Also known as fracking or fracing. A process in which fluid consisting mainly of water, chemicals, and sand is pumped into a well at high pressures. This process widens or creates fractures in rock formations, allowing for the extraction of oil and natural gas.

Fracing has unlocked oil and natural gas deposits in deep shale formations around the US. According to the Energy Information Administration, a majority of oil and gas wells have undergone some form and level of fracing during their productive lifetime. Because of fracing and other technologies such as horizontal drilling, the US has vastly increased its natural gas production. For more information on the role of fracing in US oil & gas production, see Practice Note, US Oil & Gas Industry: Overview.

The extensive use of fracing in recent years (especially in jurisdictions unfamiliar with oil and gas drilling) has raised several concerns among environmentalists, politicians, and other affected stakeholders. These concerns include:

For more information on fracing, the issues it raises and the regulations to which it is subject, see Article, Understanding Hydraulic Fracturing: Issues, Challenges, and Regulatory Regime.