Help me understand more about fracking?
Question by Molly: Help me understand more about fracking?
I have to do a project on Marcellus Shale drilling in Pittsburgh, PA. One of the major environmental issues is hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and I would like to understand the concept better. Thanks so much!
Best answer:
Answer by Flower
http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/whats-fracking
What do you think? Answer below!
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about 4 months ago
The purpose for fracturing the producing formation around the hole is to develop new channels that will result in an increased flow of petroleum into the wellbore. Overall permeability of the formation is increased in two ways:
1. Lower permeability rock matrix is replaced by a higher permeability proppant (usually sand).
2. New channels are much straighter than the natural flow channels in the formation and so they change the overall flow pattern from radial to a more linear one.
Petroleum flow can be improved in:
- reservoirs that have been damaged by drilling operations;
- tight reservoirs with low permeability; and
- reservoirs with already high existing permeability.
Method
1. The well is filled with frac fluid.
2. Pressure is applied at the surface by powerful pumps until the rock fractures.
3. The fractures are filled with a proppant such as sand.
about 4 months ago
An oil and gas reservoir is really a porous sand or rock, sometimes with natural fractures,cracks that promote production rates.
“Man-made fluid-driven fractures are formed at depth in a borehole and extend into targeted formations. The fracture width is typically maintained after the injection by introducing a proppant into the injected fluid. Proppant is a material, such as grains of sand, ceramic, or other particulates, that prevent the fractures from closing when the injection is stopped.”….. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing
The environmental issue is when fracing goes wrong and makes Communication with an aquifer(drinking water reservoir)
Government regulations require that Casing(pipe) and cement separate aquifers.
about 4 months ago
In addition to what the others said, an environmental concern has been the proper treatment of wastewater from the mining process. There have been fish kills and pollution to streams, but the waste water treatment processes have been improving. Does this process still pollute? I don’t know.