Addressing the Environmental Effects of Shale Gas Development

The American energy industry is leading a revolution in the development of shale gas.  Developing shale formations such as the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and the Barnett Shale in Texas through techniques like hydraulic fracturing (sometimes called “fracking”) has led to such an increase in domestic natural gas production that the U.S. is now vying with Russia for the title of the world’s largest producer of natural gas.

Aside from providing an abundance of natural gas, the shale explosion is beneficial in that it lessens the demand for coal, which in comparison to natural gas causes more pollution and releases more carbon dioxide.  However, concerns remain about shale gas’s effects on the environment.  First, while natural gas produces less carbon dioxide than coal, carbon stays in the atmosphere for many decades.  Thus, slowing the rate of growth in carbon emissions still results in higher absolute levels of carbon emissions.  Second, the global demand for energy is expected to double over the next two decades.  If countries such as China and Eastern Europe develop their shales, then that could offset the progress the U.S. has made in partially transitioning from coal to gas.

A cure to the problem may lie in the fact that America is also at the forefront of developing carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology.  CCS takes the carbon dioxide emitted from gas-producing plants and stores it underground, keeping it out of the atmosphere indefinitely.  Unfortunately, CCS increases the cost of production.  In addition, environmentalists (ironically) often oppose CCS because it can be used as support for those who wish to dismiss concerns about coal production.  Some experts believe that the federal government should subsidize CCS development to ensure that the effects of shale gas development on climate are minimal.