Hydraulic fracturing (fracing, frac job, or ‘fracking’ to the media) is a process used in 9 out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of fresh water, crystalline silica and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas.
Scientists are worried that the chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled and sometimes spilled on the surface. Read More: Hydraulic Fracturing 101
While ‘fracking’ has been used for over 60 years in the United States, the scale of the operations are vastly different. Click to see a comparison , it is much like the difference between riding a ‘bike’ with training wheels as compared to riding a ‘bike’ called a Harley!
The presentation below speaks to the following challenges with the new technology of horizontal hydrofracturing with citations:
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Fracture Propagation – Slide 17
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Well Leaks Resulting from Cementing Challenges on Horizontal Wells – Slide 16
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Low Average Estimated Recovery – Slide 15
People's Oil & Gas Collaborative- Ohio (POGCO) 