10/15/21, 10:11 AM
How Hydraulic Fracturing Works | Yvonne Scherz | Technology
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How Hydraulic Fracturing Works by Yvonne Scherz | Oct 4, 2021 | Technology, Yvonne Scherz
Hydraulic fracturing is a process that has been used to extract natural gas and oil for over six decades. The process involves drilling down into the earth, then using water, sand, and other materials at high pressure to fracture shale formations deep underground. This allows natural gas or oil to flow out of rock pores in the formation previously trapped. Hydraulic fracturing has enabled us to tap into resources that were once too difficult or expensive to reach with traditional suitable drilling technologies. Specific resources extracted via fracking are called “tight oil” or “tight gas” due to their tight confinement within hard shale rock formations– making them difficult to extract. Because of the difficulties involved in extracting these resources, hydraulic fracturing has become a popular alternative for many petroleum companies worldwide. The process employs two primary methods: “vertical fracking” and “horizontal fracking.” In vertical fracking, well drillers create microfractures along horizontal planes throughout shale rock formations deep underground using a high-pressure injection of water or other https://yvonnescherz.net/how-hydraulic-fracturing-works/
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