Does fracking hurt animals?
Research and reports from those areas suggest links between fracking and a wide range of threats to wildlife and domestic animals like horses, cats and dogs. Among the most serious: Fish kills in Pennsylvania have been associated with the contamination of streams, creeks and wetlands by fracking fluid.
What are they drilling for in the Marcellus Shale?
About Marcellus Shale Low-yield natural gas wells have been drilled in the Marcellus Shale for more than 50 years, but recent technological advancements in deep horizontal drilling combined with hydraulic fracturing techniques have exposed the possibility of more profitably tapping the shale for gas.
Why do humans want to drill in the Marcellus Shale?
2) Why is the Marcellus Shale gas extraction suddenly important for natural gas production? The combination of advances in drilling and fracturing technology, the large volume of natural gas reserves, and its proximity to eastern cities have made the Marcellus Shale an important resource.
How many animals have died to fracking?
In one extreme case, 17 cows were killed in one hour when fracking fluid was directly released into a pasture. Among their other findings: Out of 140 head of cattle exposed to wastewater, approximately 70 died. And there was a high incidence of stillborn and stunted calves.
How does natural gas affect animals?
Land use and wildlife The construction and land disturbance required for oil and gas drilling can alter land use and harm local ecosystems by causing erosion and fragmenting wildlife habitats and migration patterns.
How long does it take to drill a shale well?
Shale wells can be drilled in two to four weeks and brought on line within months, while offshore wells are costlier and can take much longer.
How long does it take to drill a Marcellus gas well?
two to four weeks
A typical Marcellus well, which starts out vertically and ends horizontally, takes two to four weeks to drill. After this, the drill rig is moved off the site and the fracking process itself begins. Fracking operations are normally completed in a short period of time—typically between one and five days.
Why is shale gas bad?
But US researchers found that shale gas wells leak substantial amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This makes its climate impact worse than conventional gas, they say – and probably worse than coal as well.
Is fracking worse for the environment?
DISRUPTING OUR CLIMATE Fracking releases large amounts of methane, a dangerously potent greenhouse gas. Fracked shale gas wells, for example, may have methane leakage rates as high as 7.9 percent, which would make such natural gas worse for the climate than coal. But fracking also threatens our climate in another way.
What animals are affected by oil drilling?
Seals, sea lions, walruses, polar bears, sea otters, river otters, beavers, whales, dolphins and porpoises, and manatees, are groups of marine mammals that may be affected by oil spills.
Why is oil drilling bad for animals?
Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters, and the water repellency of a bird’s feathers, thus exposing these creatures to the harsh elements. Without the ability to repel water and insulate from the cold water, birds and mammals will die from hypothermia.