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Hydraulic fracturing is a process of injecting fluid into the ground to fracture shale in order to release natural gas. This lecture introduces the basic principles behind hydraulic fracturing (known as "fracking"), illustrates the health and social impacts of fracking, and explores the role of the nurse in caring for and advocating for affected patient populations.
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SCREENCASTS
This lecture explains helpful search techniques used for finding information on hydraulic fracturing via the National Library of Medicine's TOXNET database. Nurses can then utilize this information for creating evidence-based recommendations on health monitoring, advocacy efforts, further areas of research, and more. Specific resources discussed include the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB), Haz-map, and Tox Town.
Tox Town
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HSDB
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Haz-Map
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RESOURCES
ToxMap: http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/
From the National Library of Medicine. A geographical information system (GIS) that allows users visually explore data primarily from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Watch this brief video to learn how to add a census overlay to ToxMap data (a census overlay will display population information, income, schools, etc)
USGS Introduction to Hydraulic Fracturing: http://www.usgs.gov/hydraulic_fracturing/
From the United States Geological Survey. USGS is a science organization that provides impartial information on environmental topics, and this page provides an introduction to the science surrounding Hydraulic Fracturing as an energy source.
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) backgrounder http://www.cfr.org/energy-and-environment/hydraulic-fracturing-fracking/p31559
From the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher. CFR publishes Backgrounders, an overview of a complex issues, similar to what one would find in an encyclopedia. The Fracking backgrounder provides information about the global & national implications of fracking.
Physicians, Engineers and Scientists for Healthy Energy http://www.psehealthyenergy.org/
Physicians, Engineers and Scientists for Healthy Energy is a non-governmental organization that tracks the science and policies regarding fracking and other issues related to energy production in the U.S.
FracTracker http://www.fractracker.org/
The FracTracker Alliance is a non-governmental organization that shares maps, data, and analyses to communicate impacts of the global oil and gas industry and informs actions that positively shape our energy future. It supports a mapping tool that allows you to find frack sites by state and by country. It also provides excellent photos of a wide array of fracking-related activities.
The following is a compendium of resources that was created by the Union of Concerned Scientists as part of its toolkit for communities that are impacted by fracking: (A link to the whole toolkit can be found here: http://www.ucsusa.org/center-for-science-and-democracy/events/fracking-forum-toolkit.html#.VvxUaseCo1E )
GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
Introduction to Hydraulic Fracturing (U.S. Geological Survey) http://www.usgs.gov/hydraulic_fracturing/
Summary of hydraulic fracturing, with links to USGS studies and energy assessments related to fracking.
“Breaking Fuel from the Rock” (National Geographic) http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101022-breaking-fuel-from-the-rock/
Provides an interactive and easy-to-follow animation of each of the steps in the horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing process, with detailed information about each step and the process as a whole.
Natural Gas Maps: Exploration, Resources, Reserves, and Production (Energy Information Administration) http://www.eia.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/maps/maps.htm
Maps of shale plays, tight gas plays, and coal-bed methane fields, all of which are accessed through hydraulic fracturing, as well as detailed maps of known oil and gas fields.
Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: Separating the Frack from the Fiction (Pacific Institute)
http://www.pacinst.org/publication/hydraulic-fracturing-and-water-resources-separating-the-frack-from-the-fiction/
Detailed assessment and synthesis of existing research on fracking as well as the results of interviews with representatives from government, industry, academia, and community groups highlighting current concerns.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Fractracker http://fractracker.org/
Maps of well sites and community regulations, as well as downloadable data for individual drilling sites.
FracFocus
http://fracfocus.org/
Data about well locations, state regulations, and chemical usage related to hydraulic fracturing. The data are self-reported by industry, and may vary in accuracy.
Natural Gas Extraction—Hydraulic Fracturing (Environmental Protection Agency)
http://www2.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing
Overview of EPA studies and laws related to fracking; provides links to other sources that contain more detailed information about shale gas and the hydraulic fracturing process.
Shale Maps (Resources for the Future) http://rff.org/centers/energy_economics_and_policy/Pages/Shale_Maps.aspx
Provides a breakdown of state fracking regulations in various formats, including tables and maps.
Municipalities and Hydraulic Fracturing: Trends in State Preemption
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/environmentallawprogram/files/2013/03/Municipalities-and-Hydraulic-Fracturing-Trends-in-State-Preemption.pdf
Overview of regulatory approaches that municipalities can consider when faced with fracking. It also offers examples of where each approach has been implemented and the challenges these communities face.
RISKS AND IMPACTS OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING DEVELOPMENT
Resources for the Future http://www.rff.org/centers/energy_economics_and_policy/Pages/Shale-Matrices.aspx
A risk matrix that identifies the potential risks (i.e., those that could plausibly occur under normal operating conditions) to be considered when developing a well, examining impacts from widespread drilling activities, or writing regulations.
Information on Shale Resources, Development, and Environmental and Public Health Risks (Government Accountability Office)
http://www.gao.gov/assets/650/647791.pdf
Findings of the GAO in response to congressional requests for information about shale resources, development, and possible risks.
Fracking Outpaces Science on Its Impact (Yale University) http://environment.yale.edu/envy/stories/fracking-outpaces-science-on-its-impact
Outline of all the potential environmental and health impacts associated with fracking, emphasizing uncertainty and the need for more research.
Hydraulic Fracturing and Information Forcing http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2283904
Overview of the gaps in information about hydraulic fracturing’s impacts; offers recommendations for what should be done to correct them.
How Should We Think about the Economic Consequences of Shale Gas Drilling?
http://cce.cornell.edu/EnergyClimateChange/NaturalGasDev/Documents/Green%20Choices%20Papers/Marcellus_SC_NR.pdf
Discusses the potential economic impacts of shale gas development on communities, using Pennsylvania as a model. Considers both the short- and long-term benefits, the costs of extraction, and related activities.
From the National Library of Medicine. A geographical information system (GIS) that allows users visually explore data primarily from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Watch this brief video to learn how to add a census overlay to ToxMap data (a census overlay will display population information, income, schools, etc)
USGS Introduction to Hydraulic Fracturing: http://www.usgs.gov/hydraulic_fracturing/
From the United States Geological Survey. USGS is a science organization that provides impartial information on environmental topics, and this page provides an introduction to the science surrounding Hydraulic Fracturing as an energy source.
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) backgrounder http://www.cfr.org/energy-and-environment/hydraulic-fracturing-fracking/p31559
From the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher. CFR publishes Backgrounders, an overview of a complex issues, similar to what one would find in an encyclopedia. The Fracking backgrounder provides information about the global & national implications of fracking.
Physicians, Engineers and Scientists for Healthy Energy http://www.psehealthyenergy.org/
Physicians, Engineers and Scientists for Healthy Energy is a non-governmental organization that tracks the science and policies regarding fracking and other issues related to energy production in the U.S.
FracTracker http://www.fractracker.org/
The FracTracker Alliance is a non-governmental organization that shares maps, data, and analyses to communicate impacts of the global oil and gas industry and informs actions that positively shape our energy future. It supports a mapping tool that allows you to find frack sites by state and by country. It also provides excellent photos of a wide array of fracking-related activities.
The following is a compendium of resources that was created by the Union of Concerned Scientists as part of its toolkit for communities that are impacted by fracking: (A link to the whole toolkit can be found here: http://www.ucsusa.org/center-for-science-and-democracy/events/fracking-forum-toolkit.html#.VvxUaseCo1E )
GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
Introduction to Hydraulic Fracturing (U.S. Geological Survey) http://www.usgs.gov/hydraulic_fracturing/
Summary of hydraulic fracturing, with links to USGS studies and energy assessments related to fracking.
“Breaking Fuel from the Rock” (National Geographic) http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101022-breaking-fuel-from-the-rock/
Provides an interactive and easy-to-follow animation of each of the steps in the horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing process, with detailed information about each step and the process as a whole.
Natural Gas Maps: Exploration, Resources, Reserves, and Production (Energy Information Administration) http://www.eia.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/maps/maps.htm
Maps of shale plays, tight gas plays, and coal-bed methane fields, all of which are accessed through hydraulic fracturing, as well as detailed maps of known oil and gas fields.
Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: Separating the Frack from the Fiction (Pacific Institute)
http://www.pacinst.org/publication/hydraulic-fracturing-and-water-resources-separating-the-frack-from-the-fiction/
Detailed assessment and synthesis of existing research on fracking as well as the results of interviews with representatives from government, industry, academia, and community groups highlighting current concerns.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Fractracker http://fractracker.org/
Maps of well sites and community regulations, as well as downloadable data for individual drilling sites.
FracFocus
http://fracfocus.org/
Data about well locations, state regulations, and chemical usage related to hydraulic fracturing. The data are self-reported by industry, and may vary in accuracy.
Natural Gas Extraction—Hydraulic Fracturing (Environmental Protection Agency)
http://www2.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing
Overview of EPA studies and laws related to fracking; provides links to other sources that contain more detailed information about shale gas and the hydraulic fracturing process.
Shale Maps (Resources for the Future) http://rff.org/centers/energy_economics_and_policy/Pages/Shale_Maps.aspx
Provides a breakdown of state fracking regulations in various formats, including tables and maps.
Municipalities and Hydraulic Fracturing: Trends in State Preemption
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/environmentallawprogram/files/2013/03/Municipalities-and-Hydraulic-Fracturing-Trends-in-State-Preemption.pdf
Overview of regulatory approaches that municipalities can consider when faced with fracking. It also offers examples of where each approach has been implemented and the challenges these communities face.
RISKS AND IMPACTS OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING DEVELOPMENT
Resources for the Future http://www.rff.org/centers/energy_economics_and_policy/Pages/Shale-Matrices.aspx
A risk matrix that identifies the potential risks (i.e., those that could plausibly occur under normal operating conditions) to be considered when developing a well, examining impacts from widespread drilling activities, or writing regulations.
Information on Shale Resources, Development, and Environmental and Public Health Risks (Government Accountability Office)
http://www.gao.gov/assets/650/647791.pdf
Findings of the GAO in response to congressional requests for information about shale resources, development, and possible risks.
Fracking Outpaces Science on Its Impact (Yale University) http://environment.yale.edu/envy/stories/fracking-outpaces-science-on-its-impact
Outline of all the potential environmental and health impacts associated with fracking, emphasizing uncertainty and the need for more research.
Hydraulic Fracturing and Information Forcing http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2283904
Overview of the gaps in information about hydraulic fracturing’s impacts; offers recommendations for what should be done to correct them.
How Should We Think about the Economic Consequences of Shale Gas Drilling?
http://cce.cornell.edu/EnergyClimateChange/NaturalGasDev/Documents/Green%20Choices%20Papers/Marcellus_SC_NR.pdf
Discusses the potential economic impacts of shale gas development on communities, using Pennsylvania as a model. Considers both the short- and long-term benefits, the costs of extraction, and related activities.
ACTIVITIES
Use the Fractracker resource to find out about fracking activity in your state: http://www.fractracker.org/map/us/
What did you find? Click "Start a topic" to join the conversation.
What did you find? Click "Start a topic" to join the conversation.