US shale revolution seen from space

Published time: January 28, 2013 17:31
Edited time: January 28, 2013 21:31
AFP Photo / Mladen Antonov

Productions at US major shale formations flare off so much gas it can be clearly seen from space.

­The lights of the flares burning in North Dakota's Bakken and Texas’ Eagle Ford shale fields can clearly be seen in night-time satellite photography, Financial Times reported Monday.

Oil companies working there waste enough gas to power all the homes in Chicago and Washngton combined, the newsoutlet reports, what fuels growing concerns about damage to environment and waste of resources.

North Dakota alone, leading state in recent shale boom, flared off 50% more of unwanted gas last year comparing to previous years, while figures from Texas formations went up more than six times from 2010 to 2012, Financial Times reported Monday. Total amount of gas flared in the United States has tripled in five years and makes the country fifth highest n the world behind Russia, Nigeria and Iran and Iraq, the news outlet reported, citing World Bank figures.

Flaring is the safest way to dispose of relatively cheap natural gas, that being released by oil productions in North America. It has been attracting attention of environmental campaigners because of the waste of gas and its consequences for greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. Investors involved in the production are concerned no less and have warned the leading US oil companies to cut excessive flaring.

The North Dakota legislature is considering a bill to encourage flaring reduction through tax breaks. The state is also pushing producers to use gas to power drilling rigs.

The shale revolution is believed to help the United States become a net fuel exporter by 2030 and achieve energy independence by 2035, the IEA said in November 2012. However hydraulic fracturing process, one of the key components of developing shale resources, causes heated debates. Environmentalists  say the process is too costly and ecologically unfriendly, while advocates insists bigger energy production from shale is a way to energy independence and lower imports.

Comments (7)

sandcanyongal 15.02.2013 02:26

Christ USA. You and I are the body of Jesus Christ here to protect the earth. It is up to us to end what continues to plague the health of our shared planet.

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Chris USA (unregistered) 29.01.2013 12:02

Lets all be honest here, shall we.Every industrialized nati on in the world is guilty when it comes to using oil and gas products to run their cars, transportation and business's etc.  The US is only one of the many many nations in the world who is severely damaging the earth by oil and gas pollution. For supposedly grown and intelligent men and women in all nations of the world to still stand around like little children and point the finger at all of the other industrialized oil producing nations and try and place all of the blame on any one particular nation is hypocracy at the very least and insane. When all nations of the world finally try and work together on any oil and food shortages instead of playing the blame game, only then will any sane and rational approach to end such a serious and deadly pollution problem be solved.   A similar approach by all nations on the nuclear proliferation problems is the only sane and rational approach to that serious and deadly problem as well. Also, all n ations of the world will someday face a Returning King - " Jesus Christ ".  Does anyone really stop and think about what " The King - Jesus Christ " said he was going to do when he came back to earth? All people and All Nations need to Stop, and really consider what " Jesus Christ " said he was going to do when he Returned.  The ve rse of scripture with that information is below! Revelati on 11:18 -  And the nations were angry, and your wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that you should give reward to your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear your name, small and great; and should destroy them which destroy the earth. According to these angels, part of the reason for Christ's return is to pass judgment on those who have polluted, defiled, and marred God's creation! God has great patience, but by that time He will have seen enough of man's blatant disregard for the work of His hands. He will strike with a vengeance that mankind has never before even imagined (Matthew 24:21-22), and the guilty will pay with their lives. No nation will be able to say before the angel of the Lord it was a mistake, and that they did not know.

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Danaos 29.01.2013 09:33

Never understood why flare up gas? Why not use it, e.g. to produce the energy needed for the units to work?

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