Fracking And Its Early Technological Advancements

Contents Introduction 1 What is Hydraulic Fracking? 2 The Roberts Torpedo, 1864 3 Kelpper Well No. 1, 1947 5 Hydrafrac, 1949 6 The Growth of Hydrafrac, 1949 - 1954 8 Introduction Hydraulic fracking (‘Fracking’) dominates the US oil and gas industry. Although it is currently a politically dividing topic due to environmental concerns (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2010), the concept behind fracking has been around for over 150 years (Roberts, 1866), and has been in use in its current state for over 60 years (Clark, 1949). This report will cover the early history of fracking, and its early technological advancements. What is Hydraulic Fracking? Fracking is a well-stimulation technique used most commonly in oil and gas production. Hydraulic fracking is usually performed on shale reserves, but conventional wells are also able to be fracked. Fracking is an extremely important technique; not only increasing production rates of wells but also adding approximately 20 trillion m3 of natural gas and 9 billion bbl of oil to the US reserves (Montgomery Smith, 2010). Fracking follows this basic process: 1. Fracking fluid is pumped into the well under high pressure (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). 2. This flows into the (perforated) reservoir rock, and creates hairline fractures (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). 3. Minute particles such as sand, called ‘proppant’ are suspended in the fluidShow MoreRelatedThe Economy Is Making Progress Because Of The Mass Production Of Technology1363 Words   |  6 PagesThe divergent regional forces are reshaping the global economy for good and bad. This is because an overwhelming impact on international relationships, and the role of the United Nations mediating among conflicting nations. The modernization and advancement of India and China has resulted in a shift of economic power that may impact the future of world commerce, possibly forming economic superpowers in decades to come. Having good communication is imperative in global business. Communication barriersRead MoreFracking: Is It Worth It?1551 Words   |  6 PagesFracking: Is it Worth it? â€Å"Fracking is the process of obtaining Natural Gas from below Earth’s surface by drilling 1000’s of feet into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside.† Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.† (Jackson). Hydraulic Fracturing got its name due to the fact of how the rock is fractured apart by the high pressure mixture of a numberRead MoreThe Nature Of Science, Agriculture Practices, Fracking And Irrigation Practices2197 Words   |  9 Pagesdesire for scientific process, and are driven to make the world a better place; though in reality, the outcomes of our environment and our selves say otherwise. Our ways of science, agriculture practices, fracking and irrigation practices, ways of mining, inventions of plastics, and even our advancement in technology is leading us to the consequences of not only hurting ou r species, but our environment as a whole. People believe that mankind will learn to utilize Earth’s resources intelligently, butRead MoreThe Oil Major Of Mexico3323 Words   |  14 PagesHouston is one of the most active energy exporters in the United States and home to over 300 petroleum refineries, and over 200 private oil companies. Technological innovation has led to major developments in the upstream energy exploration and production and, as a result, has evolved into rapid business growth locally. Although this has seemingly boosted market capital and broadened energy output in domestic markets that didn’t exist a century ago, nationalized foreign oil dependency still representsRead MoreCapital Ownership Via Capitalism Is The Best Socio Economic System2282 Words   |  10 Pagescorporation is to increase profit for shareholders. The only ways to achieve this are by increasing sales or by cutting costs. If the CEO of an oil extraction company is faced with a d ilemma between allocating funds to process runoff waste chemicals from fracking, or to bury them because the cost of a fine is a more economical cost to incur, he or she will choose the latter. This will boost profit for shareholders as well as ensuring that he or she receives a bonus for excellent performance. Meanwhile, theRead MoreExxon Mobile Capstone40455 Words   |  162 Pagesspotlight that was thrown on ExxonMobil regarding its dubious reserve replacement ratio. This raises more questions needing to be address: How will ExxonMobil be able to successfully execute on its mission to produce more oil?; What type of new technological innovations and infrastructure and process improvements are required to succeed?; What geopolitical, regulatory and environmental challenges must ExxonMobil overcome to profitably execute its commitment?    2    Key  Analysis   Global energy demand