Hydraulic Fracturing Science (Invited Presentation)

High volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) combined with directional drilling has revolutionized oil and gas production in the U.S. and Canada, especially over the last decade. These technologies, although unfamiliar to most people, are sometimes applied at an industrial scale in new areas of petroleum development. New assessments of continuous (unconventional) oil and gas show substantial increases in undiscovered resources in the U.S. and the application of this new technology has allowed for economically extracting these resources. Potential issues associated with oil and gas production by fracking and directional drilling include risks of impacts to water quality, water availability, air quality, ecology, and induced seismicity. Many of these risks can be eliminated or mitigated by established practices.