Final Paper

New Technology & Safety Precautions in Hydraulic Fracturing Can Help Save
Employees and Environment
Cesar Garcia
INTS 3300-001
Dr. Gail Bentley
Texas Tech University

ABSTRACT
The ability to produce natural gas has been made possible through hydraulic
fracturing. The new stimulation process has drastically changed the energy future of the
United Sates. Texas plays a major role in these developments. With all this great
technology and great outcomes there has to be something under regulated. There are quite
a few aspects that some states refuse to properly regulate hydraulic fracturing. Under
regulating can have huge impact on families in the communities where hydraulic
fracturing is practiced. There can be major negative human bodily impacts as much as
environmental harm. Breathing in silica crystalline during hazardous fracking operations
can cause lung cancer. Furthermore, over fracking or simply fracking wrong can cause
chemical substances to ruin water reservoirs for people and wild life. Additionally, over
fracking can cause sinkholes in the environment. Fixing the problem with breathing in
silica crystalline is quite simple; companies need to offer gas masks to keep silica out of
the lungs. Also, fracking companies need to use less chemical substance to reduce the
possibility of running water reservoirs for communities and wildlife in the area.

Hydraulic fracturing, or known more as “fracking”, is seen as a mixture of positive and
negative for families in the communities. The paper will be explained through the help of
Repko’s ten steps to organize the interdisciplinary explanation of New Technology &
Safety Precautions in Hydraulic Fracturing Can Help Save Employees and Environment
by using the two disciplines of Organizational Leadership and Health Professions. This
paper will help solve the issue of how companies can help employees avoid silica
crystalline and protect the environment for communities and wildlife.
STEP 1: State the Focus of Your Paper
Hydraulic fracturing has been in the business since the late 1940s to help increase
well production in oil and natural gas. Hydraulic fracturing is a well stimulation
procedure in which rock is cracked opened by a hydraulically pressurized liquid made by
water, sand, and chemical substances. More oil and natural gas run through the extracted
points where the rock was fractured. There has been great success for petroleum
engineers when it comes to hydraulic fracturing, but there always has to be a cause and
effect. Lately, there has been a lot of debate on the safety aspect in the communities
around hydraulic fracturing locations. The debates can run from causing sink holes in the
land to the over all health of a person when it comes to gases in the drinking reservoir or
simply escaped gas in the air. There is many research and studies that has been done with
other various aspects and hydraulic fracturing as a whole. I will explore the harm
hydraulic fracturing silica can cause on the human body overtime without the proper
safety equipment and how it can be prevented.

STEP 2: Justify using an Interdisciplinary Approach
There can be many good and bad reasons why a community and/or families
would approve or disapprove of hydraulic fracturing around the community. In order to
have the best possible answer many for these questions we have to look at the community
as a whole. For example, is the community oil based or more agriculture based? The
opportunities and challenges the families in the community have to overcome as whole or
independent would be best if looked at from an Organizational Leadership perspective
and Health Professions.
Step 3: Identify Relevant Disciplines
There were about five disciplines that could be used for this study, but instead the
disciplines that are used for everyday life. The three disciplines to build questions off are
Organizational Leadership, Health Professions, and Natural Resource Management. The
disciplines that are going to be used are Organizational Leadership and Health
Professions as my relevant disciplines. These disciplines will be used because people
need to be educated on the harm hydraulic fracturing silica can cause on the human body
overtime without using the proper safety equipment and how it can be prevented from
these perspectives.

STEP 4: Conduct a Literature Search
The research question that has been provided to me is the goal to demonstrate
interdisciplinary understanding by incorporating disciplinary methods, theories, and
knowledge, then, relating the information to hydraulic fracturing and recommending a
solution to the problem. The topic is too broad to only view it from a single discipline.
Drawing upon scholarly literature from two different disciplines, and then integrate
Discipline, Interdiscipline, or Applied Field
Perspective stated in terms of an overarching
question about the impact of “fracking” on
families or communities
Organizational Leadership
What is the role for leaders in the community to
ensure the health and well being of families in
the community where fracking is being used to
extract oil and natural gas?
Health Applied Science
What effect does health and all its forms have
on the public opinion of body harm and
challenges associated with the practice of
hydraulic fracturing?
Natural Resource Management
What is the natural land impact on the
community and for the wild animals?

foundational information to construct and improve an understanding of the problem. The
two different disciplines that will be used to get an enhanced understanding are
Organizational Leadership and Health Professions.
Organizational Leadership is useful to the study because it gives insight on the
topic I am researching. It gives insight on hydraulic fracturing by developing new
technology to be used safely in the field to prevent fewer accidents. According to
Montgomery, Smith, & Nsi (2010), SPE complimented nine inventors of the hydraulic
fracturing industry as legends of hydraulic fracking; they were recognized as influential
in developing new technologies in hydraulic fracturing and the advancement of the field
through their roles as researchers, consultants, and instructors. According to FarriaNaff
(2014), they developed new to help the hydraulic fracturing world be more efficient and
safer for the people out in the field. There was also other technology to help minimize the
rock disturbance when already in the hole. According to Pettitt, Pierce, Damjanac,
Hazzard, Lorig, & Hairhurst (2011), fracture network engineering (FNE) involves the
design, analysis, modeling, and monitoring of infield activities aimed at enhancing or
minimizing rock mass disturbance. FNE desires less rock mass disturbance and punch
holes in the petroleum reservoir. With all this new technology already developed and the
new technology that is being developed can play a huge factor in safety for the people
around hydraulic fracturing.
Health Professions plays a major role in hydraulic fracturing by simply helping
families in the community understand that the work being done is dangerous, but at the
same time wearing gas masks out in the field to keep silica out of the lungs can easily
prevent it. Breathing crystalline silica dust, which is normally found when working

around hydraulic fracturing stimulation, can cause silicosis. According to Hertzler
(2014), breathing in silica is cruel for the lungs, which can cause lung cancer later on in a
person’s life. Organizations like the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
are trying to prevent the harmful effects when breathing in silica can cause. Furthermore,
the environment is as important as the people working in the hydraulic fracturing
stimulation. Some U.S. states have already put hydraulic fracturing suspensions in place
because of fear of drinking water contamination. If there is water contamination then
people and wild animals can get sick from the chemicals used in the stimulation process.
STEP 5: Develop Adequacy in Each Relevant Discipline
How does fracking affect the families in the communities near locations? The
disciplines are going to be used are Organizational Leadership and Health Professions.
There is a set of clearly stated theories that guide most of the disciplinary research.
The research theory will consist of mainly natural science, which is outside of
biological science for Organizational Leadership. The method of research will mostly be
qualitative research. It is also a modernist approach that holds concise information of
hydraulic fracturing and the uprising of technologies in the oil and gas industry.
Qualitative research is often most useful for a new way.
The discipline most relevant to the problem is biology, which its perspective on
problem is breathing crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis when working around
hydraulic fracturing. The phenomena will focus on the issue for the employee’s safety
while working around the hydraulic fracturing stimulation. Overexploitation theory will
be consistent for Health Professions in developing new ideas for safety while out in the

field. It is an encroachment theory that concerns the workers safety in hydraulic
fracturing. The method of research will mostly be qualitative research, as it is used to find
a new way to handle objectives.
STEP 6: Analyze the Problem and Evaluate Each Insight or Theory
The two disciplines chosen are Organizational Leadership and Health Professions,
simply because these are the disciplines that will be used the most daily while out in the
field. Also, because they make the most sense to me when it comes to understanding the
oil and gas industry. Organizational Leadership in the oil and gas industry is about taking
charge of the situation, the required work, and doing the job right the first time.
According to Mitchell (2013), the Health Professions discipline will help me with the
safety of the workers and the regulations set on the environment. From my two
interdisciplinary perspectives of Organizational Leadership and Health Professions I will
explore the harm hydraulic fracturing silica can cause on the human body overtime
without the proper safety equipment and how it can be prevented.
According to Mustek (2014), health professions from scholarly research and peer
viewed research is that protecting the workers, environment, and the wild animals from
silica is that one of the main aspects companies try to regulate most. Breathing in silica is
bad for the lungs, which can cause lung cancer later on in a person’s life. Additionally,
breathing crystalline silica dust, which is normally found when working around hydraulic
fracturing stimulation, can cause silicosis. According to Rahm (2011), companies try to
regulate the harm that hydraulic fracturing can cause on the environment, because sink

holes and spoiling the water bed would not only be bad for the environment and the wild
animals, but also for near by communities. This is the reason why hydraulic fracturing is
regulated so much in the oil and gas industry. Companies want to try and keep the
environment unharmed as much as possible, because they refuse to get fined or sued.
Also, they want to keep their workers safe from any possible harm they can get into. A
company’s goal is to keep the job safe without harming anyone, the environment, and the
wild animals.
Discipline Most
Relevant to the
Problem
Perspective on Problem Stated in
General Terms
Phenomena
Biology Breathing crystalline silica dust,
which is normally found when
working around hydraulic fracturing
stimulation, can cause silicosis
Workers safety concerns
for the field of hydraulic
fracturing
Chemistry Fracture network engineering (FNE)
involves the design, analysis,
modeling, and monitoring of infield
activities aimed at enhancing or
minimizing rock mass disturbance
Improves interpretation
via direct observation of
the micromechanics
within the distinct element
models used
Earth Sciences The Energy Policy Act also
broadened Clean Water Act (CWA)
exclusions that already existed for
oil and gas drilling and production
activities to include storm water
discharge from oil and gas
construction activities
There are not specific
limitations that apply to
public owned treatment
works or centralized waste
facilities.
Economics The U.S. has shifted from a
declining producer of natural gas to
a growing producer. The Energy
Information Administration predicts
that by 2035 nearly half of U.S.
Shale gas productions are
highly controversial
because of environmental
concerns, like fear of
drinking water

natural gas will come from shale gas contaminations
Engineering A concise market synopsis, a roster
of the key technology providers,
case studies of the fieldwork, and
exclusive analysis of industry trends
relative to the specific technology
The phenomenon was that
researchers actually
experienced advancement
in the new technology
they created
Discipline or
School of
Thought
Theory Insight of
Theory
Strength of
Theory
Limitation of
Theory
Biology Encroachment
Theory
Workers safety
concerns for the
field of
hydraulic
fracturing
It helps the
employees and
the
environment
The regulations
on the
environment are
not as strong as
the employee
safety concerns
Chemistry Overexploitation
Theory
Developing
new
technologies to
be used in the
field
Makes
hydraulic
fracturing
more efficient
in time cost
It takes a lot of
time and money
for a new tool to
actually meet
the
requirements
Modernism Concise
information of
hydraulic
fracturing and
the uprising
technologies in
the oil and gas
industry
Employees
actually know
what to do
when they are
finally sent out
in the field
Employees
don’t get
actually hand-
on experience
until they get
into the field
Infiltration
Theory
Improves
interpretation
via direct
observation of
the
micromechanics
Enhancing or
minimizing
rock mass
disturbance
The new
technology is
not fully stable

within the
distinct element
models used
Earth Sciences Overexploitation
Theory
Rules have been
set to help well
sitting,
completion, and
abandonment in
hydraulic
fracturing
Makes
hydraulic
fracturing
more efficient
in time cost
There are not
specific
limitations that
apply to public
owned
treatment works
or centralized
waste facilities
Modernism Concise
information of
hydraulic
fracturing and
the uprising
technologies in
the oil and gas
industry
Each handbook
covers
everything
from market
overview, new
technologies,
to specific
technology
Employees
don’t get
actually hand-
on experience
until they get
into the field
Infiltration
Theory
Enhancing or
minimizing
rock mass
disturbance
Improves
interpretation
via direct
observation of
the
micromechanic
s within the
distinct
element
models used
The technology
is still a work in
progress
Economics Overexploitation
Theory
Produce natural
gas from
unconventional
shale gas
reservoirs made
possible from
The ability to
economically
produce
natural gas
from
unconventional
Shale gas
productions are
highly
controversial
because of
environmental

horizontal
drilling and
hydraulic
fracturing
shale gas
reservoirs has
been made
possible
recently
through the
application of
horizontal
drilling and
hydraulic
fracturing
concerns, like
fear of drinking
water
contaminations
Engineering Modernism Each handbook
covers
everything from
market
overview, new
technologies, to
specific
technology
Concise
information of
hydraulic
fracturing and
the uprising
technologies
on the oil and
gas industry
It takes a lot of
time and money
for a new tool to
actually meet
the
requirements
STEP 7: Identifying Conflicts Between Insights and Their Sources
The three possible sources of conflict between insights are concepts, assumptions,
and theories. A conflict that was found in the Organizational Leadership discipline that is
in use is ontological, which means, it make assumptions about the rationality of
individuals. According to FarriaNaff (2014), Organizational Leadership focuses on
improving the technology to help the environment, companies spend a lot of money on
developing new technologies because they know the profit will increase dramatically. A
company could careless about the environment when they are fracking. Epistemology
occurs in both of my disciplines, because it is looking at it from an Organizational
Leadership point of view, as a company man they have to know the precautions and the
success of hydraulic fracturing. Under precautions falls my other discipline, which is

Health Professions; fracking companies have specific hazard areas and safety rules that
they base their life on when they are out in the field. Normally people do no test the
precautions and the hazards, but some people have tried and failed. There are decisions in
both organizational leadership and health professions because both disciplines make
valued assumptions about truth. That is the reason why there is new technology in the
making and why there is safety, because people have tried to test the truth.
Step 8: Create Common Ground Between Concepts and Theories
Redefinition would be the best technique for me to use since I am working with
concepts, not assumptions. Organizational Leadership and Health Professions go hand in
hand when working together in hydraulic fracturing. People need leadership out in the
field when fracking and safety to go along with it. Both of these disciplines work together
without even knowing it. Its spectacular how it intersects without evening noticing it.
When fracking starts there is a professional doing the job trying to puncture holes to
extract oil from the ground, leadership is involved here because he telling everyone what
to do and what to look out for. He/ she runs the show to do the job right the first time
without any accidents.
STEP 9: Construct a more comprehensive understanding
From my two interdisciplinary perspectives of Organizational Leadership and
Health Professions I will explore the costs and benefits of oil and natural gas extraction
for communities and their families. With both disciplines the complex problem is easier
to understand. Organizational leadership looks at hydraulic fracturing with authority and

power. This disciplines perspective focuses on the job, getting the job done right the first
time, and the overall aspect of technology. Health profession focuses on the safety of the
employees, the regulations the state has put on hydraulic fracturing, and the safety of the
environment and wildlife.
Hydraulic fracturing is a well-stimulation technique in which a hydraulically
pressurized liquid made of water, sand, and fractures rock; this is where Organizational
Leadership is focused. While on location, a company man is in charge of making sure all
the job duties are performed at the highest level of accomplishment. Organizational
Leadership in hydraulic fracturing is taking charge of any situation whether it is positive
or negative. Companies always talk about prices when it comes to hydraulic fracturing,
because they always desire a reasonable price to save project money. Getting the job
done right the first time while saving money is every company’s mains goal. The Health
Professions discipline gives insight on how regulations can help improve the safety for
employees, the environment, and wildlife. With safety regulations on location for
employees increases work production without the employees having to worry about
inhaling silica into their lungs with proper breathing masks. There are different safety
regulations for every state, but overall they try to protect the environment so the
chemicals, sand, and possibility oil do not ruin water pools. The wildlife safety
regulations are crucial because they help the animals not get poisoned by the chemicals in
the hydraulic fracturing process.

Seeing how great the disciplines are alone, they actually are improved when they
work together. With leadership roles in safety regulations, the work production is not
only done right the first time, but also safer for everyone and anything around the
hydraulic fracturing stimulation. There needs to be leadership in safety, but there also
needs to be safety in leadership. So with understanding the disciplines interdependently
we can now understand them comprehensively. Safety during well stimulation is a big
concern, because it helps anyone, including the person with the leadership role, not breath
silica. Without safety there would not be leaders to take control during well stimulation,
with out leaders in safety there would not be safety regulations for the environment,
wildlife, and gas masks to prevent lung carcinogen. It is crucial for both of these
disciplines to be understood as one when it comes to hydraulic fracturing.
STEP 10: Communicating the results
The conclusion is simple when everything ties together as whole instead of
looking at the disciplines separately. It is clear the Organizational Leadership and Health
Professions can solve complex problems that arise from hydraulic fracturing. Leadership
and safety work together to make the hydraulic fracturing processes underneath land and
on land easier and safer. Both disciplines work together to make hydraulic fracturing
easier to understand when there is leadership role behind the well stimulation. All this
matters, because without leadership who would call the shots on locations and without
safety there would be more causality, wasted land, and poisoned wildlife. It is important
to understand the disciplines as whole, because without one another hydraulic fracturing
would be dangerous. Helping the environment with safer chemicals or use less of the

chemicals can always help the wildlife in the area. Also, companies should help wildlife
by placing animal feeders far from the well stimulation process to keep away the animals
from silica and chemicals.
Hydraulic fracturing can be a blessing for a lot of families, or it can be terrible. It
entirely falls under a person if it is affecting them or hurting them. It can help a lot of
families by providing jobs and depending if they have a small business it can also help.
The fracking industry opens up a wide range of benefits for families because it can
provide financial stability; it helps bring customers to businesses. The downside of
fracking is that when the price of oil by barrel goes down in the stock, a lot of companies
reduce using hydraulic fracturing because it is so expensive. So that means easy come for
families and businesses, easy go can occur as fast or faster. Wearing protective breathing
masks can assure a family member return home safely after work. Listening to the leader
of the work stimulation reduces a lot of causalities; not listening can cause a lot of
accidents. If employees wore masks to protective themselves from breathing in silica in
my area, there would a lot of people with less lung cancer. Being alert and awake also
helps. If leaders persuade companies to buy and use gas masks then there would fewer
employees with illnesses. Companies need to be educated on the harmful causes
hydraulic fracturing can cause to their main priorities, which are their employees and the
employers lease.

REFFERENCES CITED:
Farria Naff, C. (2014). Can Fracking Lead The Way To Clean Energy?. Humanist (pp.
13-19).
Hertzler, P. (2014). Regulation of hydraulic fracturing operations at the federal and
state levels. Journal - American Water Works Association (pp. 58-65).
Hydraulic Fracturing Techbook. (2012). E&P (pp. 1-92). Tulsa, OK.
Mitchell, T. (2013). BLM updates fracking proposals. Fierce Energy (pp. 1).
Montgomery, C. T., Smith, M. B., & Nsi, T. (2010). Hydraulic tracturing: History of an
enduring technology. Journal Of Petroleum Technology (pp. 26-28, 30-32).
Tulsa, OK
Mustek, T. (2014). 'Fracking' and worker safety. Safety & Health (pp. 70-72).
Pettitt, W., Pierce, M., Damjanac, B., Hazzard, J., Lorig, L., Fairhurst, C., & Itasca
Consulting, G. (2011). Fracture Network Engineering For Hydraulic Network.
The Leading Edge.
Rahm, D. (2011). Regulating hydraulic fracturing in shale gas plays: The case of
Texas. Energy Policy (pp. 2981). San Marcos, TX.
Repko, A. (2012). Interdisciplinary research: Process and Theory (2nd Ed.). Los
Angeles: Sage
Tayler, M. (2012). Jewish marriage as an expression of Israel’s conflicted identity. In A.
F. Repko, W. H. Newell, & R. Szostak. (Eds.), Case Studies in Interdisciplinary
Research (pp. 23-51). Los Angeles: Sage.

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