Hydraulic Fracking

HYDRAULIC FRACKING Fracking is a chemical process used to extract natural gas from shale rocks beneath the surface of the earth. During this process, water and chemicals are forcefully injected through a drill to break up the shale and release natural gas. WATER + C SAND FRACKING FLUID CHEMICALS Water is mixed with sand and around 600 chemicals to create the fracking fluid to be drilled into the earth. Gas Waste fluids that are collected sit in open air pits and evaporate into the atmosphere. This possibly contaminated groundwater is then used for drinking water in nearby towns. Toxic chemicals and methane gas leach out from the well and begin to contaminate nearby groundwater. After drilling a pipeline a mile or so beneath the ground, the fracking fluid is pressure injected through the pipe to reach the shale. At the end of the well, the fluid's high pressure causes the shale rock to crack. These cracks allow a pathway for the natural gas to be released from the shale and enter the well.