The Pros And Cons Of Shale Gas Environmental Sciences Essay

The Pros And Cons Of Shale Gas Environmental Sciences Essay Shale gas development has significant negative and positive environmental impact. Negative environmental impact is due to the process of shale gas development and positive impact is through a substitution of clean natural gas to other energy sources. This paper is organised in three parts. In the first part, shale gas development and potential of shale gas is described. In the second part, environmental challenges in the development of shale gas are described. In the third part, environmental benefits as a result of shale gas are discussed. Shale Gas and its potential: Shale gas is natural gas. It is stored in organic rich rocks such as dark-coloured shale, inter bedded with layers of shaley siltstone and sandstone [1]. Shale is a fine-grained rock made up of ancient compacted clays or mud and can be the source, reservoir and the seal for the gas. Shale gas plays are classified as a continuous type gas accumulations extending throughout large areas, typically with low permeability [1]. Shale gas is considered as unconventional gas source and same techniques used for conventional shallow gas development may also be used with shale gas drilling [1]. Shale gas is extracted through a process known as hydraulic fracturing which was developed in the United States in 1948 [3]. Hydraulic fracturing involves injecting a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into rock formations to stimulate oil and natural gas production shown in the figure 1. Figure1: Shale gas extraction process [2] Hydraulic Fracturing creates fractures that extend from a borehole into shale formations. Hydraulic fracture is formed by pumping a fracturing fluid into the well bore at a rate sufficient to increase the pressure down the bore hole fracturing the surrounding shale rock formation [3]. Solid proppant (like sieved round sand) is added to the fracture fluid to keep the fracture open after the injection stops. Shale gas potential: Shale gas fields were largely untapped until recently due to the difficulty and cost to extract the gas. As conventional natural gas production has been decreasing, demand for the unconventional natural gas is more than ever now. This fact coupled with improvements in extraction methods has made it possible to explore the shale gas reserves. Recoverable shale gas reserves increases total gas availability of the world by 40 percent per the report by Energy Information Administration (EIA) of USA. A new EIA-sponsored study reported initial assessments of 5,760 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable shale gas resources in 32 foreign countries [6], with China topping the list with 1275 trillion cubic feet of shale gas reserves followed by USA with 862 trillion cubic feet [Appendix 1]. In 2010, U.S. shale gas production was 4.87 trillion cubic feet (23 percent of total U.S. natural gas production), compared with 0.39 trillion cubic feet in 2000. IEA predicts that shale gas will account for about 46 percent of U.S. natural gas production by 2035[6]. Rising production from shale gas resources in the U.S. has been credited with both lower natural gas prices and declining dependence on imported natural gas [6]. In most of the developing countries, shale gas development has not started yet. Energy hungry countries like India and China can greatly benefit from their recoverable shale gas resource as recent oil prices trend shows that oil is no longer a cheap commodity. At the current level of consumption, world may have 250 years supply of natural gas as result of new shale gas reserves around the world as per International Energy Agency (IEA) [7]. Shale gas is a huge deal per Shells CEO Peter Voser. BPs ex CEO Tony Hayward hailed shale gas as complete game changer [8]. These comments from the prominent energy experts show the importance of shale gas as future potential energy source. Figure 3: Estimated global shale gas recoverable resources As is often the case with any resource development, shale gas production also has raised local environmental concerns, largely centering on the amount of water used in the fracturing process and the need to handle, recycle, and treat fracturing fluids in a manner that addresses the risk of spills that can potentially affect water quality. Do other countries have similar opportunities to develop shale gas? To begin to address that question, EIA sponsored Advanced Resources International, Inc., to assess 48 gas shale basins in 32 countries, containing almost 70 shale gas formations. This effort has culminated in the report: World Shale Gas Resources: An Initial Assessment of 14 Regions Outside the United States. Technically recoverable natural gas resources in the assessed basins totaled 5,760 Tcf. Adding the estimated U.S. shale gas technically recoverable resources (862 Tcf) to the assessments in the study gives a total of 6,622 Tcf. For comparison, most current estimates of world technically recoverable natural gas resources include few if any of the resources assessed in this study and total about 16,000 Tcf. Adding identified shale gas resources to current estimates of other gas resources increases total world technically recoverable resources by over 40 percent, to more than 22,000 trillion cubic feet, said EIA Administrator Richard Newell. Estimates of shale gas resources in other parts of the world are highly uncertain. The practicality of using such resources has only recently become apparent, and many countries are just now beginning to understand how to conduct assessments of how much shale gas they may have. Nonetheless, the aggregate estimate is probably quite conservative, since the study excluded several major types of potential shale gas resources: Nations outside the 32 countries studied. These include Russia and the Middle East, which have very large resources of conventional gas. Some shale basins in the countries studied. In many cases, no estimates are possible yet for these basins. Offshore resources. Of the countries covered in the EIA-sponsored study, two groups may find shale gas development most attractive. The first is those countries that currently depend heavily on natural gas imports but that also have significant shale gas resources. These include France, Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, South Africa, Morocco, and Chile. The second group is those countries that already produce substantial amounts of natural gas and also have large shale resources. In addition to the United States, this group includes Canada, Mexico, China, Australia, Libya, Algeria, Argentina, and Brazil. A new EIA-sponsored study reported initial assessments of 5,760 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of technically recoverable shale gas resources in 32 foreign countries, compared with 862 Tcf in the United States. Technically recoverable natural gas resources in the assessed basins totaled 5,760 Tcf. Adding the estimated U.S. shale gas technically recoverable resources (862 Tcf) to the assessments in the study gives a total of 6,622 Tcf. For comparison, most current estimates of world technically recoverable natural gas resources include few if any of the resources assessed in this study and total about 16,000 Tcf. Adding identified shale gas resources to current estimates of other gas resources increases total world technically recoverable resources by over 40 percent, to more than 22,000 trillion cubic feet. In terms of recoverable shale gas resources, China takes the top spot, with an estimated 1,275 Tcf. The US is second, with 862 Tcf, followed by Argentina with 774 Tcf and Mexico with 681 Tcf. The growing importance of US shale gas resources is also reflected in EIAs Annual Energy Outlook 2011 (AEO2011) energy projections, with technically recoverable US shale gas resources now estimated at 862 trillion cubic feet. Given a total natural gas resource base of 2,543 trillion cubic feet in the AEO2011 Reference case, shale gas resources constitute 34% of the domestic natural gas resource base represented in the AEO2011 projections and 50% of lower 48 onshore resources. As a result, shale gas is the largest contributor to the projected growth in production, and by 2035 shale gas production accounts for 46% of US natural gas production.

Taiwan Must Eliminate the Dependence on Nuclear Power Essay -- Nuclear

The public awareness of nuclear power in Taiwan has increased markedly especially after the Fukushima nuclear accidents made nuclear power a contentious front-page issue. Nowadays, Taiwan produces 22% (i.e. 5028 megawatts ) of her energy from nuclear power produced by three power plants with 6 reactors. In addition to these three power plants, the under-construction nuclear power plant four has never been far away from the center of public opinion in the past 20 years. The rising environmental and anti-nuclear movements in Taiwan have created no shortage of policy disputes and public concern on the use of nuclear power for electricity generation (Hsiao.Liu et al, 1999).It seems to be an irresistible trend to make Taiwan a â€Å"nuke-free home†. But it must be a long-term process rather than an immediate action. Before we completely enable to get rid of nuclear power, there are a lot we can do to accelerate the process such as starting an energy saving revolution, developing th e technology of renewable energy and even properly making use of the existing nuclear power plants. 1. The condition of Taiwan After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, an international review of nuclear safety indicated that two of the three nuclear power plants operating in Taiwan were listed as the most dangerous in the world (Jung-Chun Ho et al, 2013). According to a survey conducted by Jung-Chun Ho et al in August 2011, 66% of the 2819 responders perceived that Taiwan's safety management of nuclear power plants was inferior to Japan's, while 40% perceived a higher possibility of nuclear accidents like that in Japan. Actually, the condition of Taiwan decides that it should create a â€Å"nuke-free home† First of all, Taiwan is a small and geological unstable ar... ... 21. 2013. Pages 674–683. 14. Fleiter. T, Fehrenbach. D.Worrell, E. Eichhammer.†Energy efficiency in the German pulp and paper industry—a model-based assessment of saving potentials†. Energy, 40 (2012), pp. 84–99. 15. Chen Falin, Lu Shyi-Min, Tsenga Kuo-Tung, Leeb Si-Chen, Wanga Eric. â€Å"Assessment of renewable energy reserves in Taiwan.†Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,Volume 14, Issue 9, 2010, Pages 2511–2528. 16. Cheng-Dar Yuea,Chung-Ming Liua, Eric M.L. Lioub. â€Å"A transition toward a sustainable energy future: feasibility assessment and development strategies of wind power in Taiwan†. Energy Policy, Volume 29, Issue 12, October 2001, Pages 951–963. 17. â€Å"Taiwan's renewable energy sector grows 19 pct. in Q3.† The China Post, November 26, 2013. 18. Carmen Paun, Jens Kastner. â€Å"European review of Taiwanese safety.† World Nuclear News, 20 November 2013.

Are Women Better Listeners Than Men?

a. I think women are better listeners than men Pro:  ·Women give advice from their own experiences  ·Listen intently  ·Women are compassionate  ·Women are supportive  · Want to know all the facts Con:  ·They talk way too much about one thing  ·Have a tendency to act all-knowing  ·Annoying at times  ·Show more emotion than what is needed  ·Are gossipers b. Capital punishment is no deterrent to crime Pro:  ·Zero percent chance they'll kill again  ·Not supporting a criminal in jail for a lifetime  ·Wont get on parole and commit their crimes again  ·Discouragement of crime  · Closure for the surviving victims/loved onesCon:  ·Life without parole means the prisoner is taken off the streets for good  ·Execution is expensive  ·Innocent people may die  ·Killing the killer doesn't make the government any better  ·Poor peole don't have the income to get good defense c. â€Å"Hard† sciences such as math are more difficult than â€Å"soft† sc iences such as sociology Pro:  ·More prepared for life situations  ·Fewer people are good at â€Å"hard† sciences in comparison to â€Å"soft† sciences  ·Larger expansion of knowledge  ·Being accurate  ·Ã¢â‚¬ hard† sciences are usually less intuitively understandable than â€Å"soft† sciences Con: Missing job opportunities because less knowledge of each type of science  ·Many â€Å"soft† sciences like sociology are based on observations, which, while making them seem simple, in reality makes the process of research quite difficult  ·there is no objective ground for differentiation, only inclinations of different people d. The production and sale of cigarettes must be outlawed for the health of the American public. Pro:  ·Decreased number of smokers  ·Toxic levels of chemicals found in cigarettes and in medications (Theophylline)  ·Stop underage smokers  ·Stop some littering  ·Saves consumers money Con:  ·losing jobs for al l the cigarette makers find alternate bad habits  ·State losing too much money because of the amount of money cigarette sales bring in e. The university should reduce tuition for those students who maintained an A average during the previous year. Pro:  ·It motivates students  ·The costs will be repaid for the university by the growth of its reputation  ·It makes sense from the economic point of view if we view knowledge as the product supplied by the university Con:  ·It may cause tensions between students  ·Grades do not always reflect the real level of knowledge f. ROTC should be made available to all students in U. S. colleges and universities Pro: It increases the possibility of choice for students  ·It allows for simultaneous civil and military study  ·It helps test ones prospective path in life g. The majority of American people support prayer in school Religion is an integral part of life for many Con:  ·religion is a matter of individual choice  ·this ma tter is bound to cause a lot of controversy  ·if given an opportunity, various religious groups would compete for support of their particular prayer Dialogue Women appear to be better listeners than men because they're naturally compassionate, and they have a built-in nurturing spirit that makes them feel like they're born counselors.They're focused on what's being said because they want to know all the fine details, whereas men are primarily â€Å"head-liners† meaning they just want you to get right to the point-â€Å"just say it†. Men don't seem to have the patience that women have when it comes to listening; they're moved by what they see, t whereas women are moved by what they hear. Men are usually of few words, and they expect you to read in-between those few words to see exactly what it is they're trying to say.This is their way of saying that they're really listening and they really care. I feel the one thing that women should not do is over-dramatize, becomin g very emotional, which can sometimes be viewed as a turn-off, even though it's a part of their nature. I can't actually say that women are better listeners than men, they just seem like it since they use more words, and relate from their own life experiences, which makes the person speaking feel as though that woman is really paying attention to what's being said. Are Women Better Listeners Than Men? a. I think women are better listeners than men Pro:  ·Women give advice from their own experiences  ·Listen intently  ·Women are compassionate  ·Women are supportive  · Want to know all the facts Con:  ·They talk way too much about one thing  ·Have a tendency to act all-knowing  ·Annoying at times  ·Show more emotion than what is needed  ·Are gossipers b. Capital punishment is no deterrent to crime Pro:  ·Zero percent chance they'll kill again  ·Not supporting a criminal in jail for a lifetime  ·Wont get on parole and commit their crimes again  ·Discouragement of crime  · Closure for the surviving victims/loved onesCon:  ·Life without parole means the prisoner is taken off the streets for good  ·Execution is expensive  ·Innocent people may die  ·Killing the killer doesn't make the government any better  ·Poor peole don't have the income to get good defense c. â€Å"Hard† sciences such as math are more difficult than â€Å"soft† sc iences such as sociology Pro:  ·More prepared for life situations  ·Fewer people are good at â€Å"hard† sciences in comparison to â€Å"soft† sciences  ·Larger expansion of knowledge  ·Being accurate  ·Ã¢â‚¬ hard† sciences are usually less intuitively understandable than â€Å"soft† sciences Con: Missing job opportunities because less knowledge of each type of science  ·Many â€Å"soft† sciences like sociology are based on observations, which, while making them seem simple, in reality makes the process of research quite difficult  ·there is no objective ground for differentiation, only inclinations of different people d. The production and sale of cigarettes must be outlawed for the health of the American public. Pro:  ·Decreased number of smokers  ·Toxic levels of chemicals found in cigarettes and in medications (Theophylline)  ·Stop underage smokers  ·Stop some littering  ·Saves consumers money Con:  ·losing jobs for al l the cigarette makers find alternate bad habits  ·State losing too much money because of the amount of money cigarette sales bring in e. The university should reduce tuition for those students who maintained an A average during the previous year. Pro:  ·It motivates students  ·The costs will be repaid for the university by the growth of its reputation  ·It makes sense from the economic point of view if we view knowledge as the product supplied by the university Con:  ·It may cause tensions between students  ·Grades do not always reflect the real level of knowledge f. ROTC should be made available to all students in U. S. colleges and universities Pro: It increases the possibility of choice for students  ·It allows for simultaneous civil and military study  ·It helps test ones prospective path in life g. The majority of American people support prayer in school Religion is an integral part of life for many Con:  ·religion is a matter of individual choice  ·this ma tter is bound to cause a lot of controversy  ·if given an opportunity, various religious groups would compete for support of their particular prayer Dialogue Women appear to be better listeners than men because they're naturally compassionate, and they have a built-in nurturing spirit that makes them feel like they're born counselors.They're focused on what's being said because they want to know all the fine details, whereas men are primarily â€Å"head-liners† meaning they just want you to get right to the point-â€Å"just say it†. Men don't seem to have the patience that women have when it comes to listening; they're moved by what they see, t whereas women are moved by what they hear. Men are usually of few words, and they expect you to read in-between those few words to see exactly what it is they're trying to say.This is their way of saying that they're really listening and they really care. I feel the one thing that women should not do is over-dramatize, becomin g very emotional, which can sometimes be viewed as a turn-off, even though it's a part of their nature. I can't actually say that women are better listeners than men, they just seem like it since they use more words, and relate from their own life experiences, which makes the person speaking feel as though that woman is really paying attention to what's being said.

Identity Theft in Our Contemporary Society Essay example

Identity Theft in Our Contemporary Society Introduction How do you secure your identity with the Internet developing faster than can be protected? Attempting to stay ahead of the hackers and attackers has been a contentious effort since the Internet’s earliest days as a research project. Today, after thirty years of prolific development, security concerns have only increased. Designing computer systems and devices which are capable of resisting attack from within, while growing and evolving at an epidemic rate is almost an impossible endeavor. Today, identity theft is the nation’s fastest growing white collar crime and preys upon the financial resources and reputations of its victims to include children and deceased. In many†¦show more content†¦The United States Department of Justice defines Identity Theft and Fraud as, â€Å"†¦ terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another persons personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for e conomic gain† (U.S. Department of Justice, 2012). An individual’s personal data such as: Social Security number, bank account information, credit card numbers, or telephone calling card number ¬ may be used by criminals to personally profit at your expense. In many cases, a victims loss not only includes out-of-pocket financial losses, but substantial additional financial costs and time repairing and correcting credit histories and erroneous information. To assist with my research for this paper, I chose two books written from different perspectives. First, I sought out a book to provide a comprehensive review of identity theft history; methods used to steal identities, consequences of having your identity stolen, and prevention techniques from an individual or business perspective. Next, after developing a strong baseline on identity theft, I searched for a reference book which offers a comprehensive review of the concepts of computer crimes, relevant laws, and methods practiced by investigators to trace, capture and persecute identity theftShow MoreRelatedHow Technology Has Changed The Perception Of The Disparity That Prevails Amongst The Conventional Thief And Contemporary. Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagesthere were fraudulent charges in the amount of $300 in less than a week’s time. Nevertheless, the advances in technology are advantageous but detrimental to our financial wellbeing. 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