Fracking as an Oil and Petroleum Recovery Method (Essay Sample)

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Fracking as an Oil and Petroleum Recovery Method
Fracking, which is also commonly referred to as hydraulic fracturing, is one of the improved oil recovery methods, which oil and gas companies have embraced in the recent past. This process involves the injection of liquid and materials at a high pressure to create fractures within tight shale rock formations, thus leading to the extraction of fossil energy sources such as petroleum, natural gas, and oil from beneath. Fracking is a proven drilling technology that is used during the extraction of oil, petroleum, and natural gas, among other components that are found deep underground. This method of recovery has been safely utilized by different countries for a long time, hence facilitating the completion of millions of wells. The fracking process has also facilitated the production of numerous amounts of oil, petroleum, and natural gas. This method is preferred by many extraction companies because it has many advantages. Compared to other conventional recovery methods, fracking is the most effective oil and gas recovery method due to its time and cost-efficiency, convenience, and environmental conservation.
There are various reasons why most oil and petroleum extraction companies prefer the fracking approach of recovery. First, fracking is a cost-effective alternative to recovering oil and petroleum compared to other recovery methods. Due to the cost-effectiveness of this recovery method, companies that utilize this approach are able to generate high-profit margins as compared to companies that use the other methods of oil and petroleum recovery. According to Jackson et al. (335), this method has numerous benefits the exceed the costs. The authors identify the method’s cost-efficiencies attributed to the income generated versus the amount spent on the operations. They posit that the fracking method of extracting oil and petroleum is driving an economic boom. This is because, despite the benefits gained by the companies using fracking, the method also increases economic activity, income, as well as employment, which are essential in ensuring economic stability.
Moreover, this method is advantageous and cost-effective because the amount of water that is used during the fracking process translates directly into the amount of oil or petroleum produced. These are the findings of a study conducted by Scanlon et al. (12389). These authors did a comparative analysis on two major petroleum companies, Eagle Ford and Bakken Oil, seeking to determine the amount of water produced and the extracted energy are related. Upon accomplishing the study, they established that the amount of water consumed was proportionate to the amount of oil and energy produced, illustrating the economic advantage of using hydraulic fracturing. Therefore, they concluded that this method is excellent in terms of cost-effectiveness.
Another advantage of using fracking during the extraction of oil and petroleum is that it is very time-efficient compared to other oil and petroleum recovery methods. This is because less time is spent on drilling individual wells. This point is supported by the findings of a study conducted by Holloway and Rudd (n.p), who established that the operations that are involved in the fracking process require less time to be executed as compared to offshore drilling. They posited that this was an advantage that companies should utilize since using this method reduces the amount of time spent while drilling individual wells. Moreover, Speight (n.p) reinforced these findings by stating that the fracking method of extraction saves time in instances where deep wells for deep-set reservoirs need to be drilled. This implied that energy extraction companies should take advantage of this approach due to its time convenience in order to save time that would have been spent attempting to tap into deep reservoirs and setting up offshore drills.
Moreover, fracking has other conveniences that are related to oil and petroleum recovery. There are some situations that arise during the extraction process that make other methods ineffective. For example, during the extraction process, the reservoirs might have too tight formations or are too deep. Besides, the reservoirs might have insufficient crude oil volumes. In such situations, the fracking approach is recommended due to its convenience of accessing the crude oil, even in remote reservoirs (Speight n.p). Moreover, coupled with ease of operation and precision conveniences that are associated with this approach, the method is regarded as the best compared to offshore drilling. These conveniences make fracking the most effective, efficient, and expedient method of oil and gas recovery.
Finally, the other advantage that makes fracking the most appropriate oil and gas extraction method is that it provides a significantly superior environmental management capability if done correctly. When this method is done appropriately, the likelihood of spills and leaks is minimal (Chandrasekaran n.p). From Chandrasekaran’s comparative study regarding the health, safety, and environmental issues that are associated with fracking and offshore drilling, it was establi