Benefits of Fracking / Hydraulic Fracturing VS Costs

What is the problem with Fracking?

The essence of the debate lies in the possibility of climate change, pollution, tremors and weighing up the benefits verses the costs.

The Costs

Climate Change / Global Warming

It is relatively indisputable that there is such a thing as climate change. We've had climate change for millions of years.

If our current changes are completely caused by or accelerated by the release of carbon into the air then we need to decide if a warmer climate will suit us better or worse.

Some believe that an overall 4% in earth average temperature since 1990 levels will effectively trigger a cascading carbon release that takes the matter out of our own hands as carbon is released all over the world in forest fires, ice cap melts released trapped gasses, and a general ecosystem imbalance.

While those of us nearer a hemisphere may think a little warming will be great, is it fair of us to force it upon people already struggling along the equator? Have we calculated what % of carbon release should be spent relocating those people further north or south if they so please?

One thing few can deny is that carbon levels in the air over the last 25 years have gone up significantly. Then again, for all we know, without man made global warming a natural global cooling has been averted?

Tremors

We are well aware  water is  pumped under ground to facilitate Fracking and displace the gas. The good news is that the increased and expanded water level that global warming is expected to cause will be partially reduced by pumping it back under the ground. The problem with this is that the structure that hold everything in place are changed. The question then begs if a combustible gas below the ground is more or less dangerous than water?

In the presence of abundant oxygen perhaps the gas would be. Thankfully there is not an abundance of oxygen in the fractured rocks.

Those of you interested in energy may know this but, other than wind and hydro power, all generation comes from the expansion of water. Coal, gas and nuclear power plants drive a turbine by heating water, which expands with great force. So for me water is clearly the greater risk of tremors.

Then there are tremors associated with Fracking what is the cost. If your hour shakes occasionally what will be the effect on your brickwork. Will it weaken, wall ties that were already corroded may come away, the weakest cement may come out. Just like being pushed down the stairs, you may get up and not go to the hospital but suffer life ling weakness in your back. This is again an unknown amount and un-claimable

Water Pollution

Theoretically the water is being pumped below the water table where wells are dug down to provide drinking water and irrigate crops. But fracking is not a precise science. There is no special seal between each layer of the earth. There will always be a chance that these chemicals enter the consumed water ecosystem. At the same time our children are allowed to watch a diesel bus pull away and eat blue sweet, so are we over reacting. Most of us choose to poison ourselves.

So none of the costs are concrete, they represent likely changes with perhaps increased mortality and disease on a few people, but a very small percentage. Unless of course our climate change triggers a cascade of release warming resulting in New Venus. But people said that about the Large Hadron Collider.

The Benefits

 
Perhaps 20 years more carbon heavy growth.

What is the benefit of this? It keeps unsustainable consumerism afloat. 

I think we all accept that, at this rate, we do not have another two generations of  relatively painless carbon dependent consumerism.
 
A good Fracking analogy would be to use the last bit of water of to clean your feet, without knowing where the next drink is coming from with your children in tow.
 
So not really a benefit at all when you consider the bigger view. Not one we can enjoy morally at any rate. There is a problem to solve and I'm not comfortable leaving it to my kids. Worse problem to leave them a worse situation than if I start now.
 
So to my mind. The benefit of Fracking, in a meaningful way, does not truly exist.

http://www.aip.org/history/climate/co2.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing#Health_effects

In the UK your local council decides if Fracking will be allowed so there is only one way to stop fracking.