COGA Fact Sheet: Hydraulic Fracturing
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is a process to extract oil and natural gas deposits from tight rock formations. A mixture of pressurized water, sand, and chemicals is pumped into the formation creating tiny fissures in targeted areas of the source rock. These tiny fissures allow oil and natural gas to escape and flow through piping up to the surface. First tried 70 years ago, hydraulic fracturing became widely used in the last two decades after horizontal drilling began to replace vertical drilling. The combination of horizontal drilling and fracturing allows more efficient recovery of resources with a much smaller environmental footprint than drilling multiple vertical wells. Over 95 percent of the wells in the U.S. are hydraulically fractured at some point during their lifetime.
Renewable energy sources require new infrastructure, expanded grid capacity, robust transmission methods, and either natural gas pairing or storage capabilities for when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow. While renewable energy can be economic, the upfront costs to construct these sources are not.
Currently, U.S. energy costs are 5 to 22 percent of a family’s total budget, with the poorest Americans, or 25 million households, paying the highest of that range. How price increases affect lower income Coloradans is one of many variables to consider when changes are made to Colorado’s energy portfolio.
Hydraulic Fracture Fluid
Hydraulic fracturing fluid, or “fracking fluid,” is 99.5 percent water and sand. The remaining percentage is made up of chemicals commonly found in everyday products, such as toothpaste, detergent, and even ice cream, that often can be purchased at your grocery store.
“It is no more toxic than substances commonly found in homes.”
University of Colorado researcher
Groundwater Protection
Hydraulic fracturing occurs thousands of feet below ground. Colorado was the first state to require disclosure of chemicals and their concentrations, and the first state to require groundwater testing before and after drilling. Additionally, Colorado requires that each well must be encased in multiple layers of industrial-grade steel casing, which is then surrounded by cement to create multiple layers of protection. At least 26 studies, including those from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), have found that the hydraulic fracturing process doesn’t contaminate groundwater.
Water Use
Relatively speaking, a very small amount of water is used during oil and natural gas development. Hydraulic fracturing uses 0.1 percent of Colorado’s total water use annually. Approximately 85 percent of the state’s water is used by Colorado’s important agriculture sector.
Much of the water used during the fracturing process is treated in waste water plants and is often recycled. While the recycled water will not be used for drinking water, it can be re-used for additional drilling projects.
Additional Resources & Information
Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) | www.cogcc.state.co.us
United States Geological Survey (USGS) | www.usgs.gov
U.S. Department of Energy | www.energy.gov
FracFocus | www.fracfocus.org
