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Shale gas production: consequences and problems

"The Shale Revolution", obviously, seriously takes possession of the minds of politicians and businessmen all over the world. The palm of primacy in this sphere is held by Americans, but, apparently, there is a possibility that the rest of the world will join them soon. Of course, there are states where shale gas is not produced - in Russia, for example, the main percentage of political and business elites is skeptical about this undertaking. At the same time, it is not so much the factor of economic profitability. The most important circumstance that can affect the prospects of such an industry as the extraction of shale gas is the consequences for the environment. Today we will study this aspect.

What is shale gas?

But for starters - a little theoretical digression. What is shale gas? This is a minerals that is extracted from a special kind of minerals - oil shale. The main method by which shale gas is extracted, the consequences of which, today, guided by the positions of experts, we will study - milling, or hydraulic fracturing of the formation. It is arranged approximately like this. In the terrestrial interior, a pipe is introduced in an almost horizontal position, and one of its branches is removed to the surface.

In the process of milling, a pressure is injected into the gas storage, which facilitates the release of shale gas to the top, where it is collected. The greatest popularity of the extraction of this mineral acquired in North America. According to estimates of a number of experts, revenue growth in this industry in the US market over the past few years has amounted to several hundred percent. However, unconditional economic success in terms of developing new ways of producing "blue fuel" can be accompanied by huge problems associated with the extraction of shale gas. They are, as we have already said, ecological.

Harm to the environment

What the US and other energy powers should, according to experts, pay special attention, working in such a sphere as the extraction of shale gas, is the consequences for the environment. The most important threat to the environment is the basic method of extracting minerals from the depths of the earth. It's about the very freaking. He, as we have already said, is a supply of water to the earth's layer (under very high pressure). Such an impact can have a significant negative impact on the environment.

Reagents in action

The technological features of milling are not the only environmental risk . Current methods of extraction of shale gas suggest the use of several hundred varieties of reactive chemicals, and in the potential of toxic substances. What could this mean? The fact is that the development of appropriate deposits requires the use of large volumes of fresh water. Its density, as a rule, is less than that characteristic of underground waters. Therefore, light layers of liquid, one way or another, can eventually rise to the surface and reach a zone of mixing with drinking sources. In this case, they are likely to contain toxic impurities.

Moreover, it is possible that light water will return to the surface contaminated with non-chemical, but quite natural, but still harmful to human health and the environment, substances that may be contained in the depths of the earth's interior. Demonstrative moment: it is known that shale gas production is planned in Ukraine, in the Carpathian region. However, experts of one of the scientific centers conducted a study, during which it was found out: the layers of land in those regions that are supposed to contain shale gas are characterized by an increased content of metals - nickel, barium, uranium.

Miscalculation of technology

By the way, a number of experts from Ukraine call attention not so much to the problems of shale gas production in terms of the use of harmful substances, but rather to shortcomings in technologies used by gas specialists. Representatives of the scientific environment of Ukraine in one of their reports on environmental issues put forward relevant theses. What is their essence? The scientists' conclusions, on the whole, boil down to the fact that the extraction of shale gas in Ukraine can cause significant damage to the fertility of soils. The fact is that with those technologies that are used to isolate harmful substances, some materials will be located under arable soil. Accordingly, something to grow over them, in the upper layers of the soil, will be problematic.

Ukrainian minerals

There are also concerns among Ukrainian experts about the possible use of drinking water reserves, which can be a strategically important resource. At the same time, in 2010, when the slate revolution was only gaining momentum, the Ukrainian authorities issued licenses for shale gas exploration to ExxonMobil and Shell companies. In 2012, exploratory wells were drilled in the Kharkov region.

This could be evidence, experts believe, of the Ukrainian authorities' interest in developing "shale" prospects, probably with the goal of reducing dependence on deliveries of blue fuel from the Russian Federation. But now it is not known, analysts believe, what are the further prospects of work in this direction (due to well-known political events).

Problem Fraking

Continuing the discussion on the shortcomings of the technology of shale gas production, it is possible to pay attention to other noteworthy theses. In particular, some materials of petroleum origin can be used for milling . They are used as a fracturing fluid. In this case, their frequent use can lead to a significant deterioration in the degree of rock permeability for water flows. In order to avoid this, gas workers can use water, which uses soluble chemical derivatives of substances similar in composition to cellulose. And they are a serious threat to human health.

Salts and radiation

There were precedents when the presence of chemicals in the waters around the shale wells was fixed by scientists not only in the calculated aspect, but also in practice. Analyzing the water flowing into the sewage treatment plant in Pennsylvania, the experts found a much higher level of chloride, bromide salts than normal. Some of the substances found in water can react with atmospheric gases - for example, ozone, resulting in the formation of toxic products. Also in some layers of subsoil located in areas where shale gas is extracted, the Americans discovered radium. Which, accordingly, is radioactive. Apart from salts and radium, various kinds of benzenes, toluene have been discovered by scientists in the waters that concentrate in the regions where the main method of shale gas extraction is used (frecking).

A legitimate loophole

Some lawyers note that the damage to the environment caused by the US gas companies "shale" profile, is almost legal nature. The fact is that in 2005 a legal act was adopted in the United States, according to which the method of milling, or hydraulic fracturing, was removed from the monitoring of the Environmental Protection Agency. This agency, in particular, has been monitoring that American businessmen act in accordance with the provisions of the Law on the Protection of Drinking Water.

However, with the adoption of a new legal act, US enterprises were able to operate outside the Agency's control zone. It became possible, experts say, to extract shale oil and gas in close proximity to underground sources of drinking water. And this despite the fact that the Agency in one of its studies came to the conclusion that the sources continue to be polluted, and not so much in the process of milling, as after some time after the completion of the work. Analysts believe that the law was adopted not without political pressure.

Freedom in a European way

A number of experts emphasize that not only Americans, but also Europeans do not want to understand, what is dangerous is the extraction of shale gas in potential. In particular, the European Commission, which is developing sources of law in various spheres of the EU economy, did not even create a separate law regulating environmental issues in this sector. The department limited itself, analysts emphasize, just by issuing a recommendation, which actually does not oblige energy companies.

At the same time, according to experts' comments, Europeans do not aspire to start the work on the extraction of blue fuel in practice as soon as possible. It is not ruled out that all those discussions in the EU that are related to the "shale" theme are just political speculation. And in fact, Europeans, in principle, are not going to master the extraction of gas unconventional method. At least in the near future.

Complaints are not satisfied

There is evidence that in the areas of the United States where shale gas is extracted, environmental consequences have already made themselves felt - and not only at the level of industrial research, but also among ordinary citizens. Americans living in the vicinity of the wells where fencing is used began to notice that the water from the tap had lost much in quality. They are trying to protest against the extraction of shale gas in their area. However, their capabilities, as experts believe, are incommensurable with the resources of energy corporations. Scheme businesses realize quite simple. When claims arise from citizens, they form "expert opinions" hiring ecologists. In accordance with these documents, drinking water should be in perfect order. If the residents do not like these papers, gas specialists, as reported in a number of sources, pay them pre-judicial compensation in return for signing agreements on non-disclosure of information about such transactions. As a result, a citizen loses the right to report something to the press.

Verdict is not burdensome

If the trials are still initiated, decisions that are not in favor of energy companies are in fact not very burdensome for gas workers. In particular, for some of them, corporations are obliged to supply drinking water from environmentally friendly sources at their own expense to citizens or to install cleaning equipment for them. But if in the first case the affected residents, in principle, can be satisfied, then in the second - as experts believe - there can be no special reason for optimism, since some harmful substances can still leak through the filters.

The authorities decide

There is an opinion among experts that the interest in oil shale in the US, as well as in many other countries of the world, is more political. This, in particular, can be evidenced by the fact that many gas corporations are supported by the government - especially in such an aspect as tax incentives. Experts assess the economic consistency of the "shale revolution" ambiguously.

Drinking water factor

Above we have told that Ukrainian experts question the prospects of shale gas production in their country, largely due to the fact that the technology of milling can require the consumption of a large amount of drinking water. I must say that such concerns are expressed by experts from other countries. The fact is that the scarcity of drinking water and without shale gas is already observed in many regions of the planet. And it is likely that a similar situation may soon be observed in developed countries. A "shale revolution", of course, will only help accelerate this process.

Ambiguous shale

There is an opinion that the extraction of shale gas in Russia and other countries does not develop at all or, at least, does not happen at a pace like in America, just because of the factors we considered. This, first of all, the risks of pollution of the environment by toxic, and sometimes radioactive, compounds that occur during the frecking. It is also a possibility of depletion of drinking water reserves, which in a short time, even in developed countries, can become a resource that is not inferior to blue fuel in terms of its significance. Of course, the economic component is also taken into account - among scientists there is no common opinion on the profitability of shale deposits.

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