Environmental Effects of Fracking in Saskatchewan Oil Extraction

This report examines the environmental effects of fracking on oil extraction in Saskatchewan. It begins with an introduction to fracking technology and its role in boosting oil production, particularly in the Bakken formation. The report highlights the significant increase in oil production since 1940, positioning Saskatchewan as a major energy producer. However, it also addresses the environmental consequences of fracking, including pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and water usage. The report references figures illustrating contamination from fracking and discusses the government's stance on the environmental impact. It also cites concerns from environmental organizations and consultants regarding the technology's effect on the environment, especially the large amounts of freshwater used per well. The report concludes by referencing several sources on fracking and its environmental implications.

EFFECTS OF FRACKING IN OIL EXTRACTION IN SASKATCHEWAN
INTRODUCTION
Fracking is breaking of the underground formation to unleash gas and oil trapped in little pockets of impermeable rock through pumping in a mixture of sand, chemical, and water. The technology incited an
increase in gas production in other countries like the US and for the last few decades, the technology has resulted in boosted tight in production of Oil in Saskatchewan (Canada). Fracking is highly linked with a
vast range of effects like pollution, emission of air pollutants, damage to wildlife habitat and overuse of groundwater.
Since the year 1940 Saskatchewan has been extracting oil on a commercial scale and it has
witnessed several slumps and spikes while under production. Since this year, nevertheless, the
production of oil has reached the maximum. Nowadays, the government of Saskatchewan of proud
for being a giant in energy production (Andrea Olive, 2018). And for a fact this province sixth-
largest oil-producing province in the whole of North American continent. And it is behind Alberta,
Texas, California, North Dakota, and Alaska. For the past few decades, there has been recording
breaking, activities of drilling and right sales of petroleum in Saskatchewan due to the combination
of fracking and horizontal drilling which has led to increasing in the production of tight oil in
Bakken formation in South East of Saskatchewan. The diagram below shows how contamination
occurs from fracking;
The use of this technology in the production of oil in Saskatchewan has been opposed by several
organizations due to the technology´s effect on the environment (Lane, 2013). Environmental
organizations and environmental consultants accused the officials of Saskatchewan production
using fracking technology as it has a negative effect on the environment (Daniel J. Soeder, 2019).
For instance, in Saskatchewan, multi-stage fracking employs higher water quantities of 750,000
gallons of fresh water for every single well of oil extraction. To the environmental consultants, this
amount of water for every well is a serious waste of freshwater in the province, it is a loss from the
hydrological cycle since water is disposed of deep underground(Wylie, 2018).
FRACKING SASKATCHEWAN
Figure 1: Showing how contamination occurs from fracking
(https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-
warming/issues/fracking/environmental-impacts-water/)
Figure 2: Showing fracking effect in Saskatchewan
(https://sites.psu.edu/fracking1/)
Additionally, the progress of Bakken oil in Saskatchewan has seriously increased the flaring and
venting of related gas(Valentine, 2018). In the year 2013, more than 17 per cent of Saskatchewan´s
greenhouse gases emission were from gas and oil extraction sectors. And currently, Saskatchewan has
the highest greenhouse gas emission in the whole of Canada ( (Chen, 2015). Notwithstanding new
perils posed by frequent growth in multi-stage fracking, Saskatchewan policymakers and government
from the ministry of environment and economy vow that fracking has not led to harsh environmental
effects (Eaton, 2016). Their vows have no evidence and are just wrong claims. The government´s
refusal is due is just to maintain a higher production of a higher amount of oil in the province (Ruddell,
2017).
Andrea, O. (2018). Is Anyone Out There? Exploring Saskatchewan's Civil Society Involvement in
Hydraulic Fracturing. Ottawa: Elsevier.
Chen, J. (2015). The Canadian Environment in Political Context (2nd ed.). Toronto: University of
Toronto Press.
Daniel J. Soeder, S. J. (2019). The Fossil Fuel Revolution: Shale Gas and Tight Oil. Stoke: Elsevier
Science.
Eaton, E. (2016). Fault Lines: Life and Landscape in Saskatchewan's Oil Economy (2nd ed.). Hull:
University of Manitoba Press.
Lane, A. (2013). On Fracking (2nd ed.). Ottawa: Rocky Mountain Books Ltd.
Ruddell, R. (2017). Oil, Gas, and Crime: The Dark Side of the Boomtown. Chicago: Springer.
Valentine, K. (2018). Is Anyone Out There? Exploring Saskatchewan's Civil Society Involvement in
Hydraulic Fracturing (1st ed.). Ontorio: Elsevier.
Wylie, S. A. (2018). Fractivism: Corporate Bodies and Chemical Bonds. Chicago: Duke University
Press.
REFERENCES