Fracking Vaca Muerta: Socio-Economic Implications of Shale Gas Extraction in Northern Patagonia.
Friday, March 4th
4:00-5:00pm (refreshments served at 3:50)
Science 147
Our speaker is Dr. Elvin Delgado, the Director of the Institute for Integrated Energy Studies, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, and Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty in the Cultural and Environmental Resource Management Program at Central Washington University. Dr. Delgado is a Fulbright scholar and his regional specialization is Latin America with over 13 years of research experience in Venezuela. He is the former Chair of the Energy and Environment Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers. Recently, Dr. Delgado has been appointed by Governor Inslee to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Joint Center for Deployment and Research in Earth Abundant Materials. He holds a Masters of Science in Geography and Planning from the University of Akron, Ohio and a Doctoral degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University, New York.
This presentation explores hydraulic fracturing activities in the Vaca Muerta Shale deposit in northern Patagonia from a critical perspective. Building on initial research conducted in the summer of 2015, this presentation examines the socio-environmental consequences associated with fracking activities in the province of Neuquén, Argentina and the political economic frameworks that shape the use of underground resources in the region. By analyzing the relationships between national strategies to meet the country’s energy demand, provincial government responses to adapt to these changes, and everyday lives of citizens in the rural community of Añelo, where the large majority of the infrastructure to support fracking activities is being developed, this study illuminates the myriad complexities inherent to issues of access to and control over shale deposits in a changing energy landscape.
The Natural Science Seminar Series is co-sponsored by the CWU Biological Sciences Department and the CWU College of the Sciences.
View the presentation here