Energy Industry Exploring “Super Fracking” Technology

Even before environmental regulations are passed concerning the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) drilling in the exploration of natural gas and oil, those industries are developing ways of expanding the science.

Deeper wells and an expansion of the fracturing process which breaks apart underground rock formations to release natural gas and oil deposits is being dubbed “super fracking” and is already in the works for leading companies in the industry.

According to Bloomberg, the firm of Baker Hughes Inc. is investigating the feasibility of “super cracks.” This is essentially amplified fracking, as its becoming to be known now. Several other companies have already implemented another form of expanded fracking drilling.

Fracking uses water, sand, more than 600 chemicals and drill rushed through an underground well until it reaches shale and rock formations. The rock is blasted apart and the fossil fuels are collected and brought to the surface.

In “super fracking,” the wells are deeper “into dense rock to create wider channels in order to funnel more oil and gas,” according to the report. This process is already being implemented at test sites around the country.

Twenty other companies are also using another form of expanded drilling which also involves wider channels from which to extract natural gas and oil. The energy industries indicate production at these “super” wells is “significantly higher” than ordinary fracking.

Unfortunately, there are still too many questions surrounding the fracking process, specifically concerns about its impact on public health and natural resources. Millions of gallons of fresh water are used in short period of time at an active fracking well. There are thousands of ordinary fracking wells drilled nationwide and there has yet to be a proven safe method for disposing of or treating waste water from the fracking process.

Further, people living nearest fracking wells maintain they continue to suffer from myriad health ailments like breathing problems and skin irritation and most notably, local fracking drilling has caused their home water wells to become contaminated with methane gas and other contaminants. If “super fracking” is just an expansion of the already controversial process, then it may be safe to assume it’s just as or more dangerous.

Federal regulators have failed to pass much regulatory action regarding fracking drilling despite public outcry to hold drilling companies and the natural gas and oil industry accountable for the process and force them to disclose exactly how fracking is conducted and what chemicals are used. Industry-wide there appears to be collusion to not disclose some 60 of the most toxic agents used in the fracking process, hiding behind of a cloak of them being “trade secrets.”