Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing, is a well stimulation technique that involves the fracturing of formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the high-pressure injection of "fracking fluid" into a wellbore to create cracks in the deep-rock formations through which natural gas, petroleum, and brine will flow more freely. The fracking fluid is primarily water, containing sand or other proppants suspended with the aid of thickening agents. The sand in the fracking fluid prevents the cracks from closing up, and the chemicals do jobs such as killing bacteria.

Fracking is used to enable the extraction of natural gas or oil from shale and other forms of “tight” rock. Large quantities of water, chemicals, and sand are blasted into these formations at pressures high enough to crack the rock, allowing the once-trapped gas and oil to flow to the surface. Fracking, like other oil and gas operations, involves intense industrial development. Well pads, access roads, pipelines, and utility corridors are typically accompanied by intense, round-the-clock noise, lights, and truck traffic.

Fracking has been used for decades, but more recently, it has been used to specifically refer to the hydraulic fracturing of rock. Although fracking may support short-term transition to renewable energy, it does not address the longer-term issue of global warming. There are concerns around the environmental and health effects of fracking for hydrocarbons. One of the main issues is the contamination of underground water sources, as the drilled shafts could pass through wells or the gas could penetrate them. Other issues around fracking are the vast volumes of water necessary and the process causing small earth tremors.

In summary, fracking is a well stimulation technique that involves the fracturing of formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. It is used to enable the extraction of natural gas or oil from shale and other forms of “tight” rock. Although fracking has been used for decades, there are concerns around the environmental and health effects of fracking for hydrocarbons.