Future of hydraulic fracturing depends on effective water treatment

摘要

The benefits of using hydraulic fracturing (HF) to stimulate gas and oil flow from both new and existing wells are obvious. However, the downside is that this technique consumes huge quantities (along the lines of millions of gallons per well) of often regionally scarce water. Opponents to HF also claim this process can contaminate drinking water supplies. The US Environmental Protection Agency recently initiated a new, science-based study to determine if the (HF) practice does indeed pose a risk to human health or the environment.