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The Environmental Costs of Energy: Understanding Gas and Its Implications

In Derek Nordby's presentation "Gas Pains," we explore the intricate relationship between energy production and its environmental impacts. From hydropower's flooding effects to the land disruption caused by oil, gas, and coal extraction, every form of energy comes with a price. The discussion also delves into hydraulic fracturing, its water regulation concerns, and the need for federal oversight amidst declining well productivity in the U.S. Though natural gas is deemed the "greenest" hydrocarbon, alternatives like nuclear power may be necessary for a sustainable future.

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The Environmental Costs of Energy: Understanding Gas and Its Implications

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Ch. 25: Gas Pains Presented by Derek Nordby

  2. “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch” • Every form of energy is going to come with a cost to humans/the environment. • Hydropower • Flooding of rivers and streams. • Oil & gas • Land usage for drilling an pipelines. • Oil spills. • Coal • Mines tear up the land. • Hydrocarbon combustion • Large quantities of CO2 emissions.

  3. Gas • Hydraulic fracturing is used in extraction • Additives cause concerns about water regulations. • 2004: EPA study says that there is no evidence that fracturing is a danger to drinking-water. • IPAA claims >1 million wells have been drilled in the past 50 years and no documented cases of contaminated drinking-water. • Lustergarten reports on ground water contamination in WY. • 2009: EPA does 2nd study and finds 11 of 34 wells contaminated.

  4. Politics • Industry opponents want more federal oversight. • Determining where some companies are drilling. • While site locations are being limited, the U.S. still needs many new wells.

  5. Well Production • Some new wells’ production will drop 80-90% within the first year. • Overall well productivity is also decreasing. • 1971: 435,000 ft3/day • 2008: 113,000 ft3/day • Forces companies to look for new wells. • 2008: 60,000 new wells in U.S.

  6. Upsides • Gas industry continues to improve. • Drilling from farther away. • TCU Horned Frogs’ stadium. • Water usage is not as big of a deal as it’s made out to be. • Marcellus Shale (Pennsylvania) • If increased to drilling 3,000 wells/year • 30 million gallons of water each day • Pennsylvania electric sector • ~5.9 billion gallons/day (200x more than natural gas projections)

  7. Conclusion • Natural gas is not a perfect fuel, but it is the greenest of the hydrocarbons. • In order to get away from using hydrocarbons, we have only one choice. • Nuclear power.

  8. References • Bryce, Robert. Power Hungry: The Myths of "green" Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future. New York, NY: PublicAffairs, 2010. Print.

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