"1) identify a shale formation and drill a mile-deep well into the rock; 2) inject a mix of water, sand, and chemicals, known as fracking fluid, into the well at high pressure to break down the shale rock to release trapped natural gas (usually methane); and 3) relieve the pressure so the natural gas can be collected along with the waste water that must be treated or carefully disposed of. Although the fracking fluid is over 99 percent water and sand, the remaining one percent of organic and inorganic chemicals is critical to improve the fluid's viscosity, reduce friction against the well and rid it of clogging bacteria, and act as a solvent to dissolve rock and remove natural gas more efficiently process in
"1) identify a shale formation and drill a mile-deep well into the rock; 2) inject a mix of water, sand, and chemicals, known as fracking fluid, into the well at high pressure to break down the shale rock to release trapped natural gas (usually methane); and 3) relieve the pressure so the natural gas can be collected along with the waste water that must be treated or carefully disposed of. Although the fracking fluid is over 99 percent water and sand, the remaining one percent of organic and inorganic chemicals is critical to improve the fluid's viscosity, reduce friction against the well and rid it of clogging bacteria, and act as a solvent to dissolve rock and remove natural gas more efficiently process in