Fracking Frequently Asked Questions

What is fracking?
Fracking is shorthand for hydraulic fracturing, a process used to increase the output from water,
oil, and gas wells. Fracking has been used safely since 1947 on over a million U.S. wells.
Fracking is now being used with horizontal, or directional, drilling in the U.S. to begin tapping
vast reserves of gas and oil trapped in shale deposits found in many states. It is projected these
reserves will last over 100 years. Other shale deposits are found worldwide.
Shale wells are typically 5,000-10,000 feet deep with multiple layers of steel and concrete
casings. Thousands of feet of un-penetrable rock separates the shale deposits from aquifers.
During fracking, fracking uid is pumped at very high pressure into newly drilled wells. This
causes fractures in the rock around the wells freeing oil and gas for recovery. When fracking is
completed, much of the fracking uid is forced back to the surface for reclamation and reuse.
Fracking uid is generally composed of a blend of about 90% water, 9.5% sand, with the
remaining 0.5% containing between 6 and 12 chemicals to enhance oil and gas recovery. That is
about 6/10 of one uid ounce of chemicals per gallon of fracking uid.
What are the chemicals used in fracking uids?
Chemicals are the basic building blocks of everything, including our food, our clothing, the air we
breath, and even the water we drink. There is nothing inherently scary about chemicals!
Many chemicals used in fracking uids are commonly used in household products
1
. Chemicals
are only dangerous when mishandled or misused. For example, water is a chemical one can
drown in, and even die from by drinking too much.
About half of all chemicals are carcinogenic, or cancer-causing. Its determined by feeding rats or
mice massive doses over their lifetime and seeing if cancers develop. However, lower doses in
humans generally present no danger of cancer. Even cabbage contains many cancer-causing
chemicals. At their low doses, cabbage is perfectly safe to eat. Fracking chemicals SHOULD NOT
be feared for simply being chemicals.
What is the status of fracking in North Carolina?
In 2011, the N.C. legislature directed the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) to study allowing fracking and horizontal drilling in N.C.
DENR took nearly a year for over 40 authors to write a 504 page report titled North Carolina Oil
and Gas Study exploring all aspects of fracking and horizontal drilling.
Section 9 - Recommendations and limitations the report states After reviewing other studies
and experiences in oil and gas producing states, DENR has concluded that information available
to date suggests that production of natural gas by means of hydraulic fracturing can be done
safely as long as the right protections are in place.
The North Carolina Legislature took over four years before passing Senate Bill 786 allowing the
issuance of drilling and fracking permits starting in 2015. N.C. will have regulations in place to
assure the health and safety of its citizens, and protect the environment.
Who opposes fracking?
Fracking had been done safely since 1947, without any publicly reported concerns raised about
its impact on human safety or the environment. About three years ago, primarily environmental
groups and left-wing politicians worldwide suddenly began well-funded campaigns to stop all
fracking. Behind the scenes it is suspected Middle East oil producing countries, and Russia, a
major supplier of oil and natural gas to world markets, are also participating in the anti-fracking
campaigns.
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Fracking Frequently Asked Questions
Why is fracking being opposed?
Fracking opponents base motives are unrelated to their publicity campaigns focused on human
safety and environmental concerns. Fracking and horizontal drilling in the U.S. have uncovered
massive supplies of shale oil and gas. Fracking has made natural gas much more economical and
reliable compared to the environmentalists favorite green energy sources - solar, wind, and
biomass. Fracking could doom expensive and unreliable green energy if fracking cant be
stopped worldwide.
What are the main anti-fracking claims?
Environmentalists and left-wing politicians have unleashed publicity campaigns against fracking
using disinformation and scare tactics to attempt to shutdown fracking worldwide. Fracking
opponents have had few successes worldwide stopping fracking. Here are some of the main anti-
fracking claims along with responses to each.


What are the economic benets of fracking?
Development of shale gas and oil has moved the U.S. to #1 worldwide in oil and gas production,
past Russia and Saudi Arabia. It has signicantly improved U.S. energy independence.
Shale gas and oil are one of the few bright spots in the U.S. economy, accounting for 600,000
jobs, and hundreds of billions added to GDP. Fracking is critical for a strong economy.
As the 50% of electricity generated from coal is eliminated by the EPA, natural gas is currently the
only economical and reliable alternative. Environmentalists have already essentially shut down
adding nuclear power plants in the U.S., and Green energy simply cannot compete on price,
quantity, and availability against abundant shale natural gas.

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Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources EPA, December 2012
Anti-fracking Claims Response to Anti-fracking Claims
Fracking is unregulated.
Fracking has been highly regulated by states since 1947. These
regulations meet or exceed EPA regulations.
Fracking pollutes water
resources.
EPA is unaware of a single documented case of water pollution
caused by fracking
factual basis. Fracked wells contain multiple layers of steel and
concrete between the well and aquifers. There are thousands of feet
of un-penetrable rock between aquifers and the shale zone.
Fracking uses unknown
chemical cocktails.
Chemicals represent about 0.5% of fracking uid. Many are used in
household products. Regulators know and approve the chemicals
used in fracking.
The N.C. legislature fast-
tracked fracking.
The N.C. legislature studied fracking for four years. Fracking has
been done safely in many other states since 1947, under heavy
state regulation. Four years is long enough to compare notes!
Fracking causes earthquakes.
There is no scientic evidence that fracking causes earthquakes.
Studies of earthquakes potentially caused by disposal of fracking
uids injected into deep waste wells are underway.
Fracking damages the
landscape.
After wells are completed the area is restored. The well head(s) and
gas separation equipment is easily screened from view.
Page of 2 2 FreedomWorks, Franklin, NC July 28, 2014