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Fracking/Futures

Oil and Gas Development and the American Landscape

 

 

Hydraulic Fracturing  (or fracking) uses high-pressure liquids to release oil and natural gas from underground rocks. 

 

A platform like this is the first step to create a well by fracking. It is used to drill wells up to 10,000 feet deep. The well channels are sealed with steel casings to protect groundwater and help stop gas leaks.

 

3 to 5 million gallons of water, combined with sand and chemicals, are pumped into the wells to create fractures in the rock and release the oil or gas, which then flows to the surface.

 

Sources: Columbia University Earth Institute

U.S. News and World Report

 

 

What would do you if fracking comes to your hometown? 

 

 

 

This game can help you learn more about fracking. After playing, you'll get a chance to watch an immersive documentary on the project. 

 

So, let's pick a player! For the game, would you like your avatar to identify as: 

 

Remember, click on elements like this to advance.

A hand will appear over active elements.

 

Did you know that your attitude toward fracking may be influenced by your gender? 

 

A study by the University of Nottingham and YouGov found that 31.5% of women believed fracking should be allowed in the United Kingdom, compared with 58% of men. 

 

 

Want to make another selection?

 

Click on any of the images that appear like this one to change your choices!

 

Click on text to advance the story.

 

What about your age?  

 

 

 

Cool! People 27 and younger are part of the Generation Z, which makes up nearly 1/3 of the total U.S. population. 

 

Did you know that support for fossil fuel expansion increases by age? According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 45% of Baby Boomers and older support more fossil fuel exploration and use, compared to 38% of Generation X, and 29% of Millennals and Generation Z. 

 

Cool! You're part of the millennial generation, which makes up nearly 1/4 of the total U.S. population. 

 

Did you know that support for fossil fuel expansion increases by age? According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 45% of Baby Boomers and older support more fossil fuel exploration and use, compared to 38% of Generation X, and 29% of Millennals and Generation Z. 

 

Cool! People 43-65 make up up nearly 1/5 of the total U.S. population. 

 

Did you know that support for fossil fuel expansion increases by age? According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 45% of Baby Boomers and older support more fossil fuel exploration and use, compared to 38% of Generation X, and 29% of Millennals and Generation Z. 

 

Cool! You're part of the Baby Boom and Silent Generations, which combined make up nearly 1/3 of the total U.S. population. 

 

Did you know that support for fossil fuel expansion increases by age? According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 45% of Baby Boomers and older support more fossil fuel exploration and use, compared to 38% of Generation X, and 29% of Millennals and Generation Z. 

Ok, so you just learned about how age may impact opinions about fossil fuels like oil and natural gas.. So let's find out about your avatar's political leanings. 

 

 

A 2019 Pew Research Study found that support of increased fracking is tied to political ideology. 

 

Just 13% of people who identify as liberal support increased fracking, in contrast to 66% of people who identify as conservative. Support in more moderate voters tends to be tied to party affiliation or which party the respondant says they "lean" towards.

 

 

One more thing. 

 

Where do you prefer to live?

 

 

 

 

Greeley, Colorado (population 105,448) allows fracking within city limits, including nears housing developments and schools. The Greeley-Evans School Distract has "enhanced evacuation plans" for schools near fracking sites in case of spills, explosions or other environmental incidents. 

 

There are more that 23,000 wells developed by fracking in Weld County alone, where Greeley is located. 

 

 Frederick, Colorado (population 12,687)is located between Denver and Fort Collins along Colorado's Front Range. Some sites in town developed by fracking abut housing developments and schools. 

 

There are more that 23,000 wells developed by fracking in Weld County alone, where Frederick is located. 

 

 North Dakota is typical of rural fracking-developed wells, often placed on large tracts of land primarily used for farming and ranching. 

 

In 2024, there were 16,962 active wells stimulated with hydraulic fracturing in North Dakota, and production from hydraulically fractured wells accounted for 89 percent of oil and gas production in the state.

 

You may think that fracking is limited to sparsely populated areas, but that isn't the case. 

 

Fracking in the Dallas-Forth Worth metro area (population 1.341 million) is happening both in the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth as well as the surrounding suburbs.

 

It is being used to access natural gas in the Barnett Shale Formation. The formation produced 1.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in 2015 and development peaked in 2008.

What is fracking?

Did you know... 

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Use the volume control on your computer to adjudst volume. If you want to mute, click on the speaker on the video controls!

Fracking often raises different concerns in different locations. Where would you like to go next?

Click on the yellow pushpin to advance or click on the return symbol to play this section of the game again.