Hydraulic Fracturing: Risks and Rewards from a Geoscience Perspective

Steve Kesler, Professor Emeritus from the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, will provide an accessible talk about hydraulic fracturing (a.k.a. fracking).

Hydraulic Fracturing is a general term, for which there are numerous trade or service names, for the fracturing of rock in an oil or gas reservoir by pumping in water (or other fluid) and sand under high pressure.

Natural gas is domestically abundant and is a substantial source of energy for the United States. Growing demand for energy has meant greater interest in natural gas and hydraulic fracturing as a method of collecting it. The hydraulic fracturing method is highly controversial, thanks in part to films such as “Gasland” (http://mirlyn.lib.umich.edu/Record/008934744) which link hydraulic fracturing to serious environmental contamination and related environmental health issues for communities located near hydraulic fracturing sites.