By Sarah Barnes


Hydraulic fracturing is a technique in well stimulation which the rock is fractured with a pressurized liquid. The procedure involves high pressured injection of a fracking fluid in to a wellbore for creating cracks in deep rock formations in where brine, natural gas, and petroleum will freely flow more. When the pressure is removed, the fractures are held open by the small grains of proppants.

Groundwater is used usually for fracking fluid that is normally a problem because they could be used for drinking instead which is becoming a scarce source. That is why researchers, scientists, and engineers are developing a replacement with seawater frac. This will enable them in having more resources available that are usable for the needs they have instead of relying only with their current source.

Hydraulic fracturing has been around for more than seventy years now and millions of wells were fracked worldwide. Operators must obtain permits approved by regulators before they could drill wells which relates to well design, spacing, abandonment, location and operation. Environmental permits are also needed such as water and waste management and disposal.

Fracking occurs after that well has been completely constructed and they confirmed its integrity but not during the drilling process. Among the most crucial objectives is protecting and isolating groundwater zones by creating and designing wells that has barriers of cement and steel casing. When thrilling through the zones, freshwater or air based fluids are used for preventing contamination.

They will not impact aquifers if performed safely and properly and the created fractures will not extend to them. These fractures were measured for determining their reach that shows their highest points still are far away from deepest aquifers. Some recent studies did not also find substantiated connection between fraccing and groundwater contamination.

Fracking fluid is usually composed of water, sand and chemical additives which depends on the well it would be used on. These elements that comprised it are found on consumer products such as table salt substitutes, deodorant, household cleaners, cosmetics, ice cream and toothpaste. When handled properly and appropriately used, the chemicals are safe.

These fluids are made specifically for the needs of each environment and factors like temperature, pressure, reservoir fluid composition, permeability, rock strength and mineralogy are addressed. Some companies would disclose what chemical ingredients they use to inform the public about it. This also protect the proprietary industry information and others even participate in national registry for chemical disclosure.

Significant quantity of water is needed for fracking operations like other manufacturing process meant for everyday food, services and products needed. This can be acquired from municipal suppliers, groundwater, treated wastewater and other available sources. Operators are encouraged usually to use not suitable ones for agriculture and human consumption when possible.

This procedure rarely triggers seismic events that you could feel in the surface of earth because of how deep they are done. They usually release energy which would be equivalent to magnitude minus two on Richter scale and cannot be detected on surface. For comparison, magnitude plus three feels similar to when an eighteen wheeler truck passes by and the earth rumbles.




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