What is fracking?

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Fracking is a type of drilling that uses hydraulics to extract natural gas from the deep parts of the earth. Also referred to as hydraulic fracking, this technique involves forming additional passageways or fractures in the deeper layers of rock in order for natural gas to be extracted. The common process of vertical drilling is still being used and once the drill reaches about a mile underground, the hydraulic technique will cause the deep parts of the rock to fracture and create smaller openings horizontally. Through specially made tubes, a mixture of water, sand, and other chemicals are pumped into the drilled holes to create enough pressure and force the rocks to fracture and create the openings for natural gas to come out.

The technique of fracking using hydraulics is commonly done in areas with rocks that are full of shale. These types of rocks typically contain lots of quartz and other metals and also clay. With the extreme pressure provided by the water, sand, and chemical mixture, the soft clay parts of the rock or shale sites will then fracture and crack allowing the available natural gas to flow out into the surface. This process of natural gas extraction can take as long as a month to be completed but it has resulted to a great alternative way to extract natural gas from the Earth’s deepest layers. The drill site or well created through hydraulic fracking will then be coated by cement to ensure that ground water is not contaminated with the toxic chemicals that are part of this drilling system.

Aside from natural gas extraction, fracking is also done for various purposes. One such purpose is to stimulate wells that exist under the Earth. Some mining companies also resort to hydraulic fracking as a means of preconditioning the rocks for caving and drilling. Hydraulic fracking is also employed as a means of waste disposal through injection in between the cracks in the rocks.

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