What the Frack with Fracking?

Hydraulic Fracking

Hydraulic fracturing aka "Fracking"  is
"a process in which fractures in rocks below the earth's surface are opened and widened by injectingchemicals and liquids at high pressure: used especially to extract natural gas or oil."  Fracking is a hot button issue in the United States since it's allegedly caused well and ground water pollution. It has been said that the U.S. has an ocean of natural gas, waiting to be extracted from the Shale. With this, there is a huge amount of economic benefits towards hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing supplies jobs and provides an optional energy resource for the U.S. that isn't foreign bound.

Here's the process of Hydraulic fracturing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB3FOJjpy7s

My overall opinion on Hydraulic fracturing is that it might be the key towards on being less dependent on foreign countries, but with the lack of regulations, the potential to harm people's wells and waters near them, and the amount of chemicals and gallons of water used in the process, it's not worth it (Presently) Fracking takes about 1-8 million gallons of water to complete a frack job. It has up to 600 chemicals in the fracking fluid they pump into the ground to create the cracks to release the gas.

The chemicals have been said to effect the groundwater near the fracking zones. When the harsh chemicals get into the ground water, it gets contaminated. Some homes can even light their tap water on fire. 

Here's a catchy song about Fracking. 

http://www.upworthy.com/what-the-frack-is-fracking

If we find better ways to regulate the fracking processes, maybe in the future it will become more beneficial than harmful.