What is it?
Commonly known as Fracking, Hydraulic Fracturing is a process used to extract petroleum (oil) and natural gas that is trapped in rock formations (typically shale) deep underground. The process of fracturing (horizontal and vertical drilling) has been used to extract resources since the late1800s. Hydraulic Fracturing (a combination of the two drilling methods) wasn't used until the 1940s. Even though this effective form of drilling has been used since the 1940's, full development of the process didn't really begin until the 1980's.
Hydraulic Fracturing uses combination of vertical and horizontal drilling to carry out the actual process. A vertical well is drilled down into the ground (sometimes at depths of several thousand feet) until shale is reached and then horizontal drilling is used to dill along the shale formation. Hydraulic Fracturing with horizontal drilling is a fairly new process. This particular process increases the productivity of wells and stimulates older gas and oil wells.
The Hydraulic Fracturing process is done by means of pressure. This is done in a wellbore (the drilled hole mentioned previously) that leads into a natural gas or oil reservoir. The actual Hydraulic Fracturing begins with cleaning the wellbore. This flushes the well with water and various mixtures of acid additives. Then fracturing fluid (water, sand, and some other chemical additives) is injected into the well at very high pressures. The water carries the sand down the well, and the intense pressure cracks the shale formation. The sand (acting as the proppant) holds the cracks open and allows the flow of natural gas and oil through the well. The wellbore is then unplugged and the resources are pumped out of the well, along with waste water and other chemicals used in the process. To be collected, the resources are then put into truck tanks. The waste fluids are disposed of (this is most commonly done in evaporating pits).
There are several extra things that need to be done in order to carry out the Hydraulic Fracturing process. Along with the well, trucks, rigs, tanks, water, sand and chemicals, other less practical things are needed to carry out the extraction. These include things such as new roads to give access to the working area, ponds to contain flowback, evaporating pits, and the actual large site itself.
Hydraulic Fracturing uses combination of vertical and horizontal drilling to carry out the actual process. A vertical well is drilled down into the ground (sometimes at depths of several thousand feet) until shale is reached and then horizontal drilling is used to dill along the shale formation. Hydraulic Fracturing with horizontal drilling is a fairly new process. This particular process increases the productivity of wells and stimulates older gas and oil wells.
The Hydraulic Fracturing process is done by means of pressure. This is done in a wellbore (the drilled hole mentioned previously) that leads into a natural gas or oil reservoir. The actual Hydraulic Fracturing begins with cleaning the wellbore. This flushes the well with water and various mixtures of acid additives. Then fracturing fluid (water, sand, and some other chemical additives) is injected into the well at very high pressures. The water carries the sand down the well, and the intense pressure cracks the shale formation. The sand (acting as the proppant) holds the cracks open and allows the flow of natural gas and oil through the well. The wellbore is then unplugged and the resources are pumped out of the well, along with waste water and other chemicals used in the process. To be collected, the resources are then put into truck tanks. The waste fluids are disposed of (this is most commonly done in evaporating pits).
There are several extra things that need to be done in order to carry out the Hydraulic Fracturing process. Along with the well, trucks, rigs, tanks, water, sand and chemicals, other less practical things are needed to carry out the extraction. These include things such as new roads to give access to the working area, ponds to contain flowback, evaporating pits, and the actual large site itself.