U.S. natural gas production by source or type of gas and gross production . Reinforce the fact that scientists use models to predict the locations and quantity of natural gas deposits. Hydraulic fracturing, known as 'fracking' is where more than a million gallons of fluid is injected into rock formations to stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil. Conventional Natural Gas Production . The activities work best if usedin sequence. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. We would then be burning hundreds of millions of tons of additional coal to generate electricity. We hope to have taken a step in this direction. Introduce and discuss the use of computational models. In the United States and in a few other countries, natural gas is produced from shale and other types of sedimentary rock formations by forcing water, chemicals, and sand down a well under high pressure. Hydraulic fracturing- commonly known as fracking - is the process used to extract shale gas. However, over time, there has been a shift in demand for cheaper and cleaner fuel options, such as the nonrenewable energy source of natural gas, and renewable options like solar power and wind energy. Estimates of the volume of shale gas can be expressed in different ways. Stanford geophysicist Mark Zoback, who recently served on a Department of Energy . We call for more and better data collection before, during and after drilling, so that if problems are encountered, the causes can be established and remedies more easily identified. Step 2: Steel casings, or pipes, are inserted into the well and the space between the rock and casing is then filled with cement. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Remember too that over this same period the demand for energy will continue going up dramatically because of increasing standards of living in China, India and the rest of the developing world. There were proposals to extract natural gas from shale with by fracturing the shale with nuclear explosives. Horizontal drilling results in a well extending through a much larger portion of the shale thereby increasing the area from which a well can produce and the . Resource estimates refer to the amount of natural gas that is believed to exist in a particular location. Annual; International natural gas . Estimates of the volume of shale gas can be expressed in different ways. We also recommend a number of steps to better protect air and water quality. It is classified as unconventional because it is found in shale, a less permeable rock formation than sandstone, siltstone or limestone in which conventional gas is found, and it is generally distributed over a much larger area. . It seems like everyone is talking about natural gas these days. First, wellbore is drilled into the layer of rock. Hydraulic fracturing commonly known as fracking is the process used to extract shale gas. It is extracted by cracking the rock using hydraulic fracturing techniques. Hydraulic fracturing - commonly known as fracking - is the process used to extract shale gas. Its not a perfect system by any means, and human error, laziness, overused equipment, or unforeseen circumstances can turn an operation into an environmental disaster in an instant. Sorry, nothing was found for your search. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Unconventional natural gas is extracted using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Welcome to the 8th Annual Shale & Public Health Conference 2020 - Day 2. Finally, there is concern over the emissions generated by the fracking process itself. Different regions have access to different renewable or nonrenewable natural resources such as freshwater, fossil fuels, fertile soil, or timber based on their geographic location and past geologic processes. Step 4: High-pressure hoses pump fracking fluid into the casing. National Geographic Headquarters From there it is piped away for commercial use. Also called fracking. It may also be modified for a whole-class format. Hydraulic fracturing increases the permeability of the shale by forcing open the natural cracks in the shale. Burning coal currently provides about 50 percent of the electricity used in the United States and it accounts for about 40 percent of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, as well as a number of other pollutants. .ng-c-sponsor-logo { Deep holes are drilled down into the shale rock followed by horizontal drilling to access more of the gas reserves as shale reserves are typically distributed horizontally rather than vertically. The report noted that the risk of seismic activity was greater where pre-stressed faults existed identified as having occurred in 2011 at the Preese Hall site in Lancashire, UK and so recommended ongoing mapping of faults to identify potentially high-risk sites to avoid. Most problems associated with shale gas wells have arisen from poor well construction it is critically important to drill properly and to line the wells with steel casing that is properly cemented in place. This process converts kerogen in oil shale into shale oil by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution.The resultant shale oil is used as fuel oil or upgraded to meet refinery feedstock specifications by adding hydrogen and removing sulfur and nitrogen impurities.. Shale oil extraction is usually performed . Divide students into groups of two or three, with two being the ideal grouping for sharing computer work stations. Estimates are that switching to natural gas would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles by about 25 percent. Step 1: A long vertical or angled well is drilled and extended a mile or more into the earth until it nears the rock formation where the natural gas is trapped. Water and other sediments over the organic material can provide a lot of pressure to pack the layer. This is called hydraulic fracturing - or fracking. Some are discussing its redeeming qualities in relation to other, more pollutive fossil fuels, but most discourse centers around how natural gas is extracted and how bad it is for the environment. Tell students the Marcellus Shale contains natural gas. Is burning natural gas any better than burning coal or oil when it comes to global warming? London Nonetheless, identifying measures to reduce the environmental impact and improve the safety of shale gas production are precisely the issues the subcommittee was asked to address in our report. WC2A 2AE, Keep in touch with the Grantham Research Institute at LSE. allowing liquid and gases to pass through. A study published in 2016 by US Environmental Protection Agency in 2016 found that fracking can potentially lead to the contamination of drinking water. This allows the shale to hold a lot of oil/natural gas but makes it difficult to remove those energy sources. Unlike other shale gas plays such as the Barnett Shale, the natural gas from the Antrim appears to be biogenic gas generated by the action of bacteria on the organic-rich rock. Natural Gas Extraction. Copyright 2022 Green Matters. Once this access hole has been established, the pressurized fluid -- usually a slurry of water, sand, and chemicals -- is shot against the rock. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: David DeFranza, Planet Green Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock, with smaller spaces or pores containing gas, and these spaces are relatively unconnected to each other. No matter how clean it might be relative to gasoline, natural gas is still a fossil fuel, and as long as we keep cutting environmental corners to extract it, the potential dangers it presents will always outweigh its scant virtues. Subsequent sedimentation and the resultant heat and pressure transformed the mud into shale and also produced natural gas from the organic matter contained in it. Over long spans of geologic time, some of the gas migrated to . Absolutely. Wastewater tanks, hoses, and other equipment often have unforeseen cracks or leaks, which results in spillage and contamination of local habitats or municipal water supplies. Fundamentally, it is due to several technological breakthroughs. Natural gas extraction also produces radioactive isotopes of polonium (Po-210), lead (Pb-210) and radon (Rn-220). When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. Climate change governance, legislation and litigation, 214.6 trillion cubic metres (tcm), across 46 countries, US Energy Information Administration in 2016 estimated, emits significantly lower amounts of carbon dioxide. (In media carousel; click the download arrow lower right.) Therefore, geologists look for specific rock types and geologic formations in areas that were once covered by large bodies of water such as ancient seas or lagoons. Turn embedded questions into class discussions. But the global energy system is so huge that even if we move as quickly as possible to develop renewable energy sources such as wind, water and solar, we will need to continue using fossil fuels until mid-century. This is achieved by splitting rock formations with a combination of highly pressurized water, chemicals, and sand. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. What is shale gas, how is it extracted through fracking and what are fracking's impacts? There have been fears that hydraulic fracturing fluid injected at depth could reach up into drinking water aquifers. Because shale has matrix permeability too low to allow gas to flow in economical quantities, shale gas wells depend on fractures to allow the gas to flow. On the next page, learn about "fracking" and discover why people are concerned. 29 August 2012. Recent technologies have made it possible to extract the oil and natural gas trapped in deep shale formations. Our report recommends that the contents of fracturing fluid be fully disclosed. Vertical drilling is efficient when natural gas is close below the surface, so it is efficient in the freeing of conventional natural gas. In some cases, technically recoverable resources can be estimated. This can be a serious issue. Blenders combine water, sand, and chemicals into the perfect fracking mix. How do we get natural gas from shale? "How is gas extracted from shale?" Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5027 A report published in 2012 by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK in 2011 concluded that shale gas extraction where large quantities of water are pumped under the surface could in principle cause small earth tremors locally under certain conditions, but that these were unlikely to lead to damage. Generating electricity with natural gas reduces carbon emissions by about half. As of March 2014 there were approximately 1.1 million oil and gas wells in the United States, a direct consequence of technological advances that have increased domestic energy production to levels unseen since the 1970s.Much of the growth has been in natural gas obtained through hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," which involves injecting immense quantities of water and chemicals into . Mark Zoback, Department of Geophysics: (650) 725-9295, zoback@stanford.edu, Louis Bergeron, Stanford News Service: (650) 725-1944, louisb3@stanford.edu, A publication of Stanford's Office of University Communications, Stanford University. Alternatively, it can be treated and reused, which is the preferable solution. Water or other fluids, such as propane, are pumped into wells, cracking open the natural fissures in the rock. It pointed out that any tremors would be due to injected fluids activating pre-existing faults in the rock, rather than the shattering of the rocks during fracking itself. As explained by National Geographic, vertical drilling involves plunging a single vertical drill into the Earths surface, and pulling up whatever gas or oil is found in that particular gas well. Fracking has opened new territory to gas exploration, areas that were once thought to be too challenging to be economically viable. This gas, however, is locked in shale and cannot simply be drilled out. Extraction Once a potential natural gas deposit has been located by a team of exploration geologists and geophysicists, it is up to a team of drilling experts to dig down to where the natural gas is thought to exist. 1. Inform students they will be working through a series of pages of models with questions related to the models. 3. In addition, EIA notes the expanded role shale gas is expected to have in the future. This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page. Reserves typically represent a small percentage of resources and can only be reliably estimated when based on detailed exploration and evaluation, including drilling. Under certain circumstances the layer can eventually produce oil and gas. All we know is that it creates wastewater, which is then stored in massive storage tanks to be dumped or disposed of elsewhere. Using domestic natural gas for transportation could significantly lessen our dependence on imported oil. Students explore some of the relative benefits of natural gas and some of the potential environmental costs of extracting natural gas. Deep holes are drilled down into the shale rock followed by horizontal drilling to access more of the gas reserves as shale reserves are typically distributed horizontally rather than vertically. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2. Provide students with the link to the Extracting Gas from Shale interactive. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Catskill_Magnafacies.svg). Step 5: The gas is collected, processed, and transported, while the wastewater is then moved to storage in nearby tanks or separate wells. Shale rock formations have become an important source of natural gas in the United States. The shale energy extraction boom has brought oil and natural gas development activities into close proximity to residential areas and dense urban populations. As explained by National Geographic , vertical drilling involves plunging a single vertical drill into the Earth's surface, and pulling up whatever gas or oil is found in that particular gas well. LSE This creates new fractures in the surrounding rock, which allows the trapped oil or natural gas to float to the surface. Unconventional natural gas extracted through hydraulic fracturing has up to 38 percent fewer . They use an interactive computational model to explore how hydraulic fracturing releases natural gas from deep shale formations. Our study addressed some of the things that could be done to accomplish this while reducing the environmental impact of shale gas production. In 2015, the total amount of unproved technically recoverable resources of shale gas was estimated at 214.6 trillion cubic metres (tcm), across 46 countries. This activity may be used individually or in groups of two or three students. Each energy resource has its advantages and disadvantages. This fracking fluid is about 97 percent water, with chemical additives and small solid proppants which are used to keep the fractures open after the initial drill. Countries such as China, India and Australia also use large quantities of coal for electrical power generation and switching to natural gas would dramatically reduce their emissions. Tell students that: 4. More natural gas is being extracted from underground shale deposits, but environmental concerns have been raised. Individuals, communities, and countries depend on a variety of different resources to help them thrive: electricity, timber, oil, water, and food to name a few. At the same time, fracking has raised many concerns. Washington, DC 20036, Careers| In the end, shale-gas extraction--like expanded nuclear power generation and "clean coal" -- may be a necessary, if unpleasant, step forward in a world without oil unless clean alternatives are more proactively developed. How serious are those concerns? Students discover how geologists use the composition and location of rocks to find deposits of oil and natural gas. A report published in 2012 by the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering concluded that there was a very low risk of fracking contaminating drinking water in the UK, given the distance between aquifers and the depth at which fracking occurs. Tell students the United States has produced natural gas commercially for over 100 years. Introduce students to the idea that science is a process of learning how the world works and that scientists do not know the right answers when they start to investigate a question. Therefore natural gas does not flow easily through shale. To me, enhanced utilization of shale gas resources provides an opportunity to transition to clean and renewable sources over the next few decades while helping to meet current and growing global energy needs. Chemically identical to conventional natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG) is the . The process of extraction starts with a hole being drilled into the bedrock, sometimes as deep as two miles, until an area of. Answer (1 of 9): Shale gas is natural gas, mostly methane but presumably it can be associated with heavier fractions (ethane, natural gas liquids including propane and butane) just as other gas deposits are. This fractures the rock and increases the volumes of gas or oil that can be recovered above ground. The drill moves through the previously identified vein of petroleum-rich shale and pulls from all along the longitudinal axis. These dangers are why so many people are protesting against fracking. These studies indicate that water contamination can also occur from spillages on the ground, or cracks in wells allowing leakage risks faced from all oil and gas extraction and preventative actions can be taken. The largest estimated resources are in China (31.6 tcm), followed by Argentina (22.7 tcm), Algeria (20 tcm), the United States (17.6 tcm) and Canada (16.2 tcm). Those shale deposits all have the common characteristic of low porosity and permeability. The various ways to drill for fossil fuels. Shale is a tightly packed sedimentary rock. Use the answer key to check students' answers on embedded assessments. Unfortunately, an act of Congress exempted the gas companies from having to reveal the chemicals in the fluid. Grantham Research Institute United States Geological Survey. Advances in hydraulic fracturing technologies have enabled access to large volumes of natural gas from shale. They're Seriously Harming the Planet. Sedimentary basins trap huge reservoirs of natural gas. Once the surface petroleum is tapped, fracking is employed. scientists use technologies to model and visualize layers below the surface that they cannot see. Instead, a process known as "hydraulic fracturing" must be used. Natural gas is also an ideal back-up for renewable energy sources such as solar and wind because gas-fired power plants start up quickly and are much more efficient and clean than coal-burning plants. When gas is trapped in shale rock formations, a mix of water, chemicals and sand are injected into the ground at high pressure to break up the rocks and allow the gas to escape upwards. 1996 - 2022 National Geographic Society. At least, thats what is supposed to happen. The next method employed is typically horizontal drilling, which covers gas and oil-rich areas along the substrates that were uncovered during the vertical drilling process. There are three main aspects of hydraulic fracturing that have caused concern: the chemicals in the fracturing fluid; fear of the fracturing fluid interacting with drinking water aquifers; and the disposal of the fracturing fluid coming out of the well after it has been in contact with the shale formations. To quote our report: The public deserves assurance that the full economic, environmental and energy security benefits of shale gas development will be realized without sacrificing public health, environmental protection and safety. describe how oil and natural gas are formed, describe how geologists find the shales with oil and/or natural gas resources, explain why shale needs to be fractured to release natural gas, Information, Media, and Technology Skills, Tech Setup: 1 computer per learner, 1 computer per small group, Projector. The most exciting aspect of gas production is hydraulic fracturing. I say unfortunate because it has led to unnecessary suspicion and paranoia. We have known about these organic-rich shale formations for 100 years, but getting the natural gas out of these extremely impermeable rocks was essentially impossible. Let students know that this is Activity 3 of the What Are Our Energy Choices? process usually used to extract oil and natural gas in which rocks are fractured by injecting water, chemicals, and sand at high pressure. In fact, a related problem is that there are a number of aquifers contaminated with natural gas that can be traced to leaking casings of very old wells that predate recent drilling for natural gas by 40 or 50 years. We have to address the many issues associated with energy and the environment on many fronts we need to save energy through improved efficiency; more fully utilize renewables; and develop new clean energy sources. 02. More and more, that is what is being done in the northeastern U.S. 1. Why does some shale contain oil and/or natural gas while other shales do not? Earlier this year, President Obama instructed Secretary of Energy Steven Chu to put together a panel to address the safety and environmental aspects of shale gas production. Sedimentary basins rich in natural gas are found all over the world. According to some estimates, at current consumption rates there is enough gas to last for 100 years. Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock, with smaller spaces or pores containing gas, and these spaces are relatively unconnected to each other. Amy Pallant, Principal Investigator, The Concord Consortium The US Geological Survey noted that there has been an increase in seismicity around shale gas operations since 2009 in the state of Oklahoma, but that most of this was due to the disposal of wastewater rather than fracking. Reserve estimates refer to the amount of gas that is both technically and economically viable to extract. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. Drilling begins with a simulated micro-earthquake.' The formation of rocks is broken up using high-pressure streams of water, sand, and chemicals. Horizontal drilling is commonly used in shale gas extraction as a means to increase potential production. height: 60px; What would you say is the most critical thing for people to bear in mind regarding developing our natural gas resources? Btu per cubic foot of natural gas delivered to consumers by state and other components of consumption for U.S. A gas well in central California with the Sutter Buttes in the distance. However, fracking is only one facet of the process there are two other common methodsof natural gas extraction, including vertical drilling and horizontal drilling. Learn more: Dry shale gas production estimates by play. The impact of this fluid causes fissures to form, opening new channels for the fracturing slurry to probe and releasing the stored gas in the process. The shale is very porous, but it is not very permeable. According to the Energy Information Agency, natural gas deposits, both in the United States and the world, are absolutely enormous. Vertical drilling: the most common method. the ratio of the volume of all the pores, or holes, in an object and the object's total mass. See how hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, releases petroleum or natural gas trapped in shale rock formations. How do we get natural gas from shale? Explore nonrenewable and renewable options with this collection on energy resources. DRL-1220756. You cannot download interactives. Green Matters is a registered trademark. Our most important recommendations were for more transparency and dissemination of information about shale gas operations, including full disclosure of chemicals and additives that are being used during drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The fractures are kept open by use of proppants, such as sand. But as gas plays a bigger role in meeting The impact of this fluid causes fissures to form, opening new channels for the fracturing slurry to probe and releasing the stored gas in the process. Vertical Drilling Vertical drilling was the first type of natural gas extraction technique used, and was the only type used until the 1980s, when horizontal drilling was invented. (All figures from the US Energy Information Administration.). This activity targets the following skills: The resources are also available at the top of the page. When that water comes back up the well, it has picked up chemicals present in the shale that aren't good for human health or the environment. Annual Energy Outlook 2013 projects that U.S. natural gas production will rise an estimated 44 percent over the next 30 years, with much of this increase in production expected to come from shale gas extraction. Since Earth's continents are continually moving and areas that were once covered by water may no longer be covered by water, geologists look for sedimentary rocks with high organic matter content. New technologies are making it easier and more economical to produce natural gas from where it lies in shale formations deep underground. Ask: Share with students that recent technologies have made it possible to extract natural gas from deep underground shale formations. That water has to be disposed of properly, which can mean injecting it into a storage well that has been permitted and licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency to standards that will prevent leakage. According to NPR, horizontal drilling extends the 100-foot range of vertical drilling outwards for up to a mile or more. In natural gas extraction, carbon dioxide (CO2) is almost always present as a byproduct, and in its hydrated form (H2CO3), it is a well-known corrosive species. Activate students' prior knowledge about natural gas. Hydraulic fracturing increases the permeability of the shale by forcing open the natural cracks in the shale. Therefore natural gas does not flow easily through shale. In order to gain access to these natural gas reservoirs, a hole (sometimes called a well) must be drilled through the rock to allow the gas to escape and be harvested. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the fracking process requires an extensive array of drilling equipment. Shale gas was generated from organic mud deposited at the bottom of ancient bodies of water. 5) How similar is the Marcellus Shale to other shale deposits where natural gas is currently extracted? Fracturing fluids have not contaminated any water supply and with that much distance to an aquifer, it is very unlikely they could. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Vertical drilling is often the first method used in natural gas extraction. Natural gas is also a cleaner fuel for running cars and trucks than gasoline or diesel fuel. Why has natural gas from shale become such a major energy source in the United States? Since the 1990s a combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has made large volumes of shale gas more economical to produce, and some analysts expect that shale gas will greatly expand worldwide energy supply . That means that theres no way for the public to know what goes into the ground to bring up the natural gas. geophysicists use physical characteristics, such as magnetic and gravitational properties, to guess the type and shape of subsurface rocks. 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