Thesis Interdisciplinary Research involving Fracking

1

Fracking Interdisciplinary Research Paper

Zachary M. Moore

INTS 3300-[Section 001]

Dr. Gail Bentley

Texas Tech University

2Zachary Moore – Lesson 8 – INTS Research Paper

Abstract:

In this paper four different articles are looked at to gather research to understand a

complex problem and potential come to solutions or at least better understanding of the complex

problem. The four articles being looked at are "Fracking" controversy and communication:

Using national survey data to understand public perceptions of hydraulic fracturing, North

Dakota’s black gold; preventing America’s newest boomtown from becoming America’s next

ghost town, Autopoetic landscapes: the architectural implications of mining the Marcellus

Shale, and Public express concerns over fracking in their communities. The question being asked

is, what would be an effective approach to developing more environmentally sound fracking

operations which will have a positive impact on both the environment and the surrounding

communities, so that after the economic boom is over, the community maintains economic gains

and its natural environment? Mixed methods were used throughout the paper to analyze the

information from the articles chosen. This paper covers some of the potential methods that could

be used to strengthen both the environments and economies in communities where hydraulic

fracturing has a strong presence. There is evidence that if communities invest in their businesses

long term rather than focus everything around the fracking culture then these communities won’t

face a busted economy. There is also evidence that if safer holding methods were used then

certain chemicals won’t leak out into the environment. Further research is needed to understand

how to predict potential boom and bust moments in communities economic cycles as well as

what economic paths different communities in different regions should invest in besides

hydraulic fracturing to maintain their economies.


This research paper is an interdisciplinary research project using Repko’s 10 STEP

process to find solutions or tentative solutions to a complex problem. The complex problem

being researched involves finding effective approaches to developing more environmentally

sound fracking operations which will have a positive impact on both the environment and the

surrounding communities. The purpose is to find solutions that maintain economic gain and the

natural environment. This complex problem will require the knowledge of two disciplines;

business communication and environmental architecture to find potential solutions.

STEP 1: State the focus of your paper:

The concept of hydraulic fracturing or fracking was introduced in 1949 and has been

changing, and evolving ever since to the point where we are at today. Throughout the years of

change and growth several different problems have arisen that effect communities and fracking

operations alike. These problems include things such as poor environments, discontent with the

public eye and towns that are in economic turmoil thus creating a bust or ghost town. This

research study is going to pull from perspectives of both environmental architecture and business

communication to create a better understanding of both the pros and cons of fracking, and what

can be done to create potential solutions to the complex problem.

Based upon the perspectives of environmental architecture and business communication

what would be an effective approach to developing more environmentally sound fracking

operations which will have a positive impact on both the environment and the surrounding

communities, so that after the economic boom is over, the community maintains economic

gains and its natural environment?


STEP 2: Justify using an interdisciplinary Approach:

Different types of interdisciplinarity can be seen as representing different choices within

an overarching research process. (Repko, 69) All research problems reduced to their simplest

forms have 3 steps in common. These steps are as follows, reorganize the research needed, then

approach the problem using a research strategy and close with a solution or at least a tentative

solution. (Repko, 72) There are several different justifications for using an interdisciplinary

approach for the complex problem which involves seeking out an effective direction to go in

developing more environmentally sound fracking operations that have a positive impact on both

the environment and the surrounding communities, so that after the economic boom is over the

community still has the ability to have economic gains while maintaining a healthy ecosystem

around communities and frack sites.

One justification flows from the complexity of the question posed. (Tayler, 25) The

question cannot be solely based off of one discipline or mix and matched off of a few different

disciplines. The complexity of the question asked needs to have an interdisciplinary look into

integrating relevant disciplines together to synthesize possible solutions to the complexity of the

problem. Another justification to using an interdisciplinarity approach would be to solving the

complex problem with a long term solution that would take more than just a simple explanation

and plan of action. To create such a plan, more than one discipline will need to be approached

and thoroughly thought through to apply to the complexity of the problem. Lastly, it is an open-

ended question in the sense that it is potentially broad and can several different solutions can be

attained to better understand the complexity of the problem. “No single discipline has been able

to address the problem comprehensively or resolve it.” (Repko, 84) Thus, due to the complex


nature of the problem more than one discipline will be needed to research the problem and come

up with a set of integrated solutions using different disciplines to assess the complex problem.

STEP 3: Identify relevant disciplines

Several different disciplines can be used to study and understand the complex problem of

finding an effective approach in developing more environmentally sound fracking operations.

This will create a positive impact for the environment and the surrounding communities, so that

after the economic boom is over the community still has economic gains while maintaining a

healthy ecosystem around communities and frack sites. The potentially relevant disciplines that

could be used to further understand and narrow the topic of understanding are as follows:

advertising, communication studies, electronic media communications, economics, business,

business communication, architecture, engineering, environmental architecture, environmental

engineering, economics, family studies, healthy studies, environmental habitual understanding.

These are all potential relevant disciplines with perspectives that relate to the complexity of the

problem in some way. However, with there being too many different disciplines right now that

prove to be potential relevant it creates much ambiguity in solving a broad complex problem

such as this one.

To not have so much ambiguity in solving this complex problem, the potentially relevant

disciplines need to be dropped down to the most relevant disciplines that can be used to integrate

in creating a solution to solve this complex problem.

STEP 4: Conduct a literature search:

The disciplines that are involved in the complex problem are Environmental,

Architecture, and Business communication. These disciplines create a good background or


template to work off of when it comes to fracking on an engineering sense, and how the facilities

are built and designed to be as efficient as possible when it comes to fracking.

The discipline of Business Communication would relate in several ways to fracking, and

the communities it inhabits, because it is warped around the business understanding that

communication comes into play with working side by side in the community operations. It can

analyze both the lifestyle and business culture of the community. By helping one analyze what

exactly are the trends in day to day life as well as what business moves are being made both

short term and long term. This discipline can also help analyze what decisions are being made

within the community to effect both the economy and environment of the community. The other

spectrum of the business discipline can also focus on giving better understanding when it comes

to the actual fracking business. Again, it will let one analyze what exactly is going on in the

operations of these different outfits that are popping up in all these different communities. It will

help when attempting to take a look into how the fracking companies effected different

communities within the U.S., and how they both beneficial and create negativity for both the

environment and communities that they are in.

STEP 5: Develop Adequacy in Each Relevant discipline:

When it comes to talking about adequacy involving the disciplines with their perspectives

that are involved, you can pin point certain theories within environmental architecture. The

perspectives that you can take from that would involve seeking out the most efficient and green

ways to effectively work with all projects or site maps. This relates to the layouts and blue prints

of how fracking sites are set up and supposed to be operated. Environment architecture also

plays a relevant role in understanding the code and environmental rules that have so far been put


in place for companies to practice and use hydraulic fracturing. The theories that would be most

relevant in developing adequacy within this discipline would be Green Theory, Environmental

Architecture Theory, and Architecture Theory. This shows that environmental architecture as a

discipline has adequacy within the problem because it helps to see how the hydraulic fracturing

sites are affecting the environment around them.

Business communication is a broad discipline while environmental architecture is an

acute discipline and defined to a small area of architecture. To find adequacy in business

communication as a discipline, one must look at the theories and perspectives that are involved

in that discipline, in this case that being Business Communication. The Business

Communication discipline covers a broad spectrum of different theories and perspectives that

can show understanding for the problem at hand. Business perspectives relate to the

understanding of the hydraulic fracturing models of the company for the companies involved in

these boom towns. Business also allows one to analyze the business trends within these booms

towns and what direction they are headed. This is relevant to the problem at hand of

understanding how a community’s economy works around hydraulic fracturing, and whether or

not there is any viable other form of economy set up in these booms towns. The theories that are

used to determine adequacy within in the discipline in relating to the complex problem are,

Public Relations Theory, Communication Theory, Economic Theories, and business theories.

This shows that Business Communication as a discipline is relevant within the problem for

adequacy was shown when it comes to understanding the business models of both hydraulic

fracturing and community businesses and how one or the other could affect each other in the

short term or the long term.

STEP 6: Analyze the Problem and Evaluate Each Insight or Theory:


Business communication was chosen to analyze how the towns businesses operate around

the fracking business that surround said towns. Environmental architecture was chosen to better

understand how the frack sites effect the environment around the sites. It was also chosen to

research different methods that are efficient in cost and better the overall environment in the long

run. The below paragraphs look at some of the different articles of text researched to understand

and use the disciplines in creating a solution to solve or attempt to further the understanding of

the complex problem. The phenomena behinds some of these disciplines will be looked at in

these articles that are being researched. “Phenomena are enduring aspects of human existence

that are of interest to scholars and are susceptible to scholarly description and explanation.”

(Repko, 105)

In Autopoetic landscapes: the architectural implications of mining the Marcellus Shale

the thesis paper looks into the negative effects or interventions that hydraulic fracture puts on the

landscape, infrastructure, and technology that is around and/or supports the process. Over time,

we are able to see the effects of fracturing like looking a historic time line that you would see in

a history class. We can see all the different areas or disciplines that hydraulic fracturing has

made in impact in. It can range from a positive to negative effects depending on what the

discipline is and how it has a role in the process and surrounding sites of fracturing. This thesis

for talks mostly of failures that we see incur over time. And from these failures we learn a great

deal of information on how to improve for the future and how to better mine for our natural

minerals.

In North Dakota’s black gold; Williston a town in North Dakota is home to one of the

larger hydraulic fracturing zones or sites in the United States. The city is experiencing

tremendous growth due to the boom town ideology. This article directly touches on how to keep


a boom town prosperous and what challenges face a town that is in a state no one wants to live

in. The article talks about building a better infrastructure in the town which should help it

survive in the long run. It also talks about certain taxes put in place to fund different parts of the

city and the city's infrastructure. Changes are happening to the environment and the community

around the fracking boom.

Due to the push of hydraulic fracturing and other unconventional methods to pull oil and

gas out of the earth all across the globe, in the article titled: "Fracking" controversy and

communication: Using national survey data to understand public perceptions of hydraulic

fracturing; it has created a great deal of controversy and issues for the communities around

these sites. Through the use of different surveys and mathematical analysis this study is used to

understand the publics' opinions and views on the way these resources are mined and the impacts

that it has on them. For what they have gathered they have come to realize that a large

percentage of the public that they have surveyed aren't very educated on all of what takes place

in the process of hydraulic fracturing and how companies create their guidelines. This creates

greater confusion and controversy on whether or not the public should support it or not. This

puts much confusion on what the pros and cons are in the public eye. The surveys have noted

that the higher educated see more of the benefits of it while the vast majority only understand

what they see from TV or read in a biased article and don't know all the true pros and cons that

come from hydraulic fracturing. Documentation of the unhappiness of American citizens in

regard to the fracking boom. The public takes a more qualitative approach to discussing their

concern for the economic boom of hydraulic fracturing and the pros and cons that go both into

the environment as well as how it affects them from an economic stand point.


From the research gathered it seems that these hydraulic fracturing companies aren't too

worried about the public's opinion. Sure they bring in great resources for the United States but at

the cost of citizens satisfaction of life in certain areas. Often times people who are excited about

the business that the fracking industry are bringing to their town don't realize the long term

implications that are lurking around the corner if certain matters aren't addressed. Cities

experience tremendous growth due to boom town ideology. It is up the cities and the fracking

officials in those cities to work hand in hand to create a better overall community in those areas

so we don't see a fallout in the future, a prime example would be Midland, going from a

prosperous town in the past to complete crap and then back to prosperous again as, and only as

long as fracking stays there. A possible method to start using to build better infrastructure is to

levy certain taxes to be put into place to fund different parts of the city and the city's

infrastructure. The mathematical analysis that has taken place of the populations view on

fracking and what can done on their stand point to gain their trust and have better communication

between the people that are directly affected by this process. A large percentage of the public

that they have surveyed aren't very educated on all of what takes place in the process of

hydraulic fracturing and how companies create their guidelines. This puts much strain and

confusion on what the pros and cons are in the public eye. Overall a high percentage of the

public isn't happy with what fracking does, and only the educated few see benefits from it that

possibly out way all the negativity that circulates about fracking. People on both sides have to

better come together to create a better more sustainable life style on both sides of the token.

STEP 7: Identify Conflict between Insights and Their Sources:

There are conflicting issues between business and environmental architecture. The

reason there are these issues would be due to the fact that business is looking at things from a


good profit sense and the environmental understanding and architecture is look for the best ways

to design more things in an environmental safe structure for the environment. The major issues

you would be seeing are coming in issues of money and finances. Cost effectiveness vs.

environmental friendly equipment is an issue in what is considered efficient between

environmental architecture and business communication.

The technique that served to be the most helpful to use was the technique of extension for

both business understanding and environmental understanding. This allows for analysis of the

two disciplines through perspectives that can create a common ground for better understanding.

These different perspectives used when both dissecting business understanding and

environmental understanding allow for common comparisons to be made that can then tie each

discipline together for better understanding.

STEP 8: Create Common Ground:

“Interdisciplinary common ground is one or more concepts or assumptions through which

conflicting insights or theories can be largely reconciled and subsequently integrated, thus

enabling collaborative communication between disciplines.” (Repko, 322) Repko is explaining

through the steps already done that through us examining the common differences encountered

in researching different disciplines and lining up their meaning with the complex problem you

will come across conflicts between different understandings between disciplines. Common

ground must be created when concepts or theories conflict with one another in different

disciplines. To combat this and create a common ground between disciplines; modifying

concepts or theories can be done through their assumptions of the disciplines. (Repko, 323)


To create common ground between both environmental architecture and business

communication one must look at the concepts and theories between the two. They’re differences

need to be broken down and integrated to create a common ground in preparing for steps 9 and

10 to create solutions needed to apply to the complex problem. The conflict that is experienced

most in this interdisciplinary research is the concepts that revolve around the importance on the

movement of money and the different purposes it serves within each discipline. Common

ground can be create by integrating the concepts of money flow together from both disciplines in

creating a common goal for which profit, community lifestyle and the environment all work

together to create a common ground that can help these two disciplines together to create a few

solutions to the problem while still being cost effective, profitable and healthy for the

environment and betterment of the community.

STEP 9: Construct a more Comprehensive Understanding:

To tie together the research that has taken place there is new understanding about the

different disciplines of research. New insights are learned by integrating the disciplines together

by taking an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complex problem. Once, common

ground and integration has taken place amongst the steps for understanding the different

disciplines synthesis for potential solutions can take place. The different articles highlight some

of the cons that are involved with hydraulic fracturing.

From the articles, it is learned that failures of the system exploited include the

deregulation of the industry and the risk that such large scale toxic processes create (Winfield,

2013). This can be potentially bad for the environment surrounding communities that are located

next to frack sites. Environmental architecture understanding in these situations can help lead to


better decisions made by both the communities and fracking operators to prolong the life of the

environment that they surround. Over the long term hydraulic fracturing companies could

change some of their methods to more environmental friendly one's it would give them a better

image in the public's and make for better relations between these companies and the

communities that they operate from.

It is also learned that many boom economies can collapse very quickly because the

resources causing the boom can be limited. We learn part of this from reading Kuiper’s article

about North Dakota’s black gold which talks about trying to prevent a ghost town from occurring

in a town that would be desolate if not for the boom in hydraulic fracturing. Local businesses

within these communities need to plan ahead business wise and invest in the future to stay afloat

in a community that's main source of income is hydraulic fracturing. To do so small businesses

should do a better job of working alongside other business in the community in a competitive

manner. This can create other competitive markets within the community. This is would be a

long term goal to stabilize the economies within hydraulic fracturing communities.

STEP 10: Communicating Results:

From the research learned; it’s understood that if fracking communities had better

communication with the fracking companies contracted out in those communities there wouldn’t

be so many problems of concern. From there they can work together to find better solutions that

create a prosperous natural environment rather than taking away from the environment by their

drilling, extraction and waste methods. They would also need to find a long term solution to

creating sealed holding tanks and the disposal process of their chemicals when they are done.

The companies and small businesses that then operate in these communities need to come


together to decide on how to create a stable competitive economy not solely based around only

fracking but other things that are profitable within that region that the community is located.

Communities need to learn how to build other major sources of income and not have all of their

major economy based on fracking. This is a plan that won’t happen overnight, but seeing as

fracking in a lot of towns is still in the beginning stages of being there; now is a better time to

start. Otherwise, when the economic boom is over they will find themselves in a busted

economy, which is the exact problem that needs to be fixed. The long term goal would be for

communities to create long term plans that will revive the environment as well as the economy

and keep it stable throughout the fracking process that will take place. The long term plan

should be set up in a way that we create everlasting stability within these communities. To

further scholarly research one could look more closely into researching what different income

based economy ideas could fit within the different communities. By looking at different

potential business markets it could help in creating long term solutions because there would then

be evidence showing what other markets work in certain areas and which do not. Another

approach to take to this complex problem would be to incorporated community business solely

into the environment and see if a plausible economy could be creating for the community that

would involve taking care of the environment.


References:

Public express concerns over fracking in their communities. (2014). Engineer (Online Edition),

2.

Boudet, H., Bugden, D., Clarke, C., Maibach, E., Roser-Renouf, C., & Leiserowitz, A. (2014).

"Fracking" controversy and communication: Using national survey data to understand

public perceptions of hydraulic fracturing. Energy

Policy, 6557-67.doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2013.10.017

Kuiper, A. A. (2013). North Dakota’s black gold; preventing America’s newest boomtown from

becoming America’s next ghost town. Oil, Gas & Energy Quarterly, 62(2), 183

Autopoetic landscapes: the architectural implications of mining the Marcellus Shale. [serial

online]. 2013; Available from: OAlster lpswich, MA. Accessed September 27, 2014.

Tayler, M. R. (2012). Jewish marriage as an expression of Israel's conflicted identity. In Repko, A. F.

Newell, W. H. Szostak, R. (Eds.) Case Studies in Interdisciplinary Research. (pp. 23-51). Los

Angeles, CA: Sage.

Repko, A. F. (2012). Interdisciplinary Research: process and theory. (2nd Eds.) Los Angeles, CA:

Sage. ISBN: 978-1-4129-8877-3

Thesis Interdisciplinary Research involving Fracking

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