Hydraulic fracturing is not a new technology. It was first used in the United States in 1947 and since then over 1 million wells have been hydraulically fracked worldwide. Over the past 60 years, it has been used by energy COMPANIES to release the natural gas and oil trapped in ROCK formations, but also to stimulate the flow of water from water wells and to bring geothermal (renewable energy) wells into commercial viability. Today, nearly 9 out of 10 onshore natural gas and oil wells require hydraulic fracturing to become, or to remain, viable.

What is new, however, is the USE of horizontal drilling drilling developed in the 1990s which allows hydraulic fracturing to become commercially viable. In horizontal drilling, several wellheads can be placed at a SINGLE well site to access more gas reserves from a single well, reducing the impact at ground level.

Hydraulic fracturing is not a new technology. It was first used in the United States in 1947 and since then over 1 million wells have been hydraulically fracked worldwide. Over the past 60 years, it has been used by energy companies to release the natural gas and oil trapped in rock formations, but also to stimulate the flow of water from water wells and to bring geothermal (renewable energy) wells into commercial viability. Today, nearly 9 out of 10 onshore natural gas and oil wells require hydraulic fracturing to become, or to remain, viable.

What is new, however, is the use of horizontal drilling drilling developed in the 1990s which allows hydraulic fracturing to become commercially viable. In horizontal drilling, several wellheads can be placed at a single well site to access more gas reserves from a single well, reducing the impact at ground level.