Hydraulic Fracturing, aka “Fracking” is a relatively new method of extracting natural gas from shale. Highly pressurized water is forced into the shale, fracturing it and releasing natural gases.
This innovation has made natural gas a much more accessible energy source that is estimated to satisfy the current energy demand for 250 years. This estimate does not include areas with unknown natural gas reservoirs.
It is calculated that natural gas could replace both coal (by 2030) and oil (by 2035) in the energy industry. The only thing standing in the way is research on the environmental safety of fracking and about 8 trillion dollars of investment capital.
The environmental impacts of fracking are unclear at this time. There are concerns around water pollution due to the chemicals used during the process. There are also concerns about the greenhouse gases produced by the fracking procedure. Natural gas itself will reduce emissions up to 40% less than coal and 75% less than oil but large amounts of methane will be released during fracking.
This is not stopping the natural gas movement and companies are beginning to notice the trend. Honda is currently developing a Civic that will be natural gas powered. The question is not if natural gas will be used but when.
This info bit represents a shift in the energy industry. It also highlights the trend of environmental conscious energy production. This change in energy will alter the industry and will affect many of oil based companies in North America and the Middle East.
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