Hydraulic fracturing is a process that typically involves injecting water, sand, and

chemicals into a bedrock formation through a well. This process creates new
fractures in the rock and also increases the size of existing fractures in order to
extract trapped oil and gas from shale bedrocks.
This technique is used commonly in low-permeability rocks like tight sandstone,
shale, and some coal beds to increase oil and/or gas flow to a well from rock
formations. This Shale reservoirs are normally well below any source of drinking
water, one mile or more below the surface.
The process starts with the drilling of the surface, and after reaching the desired
depth, steel pipes, called surface casing, replaces the drilling pipe and then
cemented into place. This casings protect protect fresh water aquifers.
In order to obtain hydrocarbons in a shale formation, drilling must be done
horizontally. After vertical drilling reaches certain depth, called the kickoff point, the
wellbore starts curving and become horizontal, which allows the opportunity to drill
several wells frome one drilling pad, which minimizes the impact to the environment.
After drilling and the installation of the casing, the completion process of the well
starts with the connection between the final casing and the reservoir rock. A
specialized tool called a perforating gun equipped with shaped explosive charges is
lowered down to the rock layer. Firing this tool creates holes through the casing,
cement and the target rock and connects the reservoi and the wellbore. Then the
hydraulic fracturing process starts.
This process consists in poumping a mixture of 99% water and sand, plus a few
chemicals that prevent formation of bacteria and for lubrication. The fluid is pumped
in to the wekllbore and out through the perforations. This creates fractures in the
reservoir rock to help the flow back to the wellbore. The chemicals and sand remains
in the fractures, which also helps in the flow back to the wellbore. The process is
repeated along the entire horizontal section of the well. Then, once the stimulation is
complete, isolation plugs are drilled out and the production process begins.
The complete process of developing a welll takes from three to five months.This
investment can result in a well that will produce oil or natural gas for twenty to forty
years, or more. After resources are recoverd from the reservoir, the process of
returning the land to the way it is starts. Wells are filled with cement and pipes cut off
three to six feet below ground level, all surface equipment are removed and all
poads are replanted so that the land can be used again for other activities with
almost no sign of a well being there.