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Unconventionals in Europe: Best practice vs. worst case - the conflict between facts and public perception

Burri P.

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering. S

2016

Vol. 23, nr 3

377--386

In spite of great progress in energy efficiency and in the development of renewable energy the world is likely to need significant amounts of fossil fuel throughout this century and beyond (the share of fossil fuels in the world mix has remained at about 86% of primary energy from 1990 to today). Gas, being the by far cleanest fossil fuel is the ideal bridging fuel to a world with predominantly renewable supplies. Thanks to the recent perfection of unconventional technologies there is no shortage of gas for this bridging function for at least the next 100-200 years. EASAC and several other European Institutions, notably the German Academy of Technical Sciences (acatech) have in the last few years carried out expert studies to assess the alleged environmental risks of unconventional hydrocarbon exploration and production. All these studies have, in agreement with other competent studies worldwide, come to the conclusion that there exists no scientific reason for a ban on hydraulic fracturing. With good practices, clear standards and adequate control the method causes no enhanced risks to the environment or the health of humans. Special attention has to be paid to the surface handling of drilling and fracking fluids. In Europe alone many thousand frac jobs have been carried out by the industry in the last 60 years without any severe accidents. The mishaps in North America have largely been the cause of unprofessional operations and human error. Especially in places with high air pollution, like many megacities of Asia, natural gas has to be seen as a unique chance to achieve a rapid improvement of the air quality and a significant reduction of CO2 emissions. This is also true for Europe where especially the use of domestic natural gas brings important benefits to the environment. The alternative to gas is in many regions of the world an increased consumption of coal, with all negative consequences.

Weathering of siderite in the polar conditions

Figura P., Manecki M., Rzepa G.

Geology, Geophysics and Environment

2014

Vol. 40, no. 1

84--85

Rapid retreat and thinning of glaciers perturb balance of polar ecosystems. These processes influence global climate (Anderson et al. 2000, Płonka 2009). For better understanding of changes and their consequences for global climate, it is necessary to extend our knowledge about processes occurring contemporary in the forelands of retreating glaciers. Numerous researches were carried out on this subject (Anderson et al. 1997, Bukowska-Jania et al. 2003, Pulina et al. 2003). For example, upliftdriven climate change hypothesis assumes that decrease of temperature results from regression of glaciers and is connected with chemical denudation of silicate sediments, which acts as a sink of CO2 from the atmosphere (Płonka 2009). Despite of this, many processes and dependences in polar environment are poorly known. Retreating glaciers and high chemical denudation observed in Polar Regions play significant role in weathering of regolith. Fast retreat of many glaciers exposures great amounts of fresh and fine sediment. Weathering of rock-forming minerals is a source of ions in waters as well as secondary minerals and nutrients in initial soils. These issues are object of interest recently because intensified weathering in Polar Regions may affect global cycle of many elements, particularly Fe (Anderson et al. 1997, 2000, Brenasconi 2008). This study is a part of large research, concerning mechanisms, budget and transport of iron from the foreland of fast retreating arctic glacier. The objective of this research is to determine processes and products of siderite weathering in the polar condition. The area of this study is located on the SW part of the Spitsbergen, in the foreland of Werenskioldbreen. It is hypothesized that in Arctic these processes differ significantly from their equivalents in Alpine regions. Field experiment on Spitsbergen lasted eight years. Samples of the siderite were buried in the surface layer of bottom moraine (in the initial polar soils) 100 m, 250 m and 2000 m from glacier front. This represents a chronosequence of sediment uncovered from underneath the glacier ca. 5-, 10-, and 90-years ago. Samples were recovered after 1 year and after 8 years of burial. Optical microscopy in transmitted and reflected light, scanning electron microscopy SEM/EDS and powder X-ray diffractometry were applied to characterize both, control sample and experimental samples. Siderite with manganese substitutions sampled from the outcrops of metamorphic carbonate in the vicinity of Werenskiold glacier was used for the experiment. This resembles mineral fragments eroded and transported by the glacier. Characterization of control sample (siderite before the experiment) indicates that it already exhibits advanced stages of transformation into secondary phases. Secondary minerals include oxides and hydroxides of iron, such as: goethite, hematite and lepidocrocite. The same mineral phases were identified in experimental recovered after burial. Additionally, 8-year sample shows traces of dissolution. Weathering of siderite in polar initial soils in the foreland of retreating glacier leads to formation of secondary goethite, hematite and lepidocrocite. These phases appear to be the most stable products of siderite weathering in this environment. There is no difference between the samples buried in very young and in older, more evolved initial soil. Additionally, transformations of siderite are identical in initial polar soils and in the outcrops of siderite rock. Traces of dissolution noticed on the surface of older samples indicate that part of iron is permanently removed from the system by solutions. This process, probably mediated by microorganisms, requires further investigation.