How does fracking work? - Mia Nacamulli
-
0:09 - 0:14Deep underground lies stores of once
inaccessible natural gas. -
0:14 - 0:18This gas was likely formed
over millions of years -
0:18 - 0:23as layers of decaying organisms
were exposed to intense heat and pressure -
0:23 - 0:26under the Earth's crust.
-
0:26 - 0:28There's a technology called
hydraulic fracturing, -
0:28 - 0:30or fracking,
-
0:30 - 0:32that can extract this natural gas,
-
0:32 - 0:36potentially powering us
for decades to come. -
0:36 - 0:38So how does fracking work,
-
0:38 - 0:42and why it is a source
of such heated controversy? -
0:42 - 0:46A fracking site can be anywhere
with natural gas, -
0:46 - 0:47from a remote desert
-
0:47 - 0:50to several hundred feet
from your backyard. -
0:50 - 0:55It starts out with a long vertical hole
known as a wellbore -
0:55 - 0:58drilled down through layers of sediment.
-
0:58 - 1:03When the well reaches 2500 - 3000 meters,
it's at its kickoff point -
1:03 - 1:07where it can begin the process
of horizontal drilling. -
1:07 - 1:14It turns 90 degrees and extends
horizontally for about 1.5 kilometers -
1:14 - 1:19through a compressed black layer
called the shale rock formation. -
1:19 - 1:23A specialized perforating gun
is then lowered and fired, -
1:23 - 1:26creating a series of small,
inch-long holes -
1:26 - 1:31that burst through the well's casing
into the rock layer. -
1:31 - 1:34About three to four months
after the initial drilling, -
1:34 - 1:37the well is ready for fracking to begin.
-
1:37 - 1:41Fracking fluid is pumped down
into the well at a pressure so high, -
1:41 - 1:43it cracks the shale rock,
-
1:43 - 1:49creating fractures through which
the trapped gas and oil can escape. -
1:49 - 1:52The fluid itself is more than 90% water.
-
1:52 - 1:56The rest is made up of concentrated
chemical additives. -
1:56 - 2:00These vary depending on the specific
characteristics of the fracking site, -
2:00 - 2:03but usually fall into three categories:
-
2:03 - 2:06acids for clearing debris
and dissolving minerals, -
2:06 - 2:09friction-reducing compounds to create
-
2:09 - 2:12a slippery form of water
known as slickwater, -
2:12 - 2:16and disinfectant to prevent
bacteria growth. -
2:16 - 2:21Sand or clay is also mixed into
the water to prop open the fissures -
2:21 - 2:27so the gas and oil can keep leaking out,
even after the pressure is released. -
2:27 - 2:30It's estimated that all of fracking's
intense pumping and flushing -
2:30 - 2:36uses an average of 3-6 million gallons
of water per well. -
2:36 - 2:39That's actually not a lot compared
to agriculture, -
2:39 - 2:40power plants,
-
2:40 - 2:43or even golf course maintenance,
-
2:43 - 2:47but it can have a notable impact
on local water supply. -
2:47 - 2:51And disposing of used fracking water
is also an issue. -
2:51 - 2:54Along with the trapped gas
that's pumped up to the surface, -
2:54 - 2:59millions of gallons of flow-back liquid
come gushing up. -
2:59 - 3:02This liquid containing contaminants
like radioactive material, -
3:02 - 3:03salts,
-
3:03 - 3:04heavy metals,
-
3:04 - 3:06and hydrocarbons,
-
3:06 - 3:08needs to be stored and disposed of.
-
3:08 - 3:12That's usually done in pits on-site
in deep wells -
3:12 - 3:16or off-site at water treatment facilities.
-
3:16 - 3:19Another option is to recycle
the flow-back liquid, -
3:19 - 3:23but the recycling process can actually
increase levels of contamination -
3:23 - 3:27since the water is more toxic
with each use. -
3:27 - 3:30Wells are typically encased
in steel and cement -
3:30 - 3:33to prevent contaminants from leaking
into groundwater. -
3:33 - 3:37But any negligence
or fracking-related accidents -
3:37 - 3:39can have devastating effects.
-
3:39 - 3:41Fracturing directly
into underground water -
3:41 - 3:44hazardous underground
seepage and leakage, -
3:44 - 3:48and inadequate treatment and disposal
of highly-toxic waste water -
3:48 - 3:53can potentially contaminate
drinking water around a fracking site. -
3:53 - 3:56There's also concern about
the threat of earthquakes -
3:56 - 3:57and damaged infrastructure
-
3:57 - 4:00from pressure
and waste water injection. -
4:00 - 4:04Links between fracking
and increased seismic activity -
4:04 - 4:08leave unresolved questions
about long-term pressure imbalances -
4:08 - 4:11that might be happening
deep beneath our feet. -
4:11 - 4:15Fracking's biggest controversy, though,
is happening above the ground. -
4:15 - 4:20The general consensus is that burning
natural gas is better for the environment -
4:20 - 4:22than burning coal
-
4:22 - 4:23since the gas collected from fracking
-
4:23 - 4:27emits only half
the carbon dioxide as coal -
4:27 - 4:29per unit of energy.
-
4:29 - 4:31The pollution caused
by the fracking itself, though, -
4:31 - 4:33isn't negligible.
-
4:33 - 4:36Methane that leaks out during the drilling
and pumping process -
4:36 - 4:39is many times more potent
than carbon dioxide -
4:39 - 4:41as a greenhouse gas.
-
4:41 - 4:45Some scientists argue that methane
eventually dissipates, -
4:45 - 4:49so has a relatively low long-term impact.
-
4:49 - 4:51But a greater question hangs in the air.
-
4:51 - 4:54Does fracking take time,
money, and research -
4:54 - 4:59away from the development
of cleaner renewable energy sources? -
4:59 - 5:01Natural gas is non-renewable,
-
5:01 - 5:04and the short-run economic interests
supporting fracking -
5:04 - 5:08may fall short in the face
of global climate change. -
5:08 - 5:12Experts are still examining
fracking's overarching effects. -
5:12 - 5:15Although modern fracking has been
around since the 1940s, -
5:15 - 5:18it's boomed in the last few decades.
-
5:18 - 5:23As other sources of natural gas decrease,
the costs of non-renewable energies rise, -
5:23 - 5:27and cutting-edge technologies
make it so accessible. -
5:27 - 5:30But many countries and regions
have already banned fracking -
5:30 - 5:33in response to environmental concerns.
-
5:33 - 5:37It's undeniable that fracking has reshaped
the energy landscape around the world, -
5:37 - 5:41but for what long-term benefit
and at what cost?
- Title:
- How does fracking work? - Mia Nacamulli
- Description:
-
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-does-fracking-work-mia-nacamulli
Deep underground lie stores of once-inaccessible natural gas. There’s a technology, called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” that can extract this natural gas, potentially powering us for decades to come. So how does fracking work and why is it a source of such heated controversy? Mia Nacamulli explains the ins and outs of fracking.
Lesson by Mia Nacamulli, animation by Sharon Colman.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 06:04
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