Fossil Fuel Emission Levels – Pounds per Billion Btu of Energy Input
Pollutant Natural Gas Oil Coal
Carbon Dioxide 117,000 164,000 208,000
Carbon Monoxide 40 33 208
Nitrogen Oxides 92 448 457
Sulfur Dioxide 1 1,122 2,591
Particulates 7 84 2,744
Mercury 0.000 0.007 0.016
Source: EPA
A reporter for NPR discovered a strange new light (see circled area above) where there used to be only North Dakota grassland. The light is produced by a massive 15,000 square mile area of fracking natural gas flareoffs produced by over 150 companies who have determined that it's cheaper to burn-off about 29% of the natural gas that is produced by their oil wells.
The current levels of burning gas from the field inject two million tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year which is the equivalent amount of pollution caused by 2.5 million cars. The flares produce carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulates.
The burnoff is equivalent to 30% of the total U.S. natural gas production. Currently, there is no legislation that requires fracking companies to recapture the natural gas they produce through fracking, although it's only slightly more expensive to recapture the natural gas. Most of the companies have obtained government permission for the flare-offs with annual renewals. The industry argues that until the wells are completed it's too expensive to recapture the natural gas.
On average, eight new wells are added to the area each day which over the next 20 years is expected to become ten times as large as it is today. The field already produces more oil than the entire state of Alaska.are you willing to allow the rich right wing to continually exploit where you live 150 companies in that one area pretty soon those looking for fossil money will out number the residents. imagine looking out your window and seeing nothing because of smoke and your children and you unable to leave the house because republicans haven't approved gas mask fo the public, imagine than reimagine if you got together and fought for your right to live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGqFUyRjavc
