environmental, economic and socio cultural implications of obtaining hydrocarbons Flashcards
what are hydrocarbons composed of ?
mainly coal, crude oil + natural gas
how is crude oil separated
fractional distillation
environmental advantages
of extracting hydrocarbons
extraction reduces pressure on underground oil reserviours
environmental disadvantages
drilling and fracking damages land + exposes heavy metals
economic advantages
of obtaining hydrocarbons
cheap to extract since fossil fuels found readily + significant to Australian economy
economic disadvantages
lack of availability of crude oil deposits may cause political unrest
socio cultural advantages
creates communities in remote areas + creates job opportunities
socio cultural disadvantages
may intrude on sacred aboriginal land
what does drilling allow access to
access to petroleum and natural gas
what are the downsides of drilling
bring out radioactive material/ heavy metals
contaminate water and cause eutrophication
large amounts of land required
what does fracking allow access to
access to underground natural gas reserves
what are the downsides to fracking
contaminate water + soil
sound + air pollution
destroy habitats
trigger earthquakes
eutrophication
