Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” is the injection of fluids under high pressure to crack or fracture the rock to allow oil and gas to flow into the wellbore. The natural gas or oil can then flow to the surface under controlled conditions through the wellhead and be collected for processing and distribution.

During the hydraulic fracturing process, a mixture of water, sand, and other chemical additives designed to protect the integrity of the wellbore and enhance production is pumped under high pressure into the formation to create fractures. The fractures are kept open by sand or “proppant,” which provides pathways to allow natural gas to flow into the wellbore.

Fracture fluids used by the industry contain many of the same additives found in water treatment facilities or common household products, such as toothpaste and detergents. The industry is moving to greener fracture fluid alternatives.