1. Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
The process of creating fractures in rocks
First industrial usage in 1903 to separate granite blocks from bedrock
Oil and gas industry use fracking at a wellbore drilled into reservoir rock
Oil and Gas Fracking
The stimulation of oil and natural gas wells was first used in U.S. in 1947
Industry use of oil and gas fracking started in 1949
90% of natural gas production wells in U.S. may use fracking
Fracking regulations
Energy Policy Act of 2005 exempted wells which are hydraulic fractured from being re-classified as injection wells under Safe Drinking Act
FRAC Act of 2009 referred to the Committee on Environment and Public works 
NPDES permit for 23 existing offshore platforms and future drilling operations in specific lease blocks on the Pacific Outer Continental shelf (March 1, 2014)

2. Hydraulic Fracturing
Once the drilling rig leaves, hydraulic fracturing can begin
Hydraulic fracturing was first used by the natural gas and oil industry in the 1940s
Since its first uses, fracing has developed into a highly engineered and advanced technology that allows for the safe and economic removal of natural gas and oil from deep shale formations

3. Typical Hydraulic Fracturing Site Layout

4. Scenario Modeling
Modeling is a key component of optimizing the treatment program by minimizing the quantity of fluids and additives required for an economically successful well
Identify optimum treatment type based on knowledge of geological conditions
Fluid type selected on the basis of most effective fracture creation and controlled proppant (e.g. sand) transport
Fracture fluid additives incorporated to provide increased viscosity, control corrosion, reduce friction, control bacteria, etc.
Minimizing fluid quantities will typically reduce the volume of produced water that will need to be managed

5. Staged Hydraulic Fracturing
Hydraulic Fracturing of horizontal wells typically occurs in stages
Each stage consists of isolating a specific length of the horizontal lateral and can vary depending on total length of lateral and specific characteristics of the Shale at a particular site or location
Each interval would typically have 4 clusters of perforations with each cluster being 2 feet in length and having 6 perforations per foot (12 perforations total for each 2 ft cluster)
Individual intervals are isolated for each stage of the fractures by a packer or bridge plug

6. Typical Fracturing Products
Products are rarely all used in one shale play
Other: ~2% Acid Anti-bacterial Agent Breaker Clay Stabilizer Corrosion Inhibitor Crosslinker Friction Reducer Gelling Agent Iron Control pH Adjusting Agent Scale Inhibitor Surfactant
Water and Sand:
~98%
For more information, visit HydraulicFracturing.com and FracFocus.org or see our fact sheet on Hydraulic Fracturing

7. Chemical Management Disclosure of chemical additives
Oil and Gas Companies are actively participating in a national publicly accessible web-based registry developed by the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and supplying data on all of it’s new wells being drilled. For details visit:
Surface management of chemicals
Chemicals received follow Department of Transportation (DOT) shipping guidelines with material safety data sheets (MSDS)
Employees and emergency responders have access to the MSDS so they can work and respond appropriately
This system with industry BPMs and appropriate site construction, minimize potential impacts

8. Fluid Migration
Several factors keep fluids out of drinking water aquifers
Casing and cementing
Frac design and physics
Imbibition into face of fractures
Volume of water and horse power necessary to force fluids to surface through multiple layers of both permeable and impermeable formations
Lack of energy once hydraulic fracturing job is over
Low pressure zone around wellbore

10. Fracking Diagram

11. Fracking Diagram