Extracting a Fossil Fuel Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

Give two advantages of extracting a fossil fuel.

Any two of: employment opportunities, increased energy security, development of local infrastructure, export opportunities.

Give two disadvantages of extracting a fossil fuel.

Any two of: disruption of local communities, damage to other industries such as tourism or farming, water or land contamination, habitat destruction.

What is fracking?

Pumping water, sand and chemicals at high pressure into shale rock to release natural gas.

True or false? Extracting a fossil fuel gives a country permanent energy security.

False. Fossil fuels are finite, so the increase in energy security is only short term.

Give two environmental concerns about fracking for shale gas.

Any two: chemicals may pollute groundwater; it uses very large amounts of water; it can trigger small earthquakes; methane can leak from wells; the gas is still a fossil fuel that releases carbon dioxide when burnt.