Ukuqhekeka kwe-hydraulic, okubizwa ngokuthi i-fracking, kuhlala kungenye yezobuchwepheshe eziguqula kakhulu embonini yamafutha negesi emhlabeni, iguqule kakhulu indlela izinsiza zamandla ezikhiqizwa ngayo ngaphansi komhlaba. Le nqubo ihilela ukujova ingxube yamanzi, isihlabathi, nezinye izinto ezikhethekile ngaphansi kwengcindezi ephezulu emalokishini ukuze kwakheke ukuqhekeka okuncane okwenza ama-hydrocarbon abanjisiwe ageleke emhlabeni. Emashumini eminyaka amabili edlule, ukuqhekeka kwe-hydraulic kuvule izindawo ezinkulu zamafutha negesi yemvelo ezazibhekwa njengezingekho nzuzo ukuthi zikhiqizwe, ikakhulukazi ezindaweni ezine-shale eNyakatho Melika, China, kanye neMiddle East. Njengoba indawo yamandla iqhubeka nokushintsha ngokushesha, ochwepheshe, abatshalizimali, kanye nabenzi bezinqubomgomo kufanele bahlale beqaphela izinto zakamuva kwezobuchwepheshe bokufakelwa, izinguquko emithethweni, kanye nezingqayizivele zemvelo ezithinta ngqo ukusebenza kahle nokusimama. Izinkampani ezihilelekile ekufakelweni kwamafutha kanye nezinsizakalo ezihlobene ziqhubeka nokuqeqesha izindlela zazo ukuze zikhiqize kakhulu ngenkathi zinciphisa iminonopho yemvelo, okwenza izindaba zemboni zibe yisidingo esibalulekile kunoma ubani oxhumene nomkhakha wamandla. Ukuqonda imininingwane yokusebenza kwezobuchwepheshe zesimanje kungasiza ababambiqhaza ukuthi benze izinqumo ezinolwazi mayelana nokutshalwa kwezimali, ukuthengwa kwemishini, kanye nokubambisana kwamasu okudala inani elihlala njalo emakethe enokuncintisana.

Enye yezindaba zakamuva ezibaluleke kakhulu emhlabeni we-hydraulic fracturing ivela kuPantheon Resources, eyimemezele ukuphothulwa ngempumelelo kwemisebenzi yokuvuselela ukuqhekeka komthombo wayo i-Dubhe-1, iphrojekthi etholakala eNyakatho ye-Alaska. Impumelelo leli ibaluleke kakhulu hhayi kuPantheon kuphela kodwa nasembonini enkulu yokuqhekeka kwamafutha, njengoba ibonisa ukusebenza kwezindlela zokuqhekeka ezithuthukisiwe ezindaweni eziyinselele zase-Arctic lapho izinga lokushisa elidlulele nezimo ze-permafrost zidala izithiyo ezihlukile ekusebenzeni. Le nkampani isebenzise imisebenzi yokuqhekeka esezingeni eliphezulu eyenzelwe ukuthuthukisa ukuxhumana kwesihlahla nokwandisa ukutholwa kwama-hydrocarbon kusuka kumhlaba weBrookian, isebenzisa izindlela zokubeka i-proppant ezenziwe ngokwezifiso eziqinisekise ukusatshalaliswa okulinganayo kuyo yonke inethiwekhi yokuqhekeka ehlosiwe. Abahlaziyi bemboni baphawule ukuthi impumelelo yalo mphrojekthi ingavula indlela yokuthuthukiswa okwengeziwe ezigcineni ezinkulu zase-Alaska ezingakasetshenziswa, okungavula umngcelele omusha wokukhiqizwa kwamandla asekhaya asebenzisa ubuchwepheshe obufanayo obufakazelwe obubangela uguquko lwe-shale ezifundeni ezingezansi. Indlela yePantheon ihlanganise ukuqapha okungokoqobo kwe-microseismic kanye nokuhlaziywa kwedatha okuthuthukisiwe ukulandelela ukusakazeka kokuqhekeka kuyo yonke imisebenzi yokuvuselela, okuvumela onjiniyela ukuthi benze izilungiso ezisheshayo ezithuthukise ukusebenza okuphelele futhi kunciphise ubungozi bokusebenza. Leli zinga lobunjiniyela obunembayo emisebenzini yokuqhekeka libonisa ukuthi imboni iqhubeka kanjani nokudlula imingcele ngobuchwepheshe obusha, ibeka amazinga amasha kulokho okungenzeka ezindaweni eziyinselele kakhulu zomhlaba wonke.

Ukwenziwa ngokuzenzakalelayo kwezisebenzi zokuhlukumeza kuvele njengendaba ebusayo ezindabeni zakamuva zemboni, nabahlinzeki abakhulu bezinsizakalo betshala imali enkulu kubuchwepheshe bedijithali obuthuthukisa ukulawula ukusebenza, kunciphisa ukungenelela komuntu, futhi kuthuthukise imiphumela yokuphepha kuyo yonke indawo yokumba. Izinhlelo zokuqapha ezikude, amayunithi okuhlanganisa ngokuzenzakalelayo, kanye nezilawuli zamaphampu ezihlakaniphile manje sezisetshenziswa emikhunjini yokuhlukumeza ukuletha izinto ezingaguquguquki ze-proppant kanye nevolumu yamanzi, okuhumusha ngqo ku-geometry ye-fracture engcono kanye namazinga aphezulu okubuyisa ekugcineni kusuka emthonjeni ngamunye. Izinqubomgomo zikahulumeni ziyaqhubeka nokubumba indlela yomkhakha wokuhlukumeza ngokhiyele njengoba futhi, nemizimba yezomthetho e-United States, Canada, China, nase-Europe isebenzisa imithetho ebuyekeziwe elawula ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi, ukudalulwa kwamakhemikhali, ukukhishwa kwe-methane, kanye namazinga okuhlala komthombo okumele abasebenzi bazulazule ngokucophelela. Ngokwesibonelo, izinqumo zakamuva zokuphatha kukaBiden mayelana nokuhlinzekwa komhlaba kahulumeni kanye nemithetho ye-methane kube nemiphumela ebalulekayo ezikhathini zokuvumela kanye nezindleko zokusebenza, ziphoqa izinkampani eziningi zokuhlukumeza uwoyela ukuthi ziguqule izindlela zazo zokuthobela. Ngaleso sikhathi, izitayela zokukhiqiza igesi yemvelo zihlala zihlotshaniswa kakhulu nentuthuko kubuchwepheshe bokuhlukumeza, njengoba ubuningi segesi enezindleko eziphansi kusuka ezindaweni ze-shale kushintshe kakhulu izimakethe zamandla zomhlaba wonke futhi kwadala amathuba amasha okuthekelisa igesi yemvelo eyenziwe ngomlilo. Ukuhlanganiswa kobuhlakani bokwenziwa kanye nokufunda komshini kusofthiwe yokuklama i-fracture kunika abasebenzi amandla okulinganisa izimo zokwelashwa ezingenakubalwa ngemizuzu, ukukhomba inhlanganisela efanele yezinga lokuphampa, ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali, kanye nokukhethwa kwe-proppant kuleso nalapho isimo esiyingqayizivele sesiqhwa. Lezi zintuthuko zobuchwepheshe nezomthetho zihlanganisa zibonisa imvelo eguquguqukayo yokusebenza kokuhlukumeza kwesimanje kanye nokubaluleka kokufunda okuqhubekayo kubahlanganyeli bemboni abafuna ukuhlala bancintisana emvelweni yebhizinisi enezidingo ezikhulayo zedatha.

Ukubambisana okusha phakathi kwezinkampani ezihlukumeza uwoyela, izinkampani zezobuchwepheshe zemvelo, kanye nezikhungo zocwaningo lwezemfundo kuthuthukisa inqubekela phambili ebalulekile maqondana nokusebenza okuzinzile okuhlukumezayo okubhekana nezingqinamba ezindala mayelana nokusetshenziswa kwamanzi, ukusetshenziswa kwamakhemikhali, kanye nokuzamazama komhlaba okubangelwa. Abasebenzisi abakhulu abaningana bashicilele izinhlelo zokubambisana ezisekelwe ekuthuthukiseni izinhlelo zokusebenzisa kabusha amanzi ezivalekile ezingaphatha futhi zisebenzise kabusha amanzi okugeleza izikhathi eziningi, kunciphisa kakhulu isidingo samanzi ahlanzekile ahlobene nokuhlukumeza uwoyela ezindaweni ezinesidingo samanzi. Le mizamo yemvelo idlulela ngalé kokulawulwa kwamanzi ukuze ifake ukwamukelwa kwezinto ezinciphisa ukungcola ezibhidlikayo, izinto ezibulala amagciwane ezinobuthi obuncane, kanye nezinto ezihlukumezayo ezihlukile ezinciphisa umthelela wezemvelo wokusebenza okuhlukumezayo ngaphandle kokudela ukusebenza komthombo noma ukwenzeka kwezomnotho. Umqondo wokuhlukumeza uwoyela ngamandla ekhabhoni ancishisiwe nawo uthole ukuduma, kanti ezinye izinkampani zizama ngemikhumbi yokuhlukumeza esebenza ngogesi efaka izinjini zikadizili ezivamile ngezishintshi ezixhunywe kunethiwekhi noma ezisebenza ngegesi yemvelo, zithola ukuncipha okukhulu kokubili ukukhishwa kwe-greenhouse gas kanye nezinto ezingcolisa umoya zasendaweni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, intuthuko ezinhlelweni zokuqapha ukuzamazama komhlaba kanye nezinqubomgomo zezibani ezikhanyayo ziye zavumela abasebenzisi ukuthi baqonde kangcono futhi banciphise ingozi yokuzamazama komhlaba okubangelwa, befaka izinguquko zokusebenza ngesikhathi sangempela lapho umsebenzi we-microseismic usondela emingceleni echazwe ngaphambili. Ukugcizelelwa okukhulayo ezindabeni zemvelo, zenhlalo, kanye nokuphatha phakathi kwabatshalizimali abaningi kukhawulezisa lezi zimo, njengoba izinqumo zokwabiwa kwemali ziklomelisa kakhulu izinkampani ezibonisa ukuthuthuka okulinganisekayo ekusebenzeni okuzinzile kuyo yonke imisebenzi yazo yokuhlukumeza. Lokhu kuhlangana kwezibopho zemvelo kanye nentuthuko yezobuchwepheshe kumela ushintsho olukhulu embonini, kufakazela ukuthi ukwanda kokukhiqiza kanye nomthelela omncane wezemvelo akuzona izinhloso ezingahambisani kodwa kunalokho izinhloso ezihambisanayo ezingafinyelelwa ngokutshalwa kwezimali okuhleliwe kanye nokubambisana kwezinkalo eziningi.

Ngemva kokuhle kwephumelela kwanoma yiluphi uhlelo lokukhiqiza uwoyela negesi ngokusebenzisa indlela ye-hydraulic fracturing, kukhona ingxenye ebalulekile kodwa evame ukunganakwa, okungama-proppants. Lawa ngamatshe amancane ayindilinga agcina imifantu esanda kwakhiwa ivulekile, futhi enze indlela yokuthi uwoyela negesi kungene emgodini. Ukukhethwa kwezinto ezifanele zama-proppant — kungaba yisihlabathi sikasika esitholakala emvelweni, isihlabathi esihlanganiswe ngombala, noma ama-proppant athuthukisiwe enziwe ngobumba — kunomthelela oqondile nowonke ekugcineni kokuhamba kwamafutha, ekukhiqizeni komthombo, kanye nenzuzo yezomnotho yanoma yiluphi uhlelo lokukhiqiza. Izinkampani ezifana ne-Hebei Kaiyuan Oil Proppant Co., Ltd., umkhiqizi ohamba phambili waseShayina osendlini yesifundazwe sase-Hebei, zidlala indima ebalulekile ekuhlinzekeni umhlaba wonke ngokukhiqiza ama-proppant aphezulu ahlangabezana namazinga aphezulu omhlaba wokumelana nokuqhekeka, ukuba yindilinga, kanye nokulingana kosayizi. Njengoba isidingo sezinsizakalo zokukhiqiza uwoyela ngezindlela ezifana ne-fracturing siqhubeka nokwanda ezimakethe ezisencane, ukutholakala kwama-proppant athembekile, asebenza kahle ngentengo, kubaluleke kakhulu empumelelweni yezinhlelo ezinkulu zokuthuthukisa. Abafundi abanentshisekelo bangahlola inkampani'sikhasi lasekhaya ukuze ufunde kabanzi ngamandla ayo okukhiqiza, noma uvakashele i-ikhathalogi yemikhiqizo ukuze uthole imininingwane eningiliziwe ngohlu oluphelele lwama-proppant enzelwe izimo ezahlukahlukene zokwakheka komhlaba. Ukuzibophezela kuka-Hebei Kaiyuan ekulawuleni ikhwalithi nasekuthuthukiseni njalo kubonakala ezinhlelweni zayo zokukhiqiza ezizenzakalelayo kanye nendawo yokucwaninga nokuthuthukisa enikezelweyo, lapho izindlela ezintsha zihlola ngokuqinile ngaphansi kwezimo ezilinganisiwe ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukusebenza okuzinzile emkhakheni. Le nkampani iphinde inikeze izinsizakalo ezenziwe ngendlela efaneleucwaningo nokuthuthukiswaindawo, lapho izindlela ezintsha zihlola ngokuqinile ngaphansi kwezimo ezilinganisiwe ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukusebenza okuzinzile emkhakheni. Le nkampani iphinde inikezeizinsizakalo ezenziwe ngendlela efaneleamakhlayenti anezidingo ezithile zokusabalala kosayizi wezinhlayiya noma izinselele ezihlukile zesitoreji, ahlinzeka ngezixazululo eziqondene nawe ezithuthukisa ukuxhumana kokuqhekeka kwezimo zomthombo ngamunye. Ngokuqonda ubudlelwano obubalulekile phakathi kwekhwalithi ye-proppant nempumelelo yokuqhekeka, abasebenzisi bangenza izinqumo zokuthenga ezinolwazi olwengeziwe ezithuthukisa ngqo imiphumela yezomnotho yokutshalwa kwezimali kwabo kokuqhekeka okubanzi.

Imboni ye-hydraulic fracturing iyaqhubeka nokubonisa ukumelana okumangalisayo nokuzivumelanisa, ihamba nezinselelo ezisukela ezintengweni zezimpahla eziguquguqukayo kanye nemithetho eguqukayo kuze kube yilapho kulindeleke umphakathi okukhulayo mayelana nokunakekelwa kwemvelo nokuzibandakanya komphakathi. Njengoba sihlolisise kulo lonke lolu hlelo, umkhakha ubhekene nezinguquko eziguqula izinto ezindaweni eziningi ngesikhathi esisodwa, kusukela ekusetshenzisweni kobuchwepheshe obusezingeni eliphezulu bokuzenzakalela kanye ne-data analytics ethuthukisiwe kuze kube yintuthuko yezindlela zokuphatha amanzi ezisimeme kakhudlwana kanye nokwakheka kwamakhemikhali anomthwalo wemfanelo wezemvelo. Iziqhawe zokuphumelela zokuphusha ezisezingeni eliphezulu emthonjeni we-Dubhe-1 we-Pantheon zisebenza njengesikhumbuzo esinamandla sokuthi ubuchwepheshe obusha buhlala buyisizathu esiyinhloko sokuqhubeka kwemboni, sivumela ukufinyelela ezinsizeni zamandla ezingafinyeleleki ngaphambili ngisho nasezindaweni ezinzima kakhulu. Ochwepheshe ababandakanyeka ekucindezelweni kukaphethiloli, ukuhlala uxhumene nezindaba zakamuva, imiphumela yocwaningo, kanye nezinqubo ezingcono kakhulu zokusebenza akuyona nje indaba yentuthuko yobungcweti kodwa kuyisidingo samasu embonini lapho ubuchwepheshe obudala bungaphelelwa isikhathi ngokushesha. Ukuqhubeka kokuthuthuka kweziqhawe zokuphusha kuzoletha ngokuqinisekile izimpumelelo ezintsha ekusebenzeni kahle, ukuphepha, kanye nokusebenza kwezemvelo, kuqinise indima emaphakathi leli thuluzi eliyidlalayo ekugcwaliseni izidingo zamandla omhlaba ngenkathi iguqukela esikhathini esizayo esinekhabhoni ephansi. Sikhuthaza abafundi ukuthi balandele izibuyekezo zemboni njalo futhi bazibandakanye nomphakathi obanzi onjiniyela, ososayensi bomhlaba, nabaholi bebhizinisi abakha isahluko esilandelayo somlando we-hydraulic fracturing.

Ukuze uhlale unolwazi mayelana nezindaba eziguquguqukayo zomhlaba we-hydraulic fracturing, sincoma ukuthi ubhalisele iziteshi ze-RSS ezikhethekile embonini eziqoqa okuqukethwe kusuka ezincwadini ezihamba phambili zezohwebo, izinhlaka ezilawulayo, kanye nezikhungo zocwaningo ezihlanganisa zonke izici zemisebenzi yokufakelwa kanye nobuchwepheshe bokufakelwa kukaphethiloli. Amapulatifomu enethiwekhi yobungcweti njenge-LinkedIn ahlala amaqembu asebenzayo anikezelwe ezingxoxweni ze-hydraulic fracturing, lapho ochwepheshe babelana ngezindaba ezithile, bebuzana imibuzo yobuchwepheshe, futhi baxoxe ngezinto ezivelayo ngesikhathi sangempela. Iziza zenkampani ezifana neyaleHebei Kaiyuan Petroleum Proppant Co., Ltd.inikeza imininingwane ebalulekile mayelana nohlangothi lokukhiqiza embonini, okubandakanya nezinqubo zokuqinisekisa ikhwalithi, amakhono ezokuthutha, kanye nezinsizakalo zokusekela amakhasimende ezibalulekile ekuthengeni ngempumelelo. Iziteshi zemidiya yezenhlalo, ikakhulukazi i-Twitter kanye nezingqungquthela ezikhethekile zamandla, zinikeza omunye umzinga wolwazi lwesikhathi sangempela, nabahlaziyi bemboni, abaphathi bezinkampani, kanye nonjiniyela bezinkundla njalo bathumela izibuyekezo mayelana namaphrojekthi aqhubekayo, intuthuko yemithetho, kanye nempumelelo yezobuchwepheshe. Siphinde sikhuthaze abafundi ukuthi babeke izikhombo emithonjeni ethembekile yedatha nokuhlaziywa kwe-hydraulic fracturing, okubandakanya izinhlangano zemboni ezifana ne-Society of Petroleum Engineers kanye neziphathimandla zikahulumeni ezifana ne-U.S. Energy Information Administration, ezishicilela imibiko ejwayelekile ngamathrendi okukhiqiza, imisebenzi yokubhola, kanye nemisebenzi yokufakelwa kulo lonke izindawo ezinkulu emhlabeni. Ngokwakha uhlelo lolwazi olubanzi oluhlanganisa imithombo eminingi nemibono, ababambiqhaza bemboni bangagcina ukuqwashisa ngesimo okudingekayo ukuze benze izinqumo eziqinisekile kulo mkhakha osheshayo futhi obucayi kwezobuchwepheshe.