Fracking ist ungefährlich

Das Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) ist ein sehr erfolgreiches Verfahren zur Gewinnung von Erdgas und Erdöl aus Gesteinsformationen, in denen bisher kein wirtschaftlicher Abbau derartiger Bodenschätze möglich war. Die folgende Grafik verdeutlicht diese geologische Tiefbohrtechnik (Quelle: Al Granberg, Pro Publica):

Die Grünen führen einen Propagandafeldzug gegen das Fracking, in der sie durch Übertreibungen versuchen, Angst zu erzeugen. Eine Studie der Royal Academy of Engineering widerlegt nun die grünen Behauptungen:

• "Fracture propagation is an unlikely cause of contamination. The risk of fractures propagating to reach overlying aquifers is very low provided that shale gas extraction takes place at depths of many hundreds of metres or several kilometres. Even if fractures reached overlying aquifers, the necessary pressure conditions for contaminants to flow are very unlikely to be met given the UK’s shale gas hydrogeological environments."
• "Seismic risks are low. ... Seismicity induced by hydraulic fracturing is likely to be of smaller magnitude than the UK’s largest natural seismic events and those induced by coal mining."
• "Water requirements can be managed sustainably. Water use is already regulated by the Environment Agency. Integrated operational practices, such as recycling and reusing wastewaters where possible, would help to minimise water requirements further."