ix
for all O&G production, covering everything from bulldozers knocking down trees
to offshore oil spills, and of course there can be significant environmental impacts
from these activities. But they are not fracking. The incorrect use of this term by
environmentalists demonstrates a significant misunderstanding of how fossil fuels
are produced and results in the O&G industry not taking them seriously. The two
sides end up talking past each other using words that have completely different
meanings.
Most of the published environmental studies have concluded that more data are
needed to find definitive answers, but data are hard to come by. The O&G industry
has typically not been willing to help researchers discover environmental problems
that could result in costly liabilities, no matter how “interesting” these may be scientifically. Even many landowners have refused to cooperate for the same reason.
Without access to well sites, production data, and information about drilling activities and completion dates, potential environmental contaminants related to fracking
can’t be monitored, and much of this research has been starved of data.
Nevertheless, the lack of industry cooperation has not stopped researchers from
delving into a wide range of fracking investigations, which resulted in a huge explosion of publications starting around 2010 (Costa et al. 2017). The body of available
literature reflects a broad variety of different perspectives, and the sources provided
in the references of this book are recommended for additional reading. Every effort
was made to include the most relevant documents, but given the volume of publications, it is certainly possible that many critical papers were left out. This was by no
means an intentional omission, but simply an effort by the author to keep from
drowning in literature. If there are important papers that are not included in the citations, please let me know. I will add them to later editions of this book.
Some people think it is impossible for fossil energy to co-exist with environmental protection. This is not true; the science and engineering are definitely available
to obtain and use energy from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels, with minimal environmental impacts. However, protecting the environment is usually not the
cheapest option for extracting or using energy. People want the least expensive
energy they can get, and fossil fuel is cheap. Few individuals would willingly
request a higher electric bill for renewable electricity or seek to pay twice as much
for zero-emissions cars just because these are better for the environment. Yes, some
concerned people do install solar panels and buy electric vehicles, but they are
exceptions far outnumbered by those connected to the electric grid and driving large
pickup trucks. But more expensive fossil fuels must be in our future if we want to
move away from fossil energy. When the cost of protecting the environment is
included in the price of fossil fuels, they become far more expensive. Pricier fossil
fuels are not necessarily bad; for one thing it would make renewables more costcompetitive and would also encourage energy conservation.
People often ask where I stand personally on the issue of fracking. In short, I
stand with the data, the facts, and the documented findings. I support both the environment and the energy industry. At the end of the day, our society needs a clean and
livable environment, but our technological civilization also requires energy to run.
Preface
for all O&G production, covering everything from bulldozers knocking down trees
to offshore oil spills, and of course there can be significant environmental impacts
from these activities. But they are not fracking. The incorrect use of this term by
environmentalists demonstrates a significant misunderstanding of how fossil fuels
are produced and results in the O&G industry not taking them seriously. The two
sides end up talking past each other using words that have completely different
meanings.
Most of the published environmental studies have concluded that more data are
needed to find definitive answers, but data are hard to come by. The O&G industry
has typically not been willing to help researchers discover environmental problems
that could result in costly liabilities, no matter how “interesting” these may be scientifically. Even many landowners have refused to cooperate for the same reason.
Without access to well sites, production data, and information about drilling activities and completion dates, potential environmental contaminants related to fracking
can’t be monitored, and much of this research has been starved of data.
Nevertheless, the lack of industry cooperation has not stopped researchers from
delving into a wide range of fracking investigations, which resulted in a huge explosion of publications starting around 2010 (Costa et al. 2017). The body of available
literature reflects a broad variety of different perspectives, and the sources provided
in the references of this book are recommended for additional reading. Every effort
was made to include the most relevant documents, but given the volume of publications, it is certainly possible that many critical papers were left out. This was by no
means an intentional omission, but simply an effort by the author to keep from
drowning in literature. If there are important papers that are not included in the citations, please let me know. I will add them to later editions of this book.
Some people think it is impossible for fossil energy to co-exist with environmental protection. This is not true; the science and engineering are definitely available
to obtain and use energy from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels, with minimal environmental impacts. However, protecting the environment is usually not the
cheapest option for extracting or using energy. People want the least expensive
energy they can get, and fossil fuel is cheap. Few individuals would willingly
request a higher electric bill for renewable electricity or seek to pay twice as much
for zero-emissions cars just because these are better for the environment. Yes, some
concerned people do install solar panels and buy electric vehicles, but they are
exceptions far outnumbered by those connected to the electric grid and driving large
pickup trucks. But more expensive fossil fuels must be in our future if we want to
move away from fossil energy. When the cost of protecting the environment is
included in the price of fossil fuels, they become far more expensive. Pricier fossil
fuels are not necessarily bad; for one thing it would make renewables more costcompetitive and would also encourage energy conservation.
People often ask where I stand personally on the issue of fracking. In short, I
stand with the data, the facts, and the documented findings. I support both the environment and the energy industry. At the end of the day, our society needs a clean and
livable environment, but our technological civilization also requires energy to run.
Preface