Hydraulic fracturing has recently become a “hot topic” among energy companies and the green community, both domestically and globally. Hydraulic fracturing is a method of extracting fossil fuel. This is done by injecting fluid into the ground at high pressure to fracture the reservoir rocks and release the oil or gas inside. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is believed to have the potential to increase U.S. domestic energy production and change global energy markets. But some don't believe it's all it's cracked up to be. Environmental advocates warn that the potential dangers of the fracking process have not been fully assessed and may not be worth the risk. Others argue that fracking only brings economic and resource benefits. To understand and decide my view on fracking, I will examine the process, its history, and its pros and cons. To better understand hydraulic fracturing, I will look at the process in which it occurs. Energy companies previously drilled only for natural gas that flowed freely from gas wells. Today, easy-to-extract gas is not as abundant as before. Hydraulic fracturing is certainly not a new method, but its use is growing rapidly. Despite countless media reports, fracking is not a drilling process. Fracturing occurs after the drilled hole is completed. It takes 1 to 8 million gallons of water to complete each fracking job. Water is mixed with sand and chemicals to create fracking fluid. About 40,000 gallons of this fluid are used by fracking. Up to 600 chemicals are used in fracking fluids, including known carcinogens and toxins such as: lead, uranium, formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid. The fracturing fluid is then injected under pressure into the ground through the drilled pipeline. T...... middle of paper ......uring seems to abolish some of the concerns about fracking. According to numerous EPA studies, hydraulic fracturing does not contaminate water supplies. Therefore, reports of fire or water contamination could not be accurate. Fracking therefore does not present a danger to human health. There remains the concern of massive water consumption. I have not found enough information to prove that this concern is unfounded. I believe the benefits of fracking outweigh the massive water consumption. In fact, water is sometimes reused or reused. I believe the highly controversial debate over fracking may be the result of Gasland and the media. Fracking certainly has a long history, and while it may be difficult for challengers to accept, it is a story that allays concerns and demonstrates the strong economic and resource benefits..