Changes

Industry, governments, regulatory bodies and many advocacy groups understand that hydraulic fracturing operations can be done safely and effectively.  All of society benefits when they are.

Industry, governments, regulatory bodies and many advocacy groups understand that hydraulic fracturing operations can be done safely and effectively.  All of society benefits when they are.

==The Evolution of Hydraulic Fracturing in the United States==

==The evolution of hydraulic fracturing in the United States==

Although public discussion and awareness of hydraulic fracturing processes have become widespread in the past several years, the technique has been used for decades. Improvements in technology and implementation practices have helped it to become an essential process for the development of unconventional resources, such as shale gas and shale oil, which continue to transform U.S. energy production. Hydraulic fracturing has been cited as a key technology that has now made the U.S. the world’s largest global oil producer.  

Although public discussion and awareness of hydraulic fracturing processes have become widespread in the past several years, the technique has been used for decades. Improvements in technology and implementation practices have helped it to become an essential process for the development of unconventional resources, such as shale gas and shale oil, which continue to transform U.S. energy production. Hydraulic fracturing has been cited as a key technology that has now made the U.S. the world’s largest global oil producer.  

In the 1980s operators began applying massive hydraulic fracturing techniques to horizontal wells, most notably in the Austin Chalk Formation of Texas. The technique proved to be highly effective, and since then has been applied successfully for recovery of both oil and gas from shale reservoirs, which would otherwise produce small, uneconomic volumes. This advancement has significantly increased the available global volume of fossil fuel resources.

In the 1980s operators began applying massive hydraulic fracturing techniques to horizontal wells, most notably in the Austin Chalk Formation of Texas. The technique proved to be highly effective, and since then has been applied successfully for recovery of both oil and gas from shale reservoirs, which would otherwise produce small, uneconomic volumes. This advancement has significantly increased the available global volume of fossil fuel resources.

==Hydraulic Fracturing – How It Works==

==Hydraulic fracturing – How it works==

The concept behind hydraulic fracturing is simple and straightforward: Natural cracks and fractures in brittle rocks that generally are tightly closed by the force of the weight and pressure of overlying rocks – but by pumping water into these closed fractures you can force them to temporarily open (and even generate new cracks), which provides a pathway for oil and gas to flow from the rock to the well.

The concept behind hydraulic fracturing is simple and straightforward: Natural cracks and fractures in brittle rocks that generally are tightly closed by the force of the weight and pressure of overlying rocks – but by pumping water into these closed fractures you can force them to temporarily open (and even generate new cracks), which provides a pathway for oil and gas to flow from the rock to the well.

The horizontal part of the well is stimulated in multiple sections. The stimulation of each section takes a few hours and the entire hydraulic fracturing operation will be spread over two to five days.

The horizontal part of the well is stimulated in multiple sections. The stimulation of each section takes a few hours and the entire hydraulic fracturing operation will be spread over two to five days.

==A Matter of Control==

==A matter of control==

Before a well can be stimulated several concentric columns of pipe are cemented in the wellbore. These serve to isolate the oil and natural gas producing formation from any aquifers and often shallower oil and gas zones.  

Before a well can be stimulated several concentric columns of pipe are cemented in the wellbore. These serve to isolate the oil and natural gas producing formation from any aquifers and often shallower oil and gas zones.  

These monitoring programs show that the hydraulically formed fractures are located far from aquifers.  

These monitoring programs show that the hydraulically formed fractures are located far from aquifers.  

==Lessons Learned==

==Lessons learned==

Exploration successes tied directly to the use of hydraulic fracturing caused a significant uptick in U.S. exploration, including in areas where hydraulic stimulation was not commonly known or well understood by all operators or regulators.

Exploration successes tied directly to the use of hydraulic fracturing caused a significant uptick in U.S. exploration, including in areas where hydraulic stimulation was not commonly known or well understood by all operators or regulators.

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([[figure/table here]])

==Safeguards and Mitigating Risks==

==Safeguards and mitigating risks==

As previously discussed, hydraulic fractures follow the weaker horizontal stress direction in the rock, making it physically impossible to generate fractures at depths of 3,000 feet or more that can vertically reach shallow aquifers. However it is true that some type of pre-existing open conduit – such as an old unplugged and abandoned oil well – could convey fracture fluids into these zones.

As previously discussed, hydraulic fractures follow the weaker horizontal stress direction in the rock, making it physically impossible to generate fractures at depths of 3,000 feet or more that can vertically reach shallow aquifers. However it is true that some type of pre-existing open conduit – such as an old unplugged and abandoned oil well – could convey fracture fluids into these zones.

Research is ongoing by state and federal agencies on how to correct and mitigate these issues, and in some cases injection has been terminated.  

Research is ongoing by state and federal agencies on how to correct and mitigate these issues, and in some cases injection has been terminated.  

==The Future of Hydraulic Fracturing And Energy Production==

==The future of hydraulic fracturing and energy production==

Hydraulic fracturing has helped to more than double U.S. oil production from 2008 to 2015. Over the same period U.S. natural gas production has increased almost 30 percent.

Hydraulic fracturing has helped to more than double U.S. oil production from 2008 to 2015. Over the same period U.S. natural gas production has increased almost 30 percent.