The topic I have chose for this project is the increased drilling and use for natural gas. The first time I heard about this issue was in one of my introduction to alternative energy classes. This is where I first became aware of the impact of the new drilling technologies allowing companies to recover natural gas from the shale formations that occur under the North Eastern parts of America, in particular Pennsylvania.
I am interested in this topic because it can and will have a major impact on renewable energy sources especially in states like ours. It directly affects what I am majoring in college. There is also plenty of debate surrounding this issue from both sides.
Researching this topic could help me get a job because I would know both sides of the argument. Due to this knowledge I may be able to persuade someone who was thinking about converting their systems to run off natural gas to maybe going with some kind of renewable energy source.
I already know a good deal about the controversies that come with fracking, a process used to extract the natural gas. I have a good understanding of the uses and benefits as well as some of the not so obvious problems with this interest in natural gas.
I hope to learn where this industry is at now and if they have discovered any other information that deals with this topic from continued research.
Potential audience for this blog may be people who are interested in renewable energies, alternative energies to oil, environmentalists, and people in both industries.
Ryan, I like that you're researching a topic that is local to PA and has direct implications for your future career. Thank you for writing this post in a way that is accessible for a non-technical audience; I didn't know the term "fracking" but you explained it effectively.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing how your research progresses.
Natural Gas is a very interesting topic, especially since it is in the news media right now. It would be interesting to know when Pennsylvania will start drilling for Natural Gas, whether it is in the near or more distant future. Another question I have is, will this costs Pennsylvania tax payers more money out of their pockets?
ReplyDeleteYes it has recently been in the news but they have been drilling in Pennsylvania for a while now. Whats interesting is how fast its grown and how many more are already permitted to go up. I don't see any reason for it to costs the PA taxpayers money since it is the the oil companies that are doing most of the drilling. However, i'm sure that it could be a possibility.
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