Fracking is a commonly accepted term for hydro-fracturing, a process where water, sand and chemicals are injected into the earth at high pressure. The aim of hydro-fracturing is to fracture rock formations deep underground in the hopes of liberating natural gas that would be otherwise inaccessible, and to bring it to the surface.
The fracking process is radically different from traditional gas extraction. In many rock formations, the gas doesn’t reside in easily-accessible reservoirs, but instead, lies trapped within small fissures in the rock layer. When they reach the layer the drilling then continues on a horizontal trajectory along the seam. To free the gas, vast amounts of water (including various chemicals) are injected deep underground at extremely high pressure, thereby fracturing the rock (hence the term “fracking”) and allowing the gas to escape. Sand injected along with the water helps to prop open the newly-created fissures and the gas can then rise to the surface through the fracking fluid.
The process is prone to human error, hazards and deliberate violations of Regulations.
