Dec 113 min read

Fracking

By Michael Im Dec. 11, 2024

Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking, is the controversial oil drilling method which has powered this intrusion of industry. It involves the injection of a highly pressurized chemical cocktail miles down into the earth, breaking apart the rocks and releasing the stored gas or oil for pipes to suck back up.

Although the idea of fracturing oil and gas-containing rock formations goes back to the 19th century, the first experiments into using high pressure fluids began in 1947. Oil corporations hoped to use the technique to make harder and deeper formations more economically viable, but technological limits prevented its expansion aside from small scale shale extraction operations, as shale was impermeable to conventional oil extraction techniques.

Fracking first became widely used in the 2010s, as advancing fracking technology enabled enormously increased productivity in shale formations, skyrocketing American oil production. Nowadays, up to 95 percent of new American oil and gas wells use fracking, and it is the dominant method of extracting oil and natural gas around the world. This so-called “shale boom” has made the United States a leading oil and gas producer, earned billions of dollars for oil corporations and the investors backing them, created hundreds of thousands of jobs and revitalized the economies of many rural communities. However, the downside of this oil drilling miracle are its horrific environmental effects.

“The government should restrict fracking.Its many environmental harms include seismic activity and greenhouse emissions, which must be considered by the government. As climate change worsens, anything that may contribute to it should be addressed,” Junior Rithik Verma said.

The fluid pumped into these oil formations includes several toxic chemicals, which poison the soil and contaminate groundwater around fracking operations. New oil wells also threaten wildlife habitats, as they convert previously untouched lands into industrial facilities. And on top of all that, increasing fossil fuel production directly

contributes to the accelerating pace of climate change seen today.

“Fracking must be restricted to protect our environment. It will cause great damage to the future environment on top of contributing to global warming. Its ecological damage is also very difficult to reverse, and we need to preserve nature as much as we can,” Sophomore Ethan Zhu said.

Despite the obvious downsides, many major politicians nowadays refuse to discuss potential bans, or even restrictions, on fracking. Republican politicians tend to be vigorously pro-fracking, funding greater fracking projects in their states. On the other hand, Democrats are split on the issue, with more environmentally focused politicians tending to support bans, while the national party remains somewhat supportive of fracking. This dichotomy could be seen playing out in Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, who after becoming the Democratic nominee for president,

quickly walked back her previous statements in favor of a fracking ban. With the victory of a heavily pro-fracking Donald Trump in the presidential election, fracking can be expected to continue to grow, despite its environmental

impacts.

About the Contributors

Michael Im

Staff Writer

I am a Junior and first year Journalism staff writer. I like to learn about random topics, play with my dogs and sleep.

Yunseo Kim

Artist

Yunseo Kim is an artist. She enjoys trying out new art and this is her second year in journalism. Outside of school, she likes to do Taekwondo, and experiment with cooking.