Water Pollution: Oil Vs. Natural Gas — The Lesser Evil?

Natural gas and oil are fossil fuels that are major sources of energy in the US. While natural gas is often marketed as a clean energy source, it is a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change and pollutes the air and water. Oil spills on land can occur through pipeline leaks, railroad accidents, poor oil storage, and drilling accidents, which can prevent water from being absorbed by the soil and contaminate groundwater sources. Natural gas development can also pollute drinking water sources during drilling, fracking, refining, or disposing of wastewater without proper measures to protect water resources.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that pollutes water and air

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is used as an energy source. It is formed from the anaerobic digestion of organic materials, such as waste from landfills and livestock, or through thermochemical processes like gasification. While it is often touted as a cleaner alternative to coal or petroleum in terms of emissions, natural gas still contributes to water and air pollution in several ways.

Natural gas drilling can disturb vegetation, soil, and local ecosystems. The construction and land disturbance required for drilling can cause erosion and fragment wildlife habitats and migration patterns. Drilling activities also produce air pollution and can impact water resources. The large volumes of water used in unconventional oil and gas development, including hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), can contaminate groundwater and surface waters. Fracturing fluids, chemical additives, diesel, and wastewater can spill or leak from equipment and storage facilities, polluting water sources.

Additionally, natural gas drilling can release hazardous air pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone precursors, which are regulated by the EPA due to their harmful effects on health and the environment. Exposure to elevated levels of these pollutants can lead to respiratory issues, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Natural gas wells and pipelines often have engines and compressors that emit air pollutants and noise. In some cases, natural gas containing high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (a toxic gas) is burned at well sites, releasing CO2, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other compounds.

Furthermore, natural gas can leak into the atmosphere from wells, storage tanks, pipelines, and processing plants. These leaks contribute to methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. To address this, the U.S. EPA has established guidelines to reduce methane and other harmful air pollutants from the natural gas industry. While natural gas may have cleaner-burning properties compared to coal or petroleum, its production, transportation, storage, and consumption can still pose significant environmental and health risks.

Oil spills on land can prevent water absorption and harm plant life

Oil spills on land can have detrimental effects on the environment, particularly by preventing water absorption and harming plant life. When oil is spilled on land, it can infiltrate the soil and impede the natural process of water absorption. This disruption can have far-reaching consequences, especially in agricultural areas or grasslands, as it effectively starves plants of water, leading to their deterioration and death.

Oil spills on land can also directly harm plant life by coating plant roots and forming an impermeable barrier. This barrier prevents roots from absorbing oxygen and nutrients they need for growth and survival. As a result, plants may exhibit root damage, reduced nutrient uptake, and overall health decline. The presence of oil in the soil further hinders root penetration and development, impairing the plant's ability to anchor itself effectively.

The impact of oil spills on plant life varies among species, with some plants demonstrating higher tolerance to oil contamination than others. Flooding-tolerant plants, for instance, tend to be more resilient to oil contamination due to their adaptations that enable survival in low-oxygen conditions. In contrast, flooding-sensitive plants are more susceptible to the adverse effects of oil spills. Visible signs of oil contamination in plants may include smaller or distorted leaves, loss of green pigmentation (chlorosis), and stunted growth.

To mitigate the impact of oil spills on plant life and water absorption, prompt response and remediation measures are crucial. Techniques such as using berms and trenches to contain the spill, mechanical removal of contaminated soil, in-situ burning, sorbents, and bioremediation can be employed. Additionally, preventing oil from reaching groundwater or entering waterways as runoff is of utmost importance to minimize the ecological damage caused by oil spills on land.

While natural gas is often touted as a cleaner alternative to oil, it is not without its environmental impacts. The production and use of natural gas can result in air pollution and water pollution, contributing to climate change. Leaks of natural gas and the burning of excess gas at well sites release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and other harmful compounds. Additionally, the process of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") used to extract natural gas requires large amounts of water, which can affect aquatic habitats and water availability for other purposes.

Natural gas leaks at extraction sites emit pollutants into the atmosphere

Natural gas is often marketed as a clean energy source, but it is a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change and pollutes the air and water. The combustion of natural gas releases nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are precursors to smog, and small amounts of sulfur, mercury, and particulates. Unconventional gas development can also negatively impact local and regional air quality. Some areas where drilling occurs have experienced increases in concentrations of hazardous air pollutants, which can lead to adverse health outcomes, including respiratory symptoms, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

The extraction and transportation of natural gas in pipelines result in the leakage of methane, the primary component of natural gas. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a much higher heat-trapping potential than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Studies have shown that global methane emissions have spiked dramatically since 2002, largely due to the boom in natural gas extraction in the United States. Methane emissions from natural gas systems and abandoned wells were estimated to be the source of about 33% of total U.S. methane emissions in 2021.

The oil and natural gas industry takes steps to prevent natural gas leaks, and government regulations and industry standards are in place to ensure the safe handling of natural gas. However, it is important to accurately account for and address the issue of natural gas infrastructure leakage to fully understand its impact on climate and air quality.

Oil and gas development contaminate surface waters through spills and leaks

Oil and gas development contaminates surface waters through spills and leaks, which can have devastating impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Oil spills in oceans, coastal waters, rivers, and lakes can harm marine life, ruin beaches, and make seafood unsafe to eat. For example, oil can coat a bird's wings, leaving it unable to fly, or strip away the insulating properties of a sea otter's fur, putting it at risk of hypothermia. Large oil spills are major disasters that occur when pipelines break, oil tanker ships sink, or drilling operations fail.

Oil and gas leaks and spills can also contaminate surface waters through transportation and drilling accidents. Oil is transported by pipes, ships, trucks, or trains to refineries for processing. During transportation, accidents such as pipeline breaks or tanker ship sinkings can result in large oil spills that contaminate surface waters. Additionally, drilling operations for oil and gas extraction can result in blowouts or leaks, leading to spills that pollute nearby water bodies.

Furthermore, oil and gas development can contaminate surface waters through the discharge of wastewater. The production and refining of oil and gas can generate large volumes of wastewater containing pollutants such as arsenic, aluminum, boron, chromium, manganese, nickel, and lead. Inadequate treatment and improper discharge of this wastewater into local waterways can lead to water contamination and pose risks to human health and the environment.

The contamination of surface waters by oil and gas spills and leaks has significant ecological and economic impacts. Oil spills can damage sensitive environments, including beaches, mangroves, and wetlands, disrupting ecosystems and harming wildlife. The consequences of large oil spills can be felt for decades, affecting ecosystems and local economies that depend on clean water and healthy marine life.

While natural gas is often marketed as a cleaner alternative to other fossil fuels, it is not without its environmental impacts. The extraction and transport of natural gas can result in leaks and spills that contaminate surface waters. Additionally, the burning of natural gas, while producing fewer emissions than coal or petroleum, still releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and air pollution.

Natural gas is a cleaner-burning resource than coal and oil

Natural gas is often marketed as a clean energy source, but it is a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change and pollutes the air and water. However, compared to coal and oil, natural gas is a cleaner-burning resource.

Burning natural gas for energy results in fewer emissions of nearly all types of air pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than burning coal or petroleum products to produce an equal amount of energy. For every 1 million BTUs consumed (burned), coal produces more than 200 pounds of CO2, while fuel oil produces over 160 pounds. In contrast, natural gas burned in newer, more efficient power plants emits 50-60% less carbon dioxide than traditional coal plants and up to 30% less than oil. Additionally, natural gas produces less sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide than oil, making it a cleaner choice for the air.

The clean-burning properties of natural gas have contributed to its increased use for electricity generation and fleet vehicle fuel in the United States. Natural gas has a 92% efficiency rate from wellhead to home, compared to electricity generated by coal, which operates at only a 32% efficiency rate. This makes natural gas a cost-effective energy source, as it is abundant in the U.S. and can be used to create green materials such as lightweight cars, wind power blades, and solar panels.

However, it is important to note that natural gas is not without its environmental impacts. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, has been found to leak from natural gas facilities and during the extraction and transport of natural gas. While methane emissions from natural gas and petroleum systems are lower than those from coal and oil, they still contribute to global warming. Additionally, the production of natural gas can impact water resources, as it requires large amounts of water for fracking, which may affect aquatic habitats and water availability for other uses.

Overall, while natural gas is a cleaner-burning resource than coal and oil in terms of air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, it is not a completely clean energy source and contributes to climate change and water pollution. The transition to renewable energy sources is crucial to mitigating the worst consequences of climate change, and natural gas can play a role as a bridge fuel during this transition.

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