Whether you support the oil industry and natural gas drilling or not, it’s important to separate the truth from fiction. Much of what goes around news and media outlets, as well as social media, is simply not true. In order to better grasp the reality of these sometimes controversial topics, learning to recognize the popular tall tales surrounding them is vital. The following are the top 3 myths concerning oil and natural gas, respectively.
- Natural Gas is Harmful to Both People and the Environment
The truth is natural gas is an infinitely better alternative to crude oil and petroleum, in that it burns cleaner, emitting roughly half of the carbon dioxide. Using natural gas instead of crude oil and petroleum products improves the quality of the air we breath and helps mitigate the effects of global warming and climate change. In comparison to current resources of energy, natural gas is far superior, however, there is the concern of fracking. Despite widespread belief that the practice of fracking harms the environment, there are no proven cases of groundwater contamination as a result of fracking.
- Truck Transport is Coming to an End
The influx of automated vehicles and alternative shipping methods make this myth quite popular when, in fact, the opposite is true. While a portion of the population prefers taking public transit or driving electric cars, semi-trucks, pickup trucks, SUVs, and RVs are still booming in terms of sales within the United States. Likewise, “big gas” vehicles are still selling quite well all over the world, especially in emerging markets like in China and India. Since railways are yet to dominate the shipping industry in the United States, truck-driving as a means of transporting various goods doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Semi-trucks can still be seen on every major highway and interstate, operating in accordance with hundreds if not thousands of different companies nationwide.
- Technology Will Make Oil and Natural Gas Obsolete
While the technology behind alternative energy is, indeed, advancing at a rapid pace, it still lacks the innovation needed for centralized power on a larger scale. The implementation of renewable energy resources cannot yet bypass the construction of roads or a massive infrastructure build-out to make cleaner energy for accessible for everyone. Right now, oil and natural gas are among the best sources for wide grids of power and sustainable infrastructure.