Hamilton 1 Andrew Hamilton Mr.

Newman Earth and Space Science 27 December 2011 Should We Drill for Marcellus Shale? Using the fracking process is a safe and efficient way of obtaining natural gas from Marcellus Shale. As long as safety procedures are followed, there is very little risk of anything going wrong. With so much oil right under us it is a waste not to start drilling for it. I believe that as long as it is regulated, drilling for oil in the Marcellus Shale is a very good idea. Some people are concerned about the environmental risks that the fracking process poses. When companies use the fracking process large pumps are hooked up to a newly drilled well and thousands of gallons of water, sand, and a small amount of chemicals are pumped into the well. People are concerned that the chemicals (such as methanol and diesel) will get in the ground water. People opposed to drilling into the Marcellus Shale are also against wasting so much water. However if companies follow proper procedures (like testing the oil pipes integrity) the groundwater should remain clean. People say that the risks of contaminating the groundwater far outweigh the rewards. There is plenty of evidence supporting drilling for Marcellus Shale. One important problem in our country is our reliance on foreign oil. With estimates between84-410 trillion

Hamilton 2 cubic feet of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale we would be much less dependent on foreign oil. Drilling into the Marcellus Shale could also generate $12.8 billion for Pennsylvania alone. Another problem this would help improve is the United States high unemployment rate. According to a Pennsylvania State University study, 156,000 jobs or more could be created from drilling in the Marcellus Shale and by 2020 it could support 256,420 jobs. As long as we ensure the pipes are properly cemented and tested, nothing will go wrong. The fracking process has been used in the Barnett Shale near Dallas for over a decade now with no groundwater contamination issues. There are also many risks involved with using the fracking process to obtain natural gas from Marcellus Shale. If a pipe were to leak, many dangerous chemicals could leak into 15 million peoples drinking water. There are concerns that this contaminated water could make people sick. Discrepancies between studies have also suggested that companies may be overstating how much natural gas is actually in the Marcellus Shale. One estimate stated there was 410 trillion cubic feet while another stated there was only 84 trillion cubic feet. In addition to all of this, thousands of gallons of water have to be pumped into the ground and be wasted in the fracking process. If we regulate the oil companies, hydraulic fracturing is a safe and efficient way of obtaining natural gas. If the companies follow the procedures that law-makers set for them, everything should go safely and smoothly. Reducing our dependency on foreign oil will improve our country and economy. Many unemployed people could also find jobs if we drilled for natural

gas in the Marcellus Shale. Being careful is the key to utilizing the resources we have safely and effectively.