How to prove the impact of shale gas production on the environment? Very simple - set fire to the river. Impact of mining on the environment

During the extraction and processing of minerals, a large-scale human impact on the natural environment occurs. The resulting environmental problems associated with the extraction of minerals require a comprehensive study and immediate solution.

What characterizes the extractive industry?

AT Russian Federation the extractive industry is widely developed, because the country has deposits of the main types of minerals. These accumulations of mineral and organic formations located in the bowels of the earth are effectively used, ensuring the life of people and production.

All minerals can be divided into three groups:

• solid subdivided into: coal, ores, non-metallic materials, etc.;
• liquid, the main representatives of this category are: fresh, mineral water and oil;
• gaseous which include natural gas.

Depending on the purpose, the following types of minerals are mined:

• ore materials(iron, manganese, copper, nickel ores, bauxites, chromites and precious metals);
• building materials(limestone, dolomite, clay, sand, marble, granite);
• non-metallic resources(jasper, agate, garnet, corundum, diamonds, rock crystal);
• mining and chemical raw materials(apatites, phosphorites, table and potassium salt, sulfur, barite, bromine- and iodine-containing solutions;
• fuel and energy materials(oil, gas, coal, peat, oil shale, uranium ores);
• hydromineral raw materials(underground fresh and mineralized waters);
• ocean mineral formations(ore-bearing veins, layers of the continental shelf and ferromanganese inclusions);
• mineral resources of sea water.

The share of the Russian extractive industry accounts for a quarter of the world's gas production, 17% of the world's oil, 15% - hard coal, 14% - iron ore.

Extractive industries have become the largest sources of pollution natural environment. Substances that are emitted by the mining complex have a detrimental effect on the ecosystem. The problems of the negative impact of the mining and processing industries are very acute, as they affect all spheres of life.

How does the industry affect the earth's surface, air, water, flora and fauna?

The scale of development of the extractive industry is amazing: when recalculating the volume of extraction of raw materials per inhabitant of the planet, approximately 20 tons of resources will be obtained. But only a tenth of this amount falls on the final products, and the rest is waste. The development of the mining complex inevitably leads to negative consequences, the main of which are:

• depletion of raw materials;
• environmental pollution;
• disruption of natural processes.

All this leads to serious environmental problems. You can look at individual examples to see how they affect environment different kinds extractive industries.

At mercury deposits, the landscape is disturbed, dumps are formed. This dissipates mercury, which is toxic substance that has a detrimental effect on all living things. A similar problem arises in the development of antimony deposits. As a result of the work, accumulations remain heavy metals polluting the atmosphere.

When mining gold, technologies are used to separate the precious metal from mineral impurities, accompanied by the release of toxic components into the atmosphere. On the dumps of uranium ore deposits, the presence of radioactive radiation is observed.

Why is coal mining dangerous?

• deformation of the surface and coal-bearing seams;
• pollution of air, water and soil in the area of ​​the quarry;
• release of gas and dust during the removal of waste rocks to the surface;
• shallowing and disappearance of rivers;
• flooding of abandoned quarries;
• the formation of depression funnels;
• dehydration, salinization of the soil layer.

On the territory located near the mine, anthropogenic forms (ravines, quarries, waste heaps, dumps) are created from raw material waste, which can stretch for tens of kilometers. Neither trees nor other plants can grow on them. And the water flowing from the dumps with toxic substances harms all living things in large adjacent areas.

In the deposits of rock salt, the formation of halite waste occurs, which is carried by precipitation to reservoirs that serve to supply the inhabitants of nearby settlements. drinking water. Near the development of magnesites, there is a change in the acid-base balance of the soil, leading to the death of vegetation. A change in the chemical composition of the soil leads to plant mutations - a change in color, ugliness, etc.

There is also pollution of agricultural land. When transporting minerals, dust can fly over long distances and settle on the soil.

Over time, the earth's crust is depleted, stocks of raw materials decrease, and the content of minerals decreases. As a result, production volumes and the amount of waste are increasing. One of the ways out of this situation is the creation of artificial analogues of natural materials.

Protection of the lithosphere

One of the methods to protect the earth's surface from the harmful effects of mining enterprises is land reclamation. It is possible to partially solve the environmental problem by filling the formed recesses with waste from the developments.

Since many rocks contain more than one type of minerals, it is necessary to optimize technologies by extracting and processing all the components present in the ore. Such an approach will not only positive influence on the state of the environment, but will also bring a significant economic effect.

How to save the environment?

On the present stage development of industrial technologies, it is necessary to provide for environmental protection measures. The priority is the creation of low-waste or waste-free industries that can significantly reduce the detrimental impact on the environment.

Actions to help solve the problem

When solving the problem of environmental protection, it is important to use complex measures: production, economic, scientific and technical, social.

You can improve the environment by:

• more complete extraction of fossils from the bowels;
• the use of associated petroleum gas by industry;
• integrated use of all rock components;
• measures for water treatment in underground mining;
• mine Wastewater for technical purposes;
• use of waste in other industries.

During mining and processing mineral resources nessesary to use modern technologies to reduce emissions of harmful substances. Despite the cost of applying advanced developments, investments are justified by improving the environmental situation.

Business representatives rarely recognize the harmfulness or danger of their methods of work. This applies to almost all - and chemical companies, and automobile, and oil and gas. As for the latter, those who extract shale gas claim that such methods of extraction are environmentally friendly and safe for people living near the deposits.

Gas is produced by hydraulic fracturing in the USA, Australia, and other countries. Environmental organizations have long tried to show that hydraulic fracturing has a very negative effect on the geological structure of a mineral deposit, as well as on local ecosystems. Member of the Australian Parliament Jeremy Buckingham did not lead long discussions and debates on the topic of hydraulic fracturing, writes RT. He took a lighter, and ... set fire to the river in a place that is adjacent to many gas wells where gas is produced using this technology.

Judging by the reaction of the deputy, he himself did not expect that the effect would be so strong - the gas rising from the bottom of the river ignited very quickly, surrounding the politician's boat with fire.

"Fracking and activities gas industry cause a lot of anxiety among Australians. Farmers told me that bubbles began to form on the Condamine River, one of the most important in Australia. Then they turned into a large boiling gas plume. I certainly did not expect the river to catch fire and the flames to blaze for several hours, ”Buckingham said in an interview with RT.

Basically the output natural gas on the surface is not such a rarity. But in the current conditions, in this region, the release of gas to the surface (and not in one place, but in several) appeared not so long ago, as they say locals.

Due to possible environmental damage, shale gas production is prohibited in France and Bulgaria. The extraction of shale raw materials is also prohibited or suspended in Germany, the Netherlands, and a number of US states. About how great the environmental damage caused by the extraction of shale gas by hydraulic fracturing, scientists continue to argue. Some argue that methane and many contaminants harmful to humans, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes, appear in the water and soil near hydraulic fracturing. Some experts believe that the change in the geological structure of the deposit in some cases leads to earthquakes. But almost everyone agrees that there is a negative effect, and it is quite large.

I also note that research on this topic is difficult due to the massive lobbying of their interests by oil and gas companies different levels working using different methods oil and gas production. Some of these companies are interested in stopping oil and gas production by hydraulic fracturing. It is in the interests of other organizations, on the contrary, to intensify work in this direction. It is possible that the Australian politician's action itself is a manifestation of the lobbying activity of any of these companies, but in any case, the action is interesting in itself.

The natural environment is polluted mainly by crude oil, fuels, oils, oil bitumen, soot. The most common are the first two groups of mobile petroleum products. The impact of crude oil on natural objects is determined by the toxicity of its main components.

In the composition of oil there are always light fractions and heavy fractions. Light fractions include methane, cyclic (naphthenic and aromatic) hydrocarbons. The most toxic of them are aromatic hydrocarbons (arenes). Benzene has the fastest effect. PAHs are associated with long-term effects, including carcinogenic ones. Dangerous and sulfur compounds present in oil, especially hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans.

Active evaporation of light oil fractions occurs in steppes and deserts. Heavy fractions there undergo accelerated mineralization. The results of a survey of oil-contaminated soils in Azerbaijan showed that after a year, about 30% of residual oil, more firmly associated with soil material, remained in the soil.

Negative environmental processes in oil-producing areas are associated not only with the influence of oil components, but also with the influence of highly mineralized waters associated with oil. The composition of these waters is chloride-sodium and chloride-calcium. All waters are highly mineralized. There are brines (salts contain more than 100 g/l) and saline waters (salts 10-50 g/l). They contain halogens (Cl, Br, I), as well as B, Sr, Ba.

Another group of substances, the entry of which is associated with gases and aerosols of pyrolytic processes, the source of which are torches, glow plugs. These substances include various hydrocarbons, including 3,4 benzo (a) pyrene, soot, oxides of sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen sulfide,

Thrown into the air big number substances of different hazard classes.

The most dangerous of them is 3,4 benzo(a)pyrene. Increasing its content in the environment entails severe environmental consequences. Quantities of 3,4 benzo(a)pyrene dangerous for living organisms are present in the soils of oil-producing regions of Russia in early dates after pollution.

Oil and oil products have an impact on natural waters. Despite the low solubility in water, a small amount of oil is enough to dramatically degrade water quality. Typically, oil components form an emulsion with water, which is difficult to break. Most often, oil floats on the surface of the water in the form of a film, enveloping suspended particles, settling with them to the bottom. Surface waters in oil production areas are contaminated with mineral salts, organic pollutants, in particular, various PAHs.

Along with pollution surface water the composition of soil and groundwater is also changing. The content of individual substances can increase by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The main salts in these waters are chlorides. Organic pollutants, including PAHs, are also detected.

Pollution can affect (lasting 3-4 years) reservoirs groundwater drinking purpose. Their mineralization under the influence of pollution can increase by 1-2 orders of magnitude. In a number of oil-producing regions (Tatarstan, Bashkortostan), groundwater pollution is observed throughout the entire depth of the geological section.

Any of the forms of sulfur found in oil (hydrogen sulfide, sulfides, mercaptans, free sulfur) has a toxic effect on living organisms. With an increase in sulfur content, the danger of hydrogen sulfide contamination of oil-contaminated soils with excessive moisture (gleyed, marsh, meadow) increases.

The consequence of oil pollution is the degradation of vegetation (Pikovsky, 1993; Solntseva, 1998). There is a slowdown in plant growth, chlorosis, necrosis, a violation of the function of photosynthesis and respiration. Enveloping the roots of plants, heavy oils and oil products sharply reduce the flow of moisture, which leads to the death of the plant. These substances are inaccessible to microorganisms, the process of their destruction is very slow, sometimes for decades. Underdevelopment of plants up to the absence of generative organs is observed.

Under the influence of hydrocarbons, the death of unstable plant species is noted. As a result, there is a depletion of the species composition of vegetation, the formation of its specific associations along technical objects, and a change in the normal development of aquatic organisms. Meadow formation, the formation of marsh vegetation, and the appearance of halophytic associations are noted. Changes chemical composition plants, they accumulate organic (including PAHs) and inorganic pollutants. Plants die as a result.

There are changes in the structure of biocenoses: the composition of soil inhabitants changes in soils, the species composition and abundance of ichthyofauna in water bodies are depleted, up to the complete death of fish, and the number of birds and mammals in terrestrial ecosystems changes.

In the course of mining and processing of minerals, a large geological cycle occurs, in which various systems. As a result, there is a great impact on the ecology of the mining region, and such an impact entails negative consequences.

The scale of mining is large - per inhabitant of the Earth, up to 20 tons of raw materials are mined per year, of which less than 10% goes into final product and the remaining 90% is waste. In addition, during the extraction, there is a significant loss of raw materials of about 30 - 50%, which indicates the uneconomical nature of some types of extraction, especially the open method.

Russia is a country with a widely developed mining industry, has deposits of the main raw materials. The issues of the negative impact of the extraction and processing of raw materials are very relevant, since these processes affect all spheres of the Earth:

• lithosphere;
• atmosphere:
• water;
• animal world.

Impact on the lithosphere

Any mining method provides for the extraction of ore from the earth's crust, which leads to the formation of cavities and voids, the integrity of the crust is violated, and fracturing increases.

As a result, the likelihood of collapses, landslides, and faults in the area adjacent to the mine increases. Anthropogenic landforms are being created:

• careers;
• dumps;
• waste heaps;
• ravines.

Such atypical forms are big sizes, the height can reach 300 m, and the length is 50 km. The embankments are formed from the waste of processed raw materials, trees and plants do not grow on them - these are just kilometers of unsuitable territory.

During the extraction of rock salt, during the enrichment of raw materials, halite waste is formed (three to four tons of waste per ton of salt), they are solid and insoluble, and rain water carry them to the rivers, which are often used to provide drinking water to the population of nearby cities.

It is possible to solve the environmental problems associated with the occurrence of voids by filling the ravines and recesses in the earth's crust formed as a result of mining with waste and processed raw materials. It is also necessary to improve mining technology to reduce waste rock excavation, which can greatly reduce the amount of waste.

Many rocks contain several types of minerals, so it is possible to combine the extraction and processing of all ore components. This is not only economically beneficial, but also beneficial to the environment.

Another negative consequence associated with mining is their contamination of nearby agricultural soils. This happens during transportation. Dust scatters for many kilometers and settles on the surface of the soil, on plants and trees.

Many substances can release toxins, which then enter the food of animals and humans, poisoning the body from the inside. Often around magnesite deposits that are actively developed, there is a wasteland within a radius of up to 40 km, the soil changes the alkaline-acid balance, and plants stop growing, and nearby forests die.

As a solution to this problem, environmentalists propose to place raw materials processing enterprises near the extraction site, this will also reduce fare. For example, to locate power plants near coal deposits.

And finally, the extraction of raw materials significantly depletes the earth's crust, reserves of substances decrease every year, ores become less saturated, this contributes to large volumes of mining and processing. The result is an increase in waste volumes. The solution to these problems can be the search for artificial substitutes for natural substances and their economical consumption.

Mining of salt

Impact on the atmosphere

Enormous environmental problems are exerted by mining on the atmosphere. As a result of the processes of primary processing of mined ores, large volumes are emitted into the air:

• methane,
• oxides
• heavy metals,
• sulfur,
• carbon.

The created artificial waste heaps are constantly burning, releasing harmful substances into the atmosphere - carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide. Such atmospheric pollution leads to an increase in the level of radiation, a change in temperature indicators and an increase or decrease in precipitation.

During mining, it enters the air a large number of dust. Every day, up to two kilograms of dust falls on the territories adjacent to the quarries, as a result, the soil remains buried under a half-meter layer for many years, and often forever, and, naturally, loses its fertility.

The solution to this problem is to use modern equipment, which reduces the level of emissions of harmful substances, as well as the use of a mine method of extraction instead of an open one.

Impact on the aquatic environment

As a result of the extraction of natural raw materials, water bodies, both underground and surface, are greatly depleted, and swamps are drained. When coal is mined, groundwater is pumped out, which are located near the deposit. For each ton of coal, there is up to 20 m 3 of formation water, and in the extraction of iron ore - up to 8 m 3 of water. Water pumping creates such environmental problems as:

In addition to oil spills on the surface of the water, there are other threats to lakes and rivers.

• formation of depression funnels;
• disappearance of springs;
• drying up of small rivers;
• disappearance of streams.

Surface waters suffer from pollution as a result of the extraction and processing of fossil raw materials. As well as into the atmosphere, a large amount of salts, metals, toxic substances, and waste enters the water.

As a result, microorganisms living in water bodies, fish and other living creatures die, a person uses polluted water not only for his household needs, but also for food. It is possible to prevent environmental problems associated with pollution of the hydrosphere by reducing wastewater discharges, reducing water consumption during the extraction of products, and filling the formed voids with water.

This can be achieved by improving the process of extracting raw materials, using new developments in the field of mechanical engineering for the extractive industry.

Impact on the animal and plant world

During the active development of large deposits of raw materials, the radius of contamination of nearby soils can be 40 km. The soil is subject to various chemical changes, depending on the harmfulness of the processed substances. If a large amount of toxic substances enters the ground, trees, shrubs and even grass die and do not grow on it.

Consequently, there is no food for animals, they either die or look for new habitats, whole populations migrate. The solution to these problems should be to reduce the level of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, as well as compensatory measures to restore and clean up contaminated areas. Compensatory measures include fertilizing the soil, planting forests, organizing pastures.

When developing new deposits, when the top layer of soil is removed - fertile black soil, it can be transported and distributed to poor, depleted places, near already inactive mines.

Video: Environmental pollution

Oil is the main component of the energy resources of our planet. Due to its advantages in terms of heat output and ease of use, oil has conquered the markets of developed and developing countries.

Oil is a fuel for transport, thermal power plants and a raw material for chemical industry. Due to the limited reserves of oil and its reserves in the world, all time runs political and armed struggle for uninterrupted oil supply.

The role of oil in the modern world

Because oil is important view energy raw materials, its role in the world economy and politics is steadily increasing. Oil exporting countries, with the help of this natural resource achieve economic and social success. At the same time, the dependence of the economies of such countries on oil prices on the market is their weakness. This has been repeatedly observed in Russia during the fall in oil prices. The only way to deal with such a negative phenomenon is diversification of the country's economy.

In terms of oil production, Saudi Arabia ranks first, producing 542 million tons per year, which is 13.1% of world production. In 2nd place is Russia (12.9%), followed by the USA (10.8%), China (5%), Canada (4.7%), Iran (4%). World oil production in 2013 amounted to 4.13 billion tons.

In terms of oil consumption, the United States ranks first, using 831 million tons per year, which is 19.9% ​​of the total world oil consumption. In second place, as expected, China (12.1%). The main oil producers, Saudi Arabia and Russia, take only 3.2% and 3.7% of world oil consumption, respectively.

Where oil is used

Before starting to use products from oil, it is processed at an oil refinery (refinery). During the initial processing, oil is separated into fractions using special devices - distillation columns. Crude heated oil is fed into columns, where it is separated into light and heavy fractions:

• petrol,
• naphtha,
• kerosene,
• gas oil,
• fuel oil

The first two fractions are subjected to pressure treatment at T = +300–350°C and in the presence of catalysts. As a result, high-quality gasoline for cars and hydrocarbons are obtained, which become raw materials for the petrochemical production of various plastics and other products.

Kerosene is purified and various types of kerosene are obtained, including aviation, tractor and lighting. Fuel oil, which is the residue after the selection of all other fractions, goes to the furnace of boilers or distillation to obtain engine oil and tar.

The petrochemical industry uses hydrocarbons, which include products such as methane, which is used to make ammonia for fertilizers, and methanol, which is used in the manufacture of resins and plastics, as well as paints and medicines.

Another common product derived from hydrocarbons is ethylene, from which ethyl alcohol, dichloroethane and polyethylene (and HDPE) are made. In addition, a very large number of different products can be obtained from hydrocarbons, which are a product of the distillation of oil.

Impact of oil production on the environment

The composition of oil includes volatile toxic hydrocarbons, naphthalene, which makes oil hazardous to nature and human health.

The sources of environmental pollution include the following objects:

• oilfields,
• oil pipelines,
• oil storage,
• means of land and sea transport.

Each of these objects in the event of any malfunction can be a threat to the environment.

If these are ground facilities, then the result of their accident may be an oil spill on the surface of the earth.

The occurrence of an emergency situation, as a result of which oil will spill into the sea, can become especially dangerous. This can happen on a tanker or at a shore terminal. In this case, marine fauna perishes, birds and fish perish.

To deal with such spills, various mechanical means collection of oil from the surface of the earth or the sea, as well as special substances - sorbents.

Oil production

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The main characteristics of the Yurkharovskoye deposit in the north of Western Siberia are considered. The values ​​of proven reserves of gas and liquid hydrocarbons are given, the value and prospects for the development of this field are assessed.

Until recently, Uvat was considered a dead place. With the beginning of the development of the Uvat project and the Ust-Tegusskoye field, which is part of the project, life in this area was in full swing - there was work for the local population, roads and entire villages began to be built

The Ust-Balykskoye field is considered one of the pioneers of the West Siberian oil chronicle. It is rightfully recognized as a 50-year-old strategic stronghold of Russia's fuel and energy security. Despite the falling debit, it is too early to write it off

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A feature of the Komsomolskoye GKNM is the presence of predominantly tectonically shielded deposits with a slight participation of deposits of lithologically shielded and reservoir-arch type.

The most viscous and especially valuable oil in deposits near Pechora

World oil reserves

The distribution and production of oil on earth is very uneven. According to the British Petroleum statistical compilation, the main oil fields are located in the Middle East. They are estimated at 109.4 billion tons and account for 47.9% of all world reserves. At the same time, oil reserves in Saudi Arabia make up 15.8% of world reserves. The reserves of North America account for 13.6%, South America- 19.5%. However, in Venezuela 17.7% of oil reserves are concentrated. Eurasia has oil reserves of 8.8% of world reserves, while Russia accounts for 5.5%.

In order to roughly estimate the period for which the world economy will have enough oil resources at the current rate of oil consumption, we can divide the world reserves of 238.2 billion tons by the total annual oil production, which is 4.13 billion tons. This period is approximately 50 years. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the uncertainty associated with the fact that, on the one hand, annual oil consumption may increase with the growth of the economies of the world's countries. On the other hand, there is a process of replacing oil with renewable energy sources.

Energy sources can also be obtained from synthetic materials. Manufacturing is a prime example.

One of the accidents associated with oil production is a change in composition, after which it turned from freshwater into salty.

In order for the enterprise to be successful and investments profitable, you should think about saving energy. In what ways this can be done, read.

conclusions

1. Oil is the main component of the energy resources of our planet and is used not only as a fuel, but also as a raw material for the petrochemical industry.
2. The countries with the most developed economies consume large amounts of oil.
3. Oil exporting countries, including Russia, receive additional features in economic and social development.