gas reserves in Colombia have been decreasing and despite the fact that those of crude oil have increased not completely the decay that is generated as there are much more consumption of these fuels of these fuels, it is here when the need to implement something that helps us in this sense is generated so that in the short term we do not have to import gas and raw from countries that if they have them.

One of the most potential areas is Magdalena Medio, the exploitation of unconventional deposits in this region is estimated that it could produce up to more than 5000 million barrels of oil with which the useful life of crude oil reserves would increase until15 years, to know more about the viability of these projects the government created a commission of 13 experts, which were responsible for presenting conclusions and recommendations to follow on the implementation of fracking. One of the most important conclusions shared by this group of experts is that, so far, communities linked to exploitation, which would be carried out from hydraulic fracturing, does not have more knowledge of these practices that, as we saw earlier, can cause effectscollateral on the health of the population and landscape deterioration. Another important conclusion is that in the country there is an ignorance of more than 70% of the underground waters of the Colombian territory and one of the areas that has been studied is the middle Magdalena, which is a muddy ecosystem full of wetlands, whatwhich leads to the concern of water pollution since, unlike the United States that has its water reserves less than 400m deep, in Colombia we already extract drinking water at 1500m, in this way an uncertainty is generated in terms ofrisk that is being able to contaminate these aquifers since at the least knowledge more levels of mistakes will be generated around this.

Currently

The truth is that we have one of the most important decisions of Colombia in this 21st century about whether the exploitation of hydrocarbons is encouraged or the risks of polluting our water sources are eliminated.

Currently, Fracking pilot projects are already found in a regulatory framework in Colombia, this measure was questioned by several sectors since it is presented in the quarantine, in addition, the decree that sets the general guidelines, includes more than 600 observations and proposalswhich have generated opinions both for and against. While some experts claim that the implementation of these pilot projects will allow defining the level of impact that this technique could cause, others reiterate that precautionary measures should be taken due to lack of studies and scientific evidence. Also, it should be taken into account that, with the health crisis of the coronavirus, the price of crudeHydrocarbons extraction and it is surprising that, while oil companies in the United States have fallen bankrupt because of the devaluation of oil, in Colombia this model is being advanced that can cause repercussions on the environment;Instead of promoting a path to a transition to renewable energies, adapting a little more to the situation that the country lives, and to a broader development of our economy.

Conclusions

Without a doubt, fracking is one of the methods that allows us greater oil extraction and in this way our crude oil reserves are increased, which in turn help the country economy, but at the same time brings risks to ourhealth and Environment.

Finally, considering that processes for the execution of pilot projects with an alleged environmental regulation and sustainability are already advanced, despite the different views of the experts, it is most likely that the Colombian State of place to the implementation of thistechnique, therefore, we are obliged to inform ourselves about the effects of this, its regulation, its application and its evolution to the extent that it is carried out.

References

1. National Hydrocarbons Agency Colombia. (April 30, 2020). Proven oil reserves in Colombia increased to 6.3 years at the end of 2019, gas decreased to 8 years. Obtained from National Hydrocarbons Agency Colombia Anh: http: // www.anh.GOV.CO/LISTS/NEWS/VISORNOTETICIAS.ASPX?Id = 479
2. Colombian Petroleum Association. (2017). Do you really know what fracking is? Obtained from Colombian Association of Petroleum ACP: https: // acp.com.CO/Web2017/ES/ALL-OBRE-EL-FRACKING/824-REALLY-SABE-WHICH-EL-FRACKING
3. Martins, a. (2013). 7 fears about fracking: science or fiction? Obtained from BBC News World: https: // www.BBC.com/Mundo/News/2013/10/130905_ciencia_especial_fracking_dudas_am