This document discusses the issue of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) from an interdisciplinary perspective. It begins by introducing fracking and some of the debates around its environmental and economic impacts. It then outlines how the disciplines of financial planning and exercise/sports science can provide insights into the issue. Regarding financial planning, the document discusses the large funding behind anti-fracking groups compared to pro-fracking groups. For exercise/sports science, it explores how fracking provides natural resources that support activities like stadium maintenance. The document concludes by proposing ways to better understand fracking through leadership practices like inspiring vision and enabling others to act.

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Silent Fracking
Brian Ochuko
INTS 3350
Texas Tech University

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Introduction
Hydraulic Fracturing, could this be a new efficient way of producing natural gasses, or is
it in all a bad idea? Fracking is the procedure in which oil companies use sand and water and
some other chemicals to extract natural gases from the ground. Fracking is said to be one of the
cleanest and environment friendly ways to obtaining resources from the United States. The
United States is in an oil crisis. As of now the United is predominantly reliant on foreign oil,
rather than being dependent on what the United States has domestically. In result the process of
fracking came about. The problem with the whole fracking ordeal is, is the financial gain for the
economy is so overwhelming that the environmental costs have been over shadowed. On the
other side of the argument fracking does not get enough funding when relating it to the personal
financial planning discipline. The Exercise and Sports Science discipline has great insight on the
effect fracking has on the environment. This discipline is not entirely directly affected to this
controversy but it can be affected, which makes it a usable discipline. . This discipline was
chosen to show that this topic effects a wide array of disciplines, not just the obvious ones. This
topic is something I have wanted to do some research on for a while. The wide array of social
and economic problems that arise from hydraulic fracturing itself is immense
Using an interdisciplinary approach is the best way to conduct this research because, this
problem of how fracking affects families and communities is too big to be addressed by only one
discipline (Repko, 2012). Hydraulic fracturing affects the United States in more than one way.
The most obvious effect is the effect it has on the environment. What is in plain sight is not
always the answer; sometimes you have to look deeper. What is the reason oil companies, have
decided to start fracking instead of drilling oil? What other factors come into play when talking
about the social or economical problems hydraulic fracturing brings? As stated earlier fracking
effects more than one issue. Financially, hydraulic fracturing has its costs and benefits. Money

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makes the world go round, so in order for fracturing to continue, funding has to be coming from
somewhere. On the other hand do anti-fracking organizations have deeper pockets to make sure
the fracking process is no more? That will be the main discussion pertaining to the financial
discipline. Another discipline that justifies the interdisciplinary approach is Exercise and Sports
Science. Although it may appear fracking has no connection with this discipline, if you look
deeper fracking can affect sports tremendously. Fracking is a way to get natural resources.
Natural resources are what keeps these sports facilities going. How does electricity come about?
What about the substances used in field maintenance? It is the resources of this earth that keep
these daily up keeps going (Rapier). Once again, is it all worth the downfall of the environment
we all live in, athletes included.
Literature Review
It has been stated that this research topics deserves more than one discipline perspective.
There is a broad view of disciplines that can be used. One cannot just pick one perspective.
According to Repko, in order to gain new insight, “…is to recast each perspective in terms of an
overarching question about the problem…”( Repko 2012). The table below identifies the
possible relevant disciplines.
Potentially Relevant Disciplines Perspective Stated in Terms of an
Overarching Question AskedAbout
Hydraulic Fracturing
Political Science Should the government step in and regulate the
practice of hydraulic fracturing?
Sociology How does hydraulic fracturing affect the
smaller societies? Does it have a harder impact
on the smaller populated areas or the big cities?
Biology This process could be detrimental to the human
race if the water becomes contaminated. What
improvements have to be made in order to
prevent?
Earth Science Exactly how much water will be used before it
becomes scarce?
Philosophy How will the advancement of the hydraulic

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fracturing process effect the overall process of
natural resource extraction?
Financial Planning Who pays for all this?
Exercise and Sports Science What specific parts of athletics does this
dilemma affect?
All seven disciplines apply to the focus of the paper, some more than others. Financial
planning correlates with how everything is started in a sense. This discipline opens up insight
and evidence that can be correlated best with Exercise and Sports Science. The specifics of this
will be explained in the later in this research. As for the other disciplines the next two most
relevant disciplines would be Philosophy and Political Science. Integrating the two would
generate at least one theory to illuminate the problem and benefit.
The extraction of natural gas and the process in itself has to have a price tag on it right?
The next controversy is the financial risks companies are taking to prevent hydraulic fracturing
and also the risks companies are taking to keep the fracking ship a float. A company called Heinz
Endowments is one of the companies spending money on research towards drilling impacts.
“ Grants from Heinz Endowments to universities and nonprofits for the study of gas drilling
“impacts”, out reach, organizing, legal issues, and oversight totaled more than $680,000 last year
alone.” (Chesser, 2011) Evidently there is a large amount of environmental impacts that people
are not aware of. It is clear that there is more funding regarding the bashing of hydraulic
fracturing, mentioning things such as environmental downfall (Chesser, 2011) . Another
financial dilemma is whether or not the process of fracking affects the pockets of regular people,
seeing as energy is how we all survive. (Rapier)
Exercise Sports and Science is a more complicated perspective, when incorporating with
the dilemma of hydraulic fracturing. This discipline has many avenues, not just having to do with
exercise. One can look at the health perspective “natural gas is important in the manufacture of
fertilizer and is therefore an important contributor to food production” (Rapier pg 12) or one can

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look at the simple fact that fracking can affect the entertainment side of sports such as the way a
stadium might look and things as such.
The literature used in this research is not specific to financial planning. Neither is it
specific to Exercise and Sports Science. The difference is each piece of research has a certain
perspective one could relate each discipline too.
Looking at the financial aspect of the whole fracking ordeal, one would see it as the
people making the most money are the fracking companies. Looking deeper into the situation,
the anti-natural gas organizations have to be funded as well to be able to get the word out to so
many societies, as this is logic. Where is all the financial depth coming from?
There is an on going debate about whether fracking is truly bad for the environment.
Exercise and sports science is affected in a smaller scale. Natural gas is known to be good
fertilizer (Rapier 12). Stadium up keep is crucial in professional sports. Hydraulic fracturing
provides the many resources to keep a stadium functioning.
Literature pertaining to the financial planning discipline looks deeper into the cash flow
of both sides. It gives the perspective that the anti-natural gas companies are hiding vital
information, for their benefit obviously. The literature that is used from a sports perspective
explains how natural gas is a vital natural resource that needs to be used and should not be
neglected.
Hydraulic Fracturing is usually labeled as a worse process than it is good. The insight in
this piece of literature is vital. The perspective is that hydraulic fracturing is the victim, due to
funding. It is stated that hydraulic fracturing has actually boosted an economy in Pennsylvania “
The development and growth of the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry is a major boom for
Pennsylvania’s economy”. (Chesser 2011) This industry has created numerous avenues of
improvement for the economy and its resources. The environmentalist campaigns have said other
wise. Anti-natural gas companies have major investors behind their campaigns, investors at the

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magnitude of Heinz Endowments throwing an estimate of $680,000 last year (Chesser 2011)
they were not the only investors. The phenomena in this insight is, why is it that there is so much
outside funding pertaining too anti fracking but when it comes to talking about the benefits
fracking has, (because according to the literature it does have benefits) there is not much
financial help other than the gas companies themselves.
Other insight is required to understand why anti natural gas companies are getting all the
funding. When incorporating a new idea or a new way to do things, risk is a factor. Fracking is a
potential danger to the environment. (Ng 2012) To be specific about the environmental hazard,
water contamination is a big fear. This insight came to the conclusion that hydraulic fracturing is
worse off for the environment than it is good for the economy. The phenomena of this point of
view are to come up with a more efficient and environmentally friendly way of drilling.
Lastly this insight goes deeply into hydraulic fracturing substitutes. The main argument is
the same. This perspective goes further into a way to completely eliminate water from fracking.
Mentioning how hydraulic fracturing business claim 2%-5% is only contaminated with
chemicals (Janiczeck), but this article mentions, when measured with the tons of water used in
fracking the amount of chemicals would have to have risen as well on a massive scale.
(Janiczek). The phenomenon in this is waterless fracking.
The insight with this exercise and sport science is pretty straight forward. The theory
behind this literature of Fossil Fuels and Nuclear power (Rapier 2012) is that natural gas is what
keeps this country going essentially. When related to sports, most sports stadiums require
electricity and grass up keep and things as such. All these aspects of running a stadium suddenly
come into play. When talking about nuclear power. The phenomenon of this insight is to bring
light upon the truth about natural gasses and the environment.

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Connections
In order to make a connection or common ground between the two disciplines, one would
have to identify the conflict first, then proceed to creating common ground. The main conflict in
the literature focusing on financial planning is the continuous funding of anti natural gas
companies. This insight would set the question of whether fracking is really that bad for the
economy, or could it be that fracking is the best thing to ever happen to the economy. The over
casting shadow that is put on fracking surely does not help (Chesser 2011) therefore not enough
funding toward finding a better way to fracture. Meanwhile the Exercise and Sports science
sources explain how natural gas is needed, and the only efficient way to obtain the gas is through
fracking. The two disciplines are using different words to describe the same phenomena.
The main conflicts that are identified state that fracking is more often bashed than
praised, leaving a sore taste in everyone s mouth about all the time. Not enough effort is put into
the further development of the hydraulic fracturing process, in result it never gets better. The
second conflict describes how humans need drilling and oiling going on because it is the way of
life. Small sacrifices have to be made when it comes to business. The conflict within the Chesser
article is simple and the technique of Redefinition will be used to find common ground with the
conflict in ESS. ESS is already somewhat on the same side as the financial planning perspective
because the literature mentions how they both agree with fracking in some sort. “…natural gas
industry is a major boom for Pennsylvania’s economy”(Chesser 2011). “ Natural gas is the
manufacture of fertilizer…”(Rapier 2012) The proposed solution is for hydraulic fracturing to be
funded better that way people come to realize natural gas drilling is not all that bad.
There is not much more comprehensive understanding when it comes to these two
disciplines. All the research for both, states that fracking needs to funded more financially. Due
to the lack of knowledge, people cannot see the benefits of fracking. False info may have been
fed (Chesser 2011) and without the knowledge of the ESS research perspective explaining the

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major benefits of natural resource drilling, there is always a chance for people to be looking the
other way quicker.
In the beginning of this research it seemed to be that Hydraulic fracturing was the enemy.
It was known to be harmful to the environment and such. Not everything is as black and white as
it seems. This study opens up many avenues of research. Starting with how can companies start
funding natural gas companies more or how can correct knowledge be spread to the people, so
fracturing can grow. It is evident that fracking will be around for a while as it is 90% of the way
the nation extracts natural gas (Chesser 2011). The tricky part is getting everyone to believe it
can work.
Integrative Framework
The best way to understand this issue, is to first understand the complexity of the issue.
Hydraulic Fracturing widely affects environments who have drilling sites. It is apparent that
there is not enough knowledge being taught about the actual benefits of hydraulic. This is
causing the nation wide bashing of hydraulic fracturing. Imagine if the correct knowledge is
spread, who knows the what advancments could be made? Not just knowledge, but funding is
affected by the lask of knowledge. All the anti-natural gas organizations have spilled millions
into to stopping fracturing. As stated earlier there are different ways to the process of hydraulic
fracturing that are being thought up, but without proper funding it can never advance. The five
practices of exemplary and interdisciplinary leadership is a perfect way to contruct a famework
on how to understand and fix this problem The first step is to Model the Way, a certain standard
needs to be set. This problem should be pursued in a knowldegable way that everyone can
understand what can and can not happen. The next step is have an inspiring vision. Hydraulic
Fracturing is a sensitive subject when it comes to disciplines that have to do with the
environment. One would have to find a way to inspire that specifc group of people. The next step
would be to challenge the process. Opportunites to change the status quo would be to hold small

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conventions in cities that claim to be affected most by fracking. This is a risk, because one would
be stepping into an un familiar terriotory. Once the process has been challenged you have to
enable others to act. This is the beginning process in bringing change. You need those few
people to help you push the cause, of increasing hydraulic fracturing in American societies.
Lastly, the hardest part, encouraging the heart. As a leader I must include everyones insight, to
truly get people to believe that what they say will have an affect. You have to give people the
sense of leadership, which key when working with others.

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References
Chesser, P & Newgent, M. ( 2011) The Great Frack Attack: The War on Natural Gas. Policy
Brief from the Commonwealth Foundation, 23, 7
Janiczek, N. WATERLESS FRACKING: A CLEAN SUBSTITUTE. Retrieved from
http://www.ourenergypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/WA3.pdf
Ng, C. (2012). THE DANGERS OF FRACKING. Retrieved from
http://www.pitt.edu/~cyn2/Writing_Assignment_3.pdf.
Rapier, R. (2012) . Power Plays: Energy Optionsin the Age of Peak Oil. New York:PaulManning
Repko, A. F. (2012). Interdiscipinary Research: Processand Theory. United Kingdom: SAGE
Publications Ltd.