Shale Gas and Oil Terminology Explained: Technology, Inputs & Operations

The document provides a technical overview of shale gas and oil extraction, focusing on hydraulic fracturing (fracking). It details drilling methods such as vertical, horizontal, and rotary drilling, and explains the composition of fracking fluids, including the use of water, surfactants, and biocides. Additionally, it describes wellbore casing for aquifer protection and the processes of venting and flaring of natural gas.

• Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the primary method for retrieving oil and gas from shale, involving the injection of fluid to create rock fissures. Horizontal drilling allows wells to extend up to two miles along a shale deposit, enabling 'high volume hydraulic fracturing' (or 'slick-water hydraulic fracturing'), which uses 70 to 300 times more fluid than previous methods and relies more on friction-reducing chemicals than gelling agents.
• Fracking fluids consist mostly of water, with less than one percent being other chemicals such as surfactants (the largest chemical component by weight), gelling agents (e.g., guar gum and xantham gum), propants (sandy materials), and biocides to kill bacteria. Diesel may be used instead of water to carry more guar concentrate, and hydrochloric acid is often pumped into formations during 'acidizing' to open fractures.
• Wellbore casings, made of cement and steel, are used to support the well and protect aquifers from migrating fluids. The space between the rock and the steel pipe, called the anulus, is typically filled with cement, and the integrity of this casing is a primary point of public safety concern.
• Natural gas that is not economically beneficial to capture is either vented (released into the atmosphere) or flared (burned). Venting can release methane, benzene, toluene, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Flaring is used for safety because methane is a potent greenhouse gas and flammable, and it can convert hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) into sulfur dioxide (SO2), though the latter can contribute to acid rain.

APA

Glass, K. (n.d.). Shale Gas and Oil Terminology Explained: Technology, Inputs & Operations. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/files/fracking_technology_120111.pdf

Chicago

Glass, Kate. Shale Gas and Oil Terminology Explained: Technology, Inputs & Operations. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, n.d. https://www.eesi.org/files/fracking_technology_120111.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Glass |first1=Kate |title=Shale Gas and Oil Terminology Explained: Technology, Inputs & Operations |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/fracking_technology_120111.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{glassndshale, author = {Glass, Kate}, title = {{Shale Gas and Oil Terminology Explained: Technology, Inputs \& Operations}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/fracking_technology_120111.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }