The first passage addresses oil drilling suggesting that the latest fracking methods have a significant impact on global warming. Primarily, the passage focuses on the conventional oil and gas explaining that it is oil and gas that has been produced before 2000's. The drilling process involves getting into the reservoir made of porous rock that, through natural pressure pushes gas to the surface for collection. The main idea is that the conventional oil and gas reservoirs that occur in the form of ores that are enclosed in impervious rocks have been considerably depleted over time. The passage explains that energy companies have accepted the fact that the conventional reservoirs are getting depleted and that there is a need for the companies to look at other options such as the alternative options or else extract in hostile areas such as the arctic or deep ocean floors that would require higher amounts of resources to achieve. The passage thus suggests that the danger posed to the environment through non-conventional methods such as horizontal drilling lead to a high volume of flow back and offer a chance for the emission of gases into the atmosphere. The passage suggests that there is a risk of up to 50-100 times flow back and methane emissions whose amounts over time is still not ascertained.
The second passage, on the other hand, holds that the use of fracking or unconventional drilling does not have significant effects on climate change and global warming. The passage focuses its findings on research by the National Academy of Sciences that proved the controversial hydraulic fracturing not to contribute to global warming. According to the passage, energy companies such as Exxon Mobil which have relied on the method are much encouraged by the results of the research. Exxon Mobil's spokesman Richard Keil noted that the research is the most extensive one that has happened and that the emissions caused by the drilling mechanism do not contribute to emissions higher than levels prescribed by the Environmental Protection Agency. According to the research, the hydraulic fracking mechanism included equipment that reduced methane emissions on the surface by up to 99 percent. However, the University of Texas researchers found that there existed other rigs that emitted methane levels higher than the EPA requirements. Despite that, the conclusion of the research was that the emission levels through fracking are about 10% lower than EPA thresholds.
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From the two passages, the second passage appears to be more convincing than the first one because the second passage offers more shreds of evidence to support its positions. In the first passage, some descriptions can be proved to be true, but there is no evidence to support the perceptions. On the other hand, the second passage holds that there is a research proven to be thorough, supporting the fact that the hydraulic fracking does not lead to significant global warming effects. However, one cannot overrule the fact that the first passage has some level of truth that the hydraulic fracking creates vulnerabilities that may lead to global warming. The research on the second passage may also suggest some level of bias considering that it is sponsored by energy companies. Nevertheless, the inclusion of organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund and peer reviewing aspect of the research may prove that the research is accurate and unbiased.
