Hydraulic Fracturing Of Natural Gas From Deep Below The...

Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing involves the extraction of natural gas from deep below the ground. A shaft is drilled into the ground followed by a horizontal well hole that flows to the gas layer of the earth. The well is divided into smaller sections and these sections are fractured in sections. Fracking fluid (7 million litres of water is used, several thousand tonnes of sand and 200,000 tonnes of chemicals (de Rijke, 2013)) is then pumped into the ground at high velocity. Cracks are produced in the rocks, the sand in the mixture prevents cracks from closing again. The water is then pumped out and natural gas is now easily obtained. (BBC News, 2016). The first well was constructed in 1949 and as a result of a technology†¦show more content†¦Three other sites have been located in Wales, two sites for just obtaining geological samples and the other one has been refused in Llandow, Vale (Raeng.org.uk, 2016). Fracking is a hot debate in Scotland, with labour issu ing a firm no on the issue to undergo fracking as of March 2016 (BBC News, 2016). Also, in Northern Ireland, Taboran Resources has an interest to undertake fracking located on an area that is on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (Raeng.org.uk, 2016). Two of the main companies involved in fracking in the UK include, Cuadrilla and Igas. Many protests have been carried out to object to the fracking issue. Igas say that there are many new investment opportunities, for example a  £2.3 billion steel requirement in Britain, a  £4.1 billion waste, storage and transportation requirement and a skills and specialised equipment requirement of  £17 billion. (Igasplc.com, 2016). As of December 2012 there have been two planning applications for fracking processes by Cuadrilla, at Prestion New Road and Roseacre Wood, before Lancashire City council and they will frack for shale gas if it is approved. (British Geological Survey, 2015). Many of the issues involved with fracking arise from the use of fracking in the US. There are many positive outlooks when it comes to fracking; Shale gas is not found all over the UK, only in certain areas. There is said to be a plentiful supply of shale, with Cuadrilla stating that there is 5.7