Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a method of extracting natural gas and oil that uses liquids under extremely high pressure which are forced into underground formations to release hydrocarbons.
Unlike conventional drilling, horizontal (unconventional) fracking involves massive amounts of water- now averaging 11 million gallons for each frack – combined with sand and fracking fluid that contains a mix from over 500 chemicals. Known chemicals in fracking fluid contain carcinogens such as benzene and toluene, many endocrine disruptors and known chemicals like mercury and diesel. Even small amounts of these chemicals can contaminate water supplies. The fracking industry is under-regulated and does not have to disclose all of the chemicals used.
Heavy metals and radionuclides, especially radium and radon gas, are now known to be serious health risks as solid and liquid waste from shale wells is brought to the surface. See our section on our home page – ‘Radiation-The Fracking Nightmare’.
What Is Fracking – 3 minute video from HowStuffWorks
Shale Gas: The Technological Gamble That Should Not Have Been Taken by Anthony Ingraffea, PhD, P.E., Cornell University (12min. 46 sec.)
Click HERE to download a list of incidents from oil & gas production in the OH/WV/PA tri-state region since 2012 – last updated 6/12/2021