FAQ » Study Fracking

FAQ » Study Fracking

• How many wells have been fracked?

  Wells have been fracked over 1.2 million times in the United States, dating back more than 60 years. (Source: Independent Petroleum Association of America)
  

• How deep does fracking go?

  Fracking occurs between 1 and 2 miles underground, thousands of feet below Colorado’s drinking water tables. (Source: Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission)
  

• What types of people are involved in the process?

  Engineers, wildlife biologists, geologists and environmental experts are part of the process before a well is ever fracked.
  

• Does fracking cause earthquakes?

  The short answer is no. Scientists and regulators have studied fracking for decades and concluded the technology’s earthquake potential is extremely low. (Source:Denver Post- Seismologist: Fracking doesn’t cause earthquakes, Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies, 2012; National Research Council)
  

• Are they going to frack all over the Rockies?

  A comprehensive and highly regulated permitting process exists to determine when and where oil and natural gas activity may take place.
  Fracking takes place underground and minimizes the impact to the land and our overall footprint. That means less above ground drilling and more beautiful Colorado landscape to enjoy. Fracking allows us to develop the energy we need AND protect the environment we love at the same time.
  

• Where do companies get the water for fracking?

  They purchase it, just like everyone else. The same water supply that is used for agricultural and commercial use is where water for fracking originates. And volume is quite small in comparison to other uses. In Colorado, fracking uses only 0.1% of total water consumed in the state. (Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources)
  

• Where did the term “fracking” come from?

  The word “fracking” comes from the term “hydraulic fracturing”
  

• Can’t we do something else besides fracking to get the energy we need?

  Without fracking the newfound energy abundance in America and all of the benefits it provides would cease to exist. Natural gas is a clean, abundant source of energy in Colorado that provides a complement to other forms of clean, alternative energy like renewables needed for times when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow. Our best option right now is natural gas.
  

• Do they frack the same well repeatedly?

  Fracking is a temporary process that occurs after a well has been drilled and usually takes about 3-5 days. Sometimes wells are re-fracked to extend the productive life of a well, as the energy they produce can last for 20 to 40 years. (Source: Colorado Oil & Gas Association, Colorado Petroleum Association, Western Energy Alliance, and America’s Natural Gas Alliance)
  

• How long does fracking last?

  Fracking is a temporary process that lasts about 3-5 days.
  

• How many people does it take to frack a well?

  On average, the entire drilling and production process takes about 150 employees and requires highly trained experts including engineers, wildlife biologists, geologists and environmental experts. Fracking a well is actually one of the final completion steps before an oil and natural gas well begins producing and it’s a short and temporary phases lasting only about 3-5 days. During fracking, only about 20 workers are needed on site overseeing and managing the fracking process. After a well is fracked, the energy it produces can last for 20 to 40 years.
  

• I don’t work in the energy industry, so how would fracking benefit my family?

  The average U.S. family will save $900 annually through 2015 and even more by 2035 because of affordable natural gas made possible by fracking.  (Source: IHS Global Insight)
  Coloradans also enjoy energy prices 23% lower than the national average.  (Source: Energy Information Administration)
  Tax revenues from oil and natural gas development benefit our public schools, law enforcement and first responders, roads, bridges and infrastructure
  

• How important is fracking to Colorado’s economy?

  The oil and natural gas industry provides almost $30 billion dollars in revenue to Colorado’s economy. (Source: University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business)
  

• Have there ever been cases of water contamination?

  According to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the fracturing process has never been found to have polluted underground sources of drinking water. That said, other elements of the development process can have an adverse impact on water quality and pressure if the right steps to seal and cement the well aren’t taken. Thankfully, Colorado has some of the toughest and most stringent oil and gas rules in place anywhere in the country – and industry itself continues to invest billions a year to improve upon what’s already widely regarded by state and federal regulators as a safe and secure process.  (Source: Testimony of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson)
  

• Are the wells strong? Have wells been tested for inclement weather?

  Wells are engineered to withstand the internal and external forces that are encounter from its operating environment. Several layers of steel and cement are used to protect drinking water. Oil and gas companies have sophisticated monitoring tools on every well that provide data 24/7.  (Source: Colorado Division of Water)
  

• Have there been studies around fracking?

  Numerous studies have been conducted, and fracking continues to be studied by various entities, including universities, independent experts and state and the federal governments.  They’ve concluded it can be done safely and responsibly and the benefits are too beneficial to overlook. Here is a full list of studies.
  

• How long have we been fracking in Colorado?

  More than 60 years
  

• How does fracking affect global warming (or climate change)?

  Natural gas from fracking has helped cut carbon pollution to nearly 20-year lows.  (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
  Governor Hickenlooper’s plan to regulate methane emissions in Colorado will have a positive impact on our environment. (Source: Office of Gov. Hickenlooper)
  

• Is fracking new to Colorado?

  No.  Fracking has been around since 1947 and has been in Colorado for over 60 years.
  

• Does President Obama support Fracking?

  Yes.  The President applauds the gains made possible by fracking:  “For the first time in 18 years, America is poised to produce more of our own oil than we buy from other nations.  And today, we produce more natural gas than anybody else.  So we’re producing energy.  And these advances have grown our economy, they’ve created new jobs, they can’t be shipped overseas — and, by the way, they’ve also helped drive our carbon pollution to its lowest levels in nearly 20 years.  Since 2006, no country on Earth has reduced its total carbon pollution by as much as the United States of America.” (President Obama, June 2013)
  

• Does Gov. Hickenlooper support fracking?

  Yes. On behalf of the Colorado government, Hickenlooper has stated, “we believe oil and gas development can thrive while also meeting our high standards for protection of health, water and the environment.” (Governor Hickenlooper, December 2011)
  

• Does fracking make America less dependent on foreign oil?

  By 2035, less than 1% of our nation’s overall natural gas usage will come from foreign imports.  Because of fracking, the U.S. recently surpassed Russia as the #1 oil and natural gas producing nation in the world.  Without fracking, the U.S. will never become energy independent. (Source: Energy Information Administration)
  

• Are there regulations in Colorado on fracking?

  There are numerous state, federal and local laws to which companies must adhere.  The Environmental Defense Fund agrees that Colorado has proposed some of the toughest environmental rules and regulations in the nation. (Source: The Hill)
  

• Do they frack near schools?

  In Colorado, we have some of the most comprehensive regulations in the nation that determine when and where oil and natural gas operations may and may not occur. These include setback distances that determine the required space between oil and gas operations and structures like schools, homes and other buildings.  No matter where fracking takes place in Colorado, companies that use fracking are closely watched under a complex set of federal, state, and local laws.
  

• Does fracking pollute the air?

  Thanks to fracking U.S. carbon emissions are at 20-year lows.
  Fracking is regulated by numerous federal, state and local laws whose goal is to minimize the impact on the environment.
  Governor Hickenlooper recently announced statewide standards for methane emissions that would make our existing tough laws, even tougher.
  

• What kind of chemicals are used in fracking? How long do they last in the environment?

  Fracking fluid is 99.5% water and sand, with only .5% safe chemical additives, some of which you find around your home or in the foods you eat. The additives are available to anyone at any time by logging on to FracFocus.org. (Source: Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission)
  

• Is fracking happening in other states?

  Fracking has been a common practice for more than 60 years all over the country and here in the West.  Right now, fracking occurs in California, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, North Dakota, Texas, Louisiana and some Mid-Atlantic states like Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
  

• Who regulates the fracking process? How do they make sure it’s safe?

  The federal, state and local governments already regulate fracking.  Cities and counties also have the ability to add additional rules, unique for their community needs, above what the state requires.  Companies know this up front before they ever start drilling.  For instance, the Local Government Designee allows local governments to inspect rigs and wells throughout the entire drilling process and submit concerns to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) for review. There has never been a documented case of water contamination as a result of the fracking process. (Source: Testimony of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson).
  

• What’s the track record on fracking? Has it been studied?

  During the last 60 or more years that fracking has been in existence, it has been studied on a number of occasions and continues to be today. If you have a question, it’s probably already been answered in one of the dozens of public studies done by scientists and independent experts that are listed on studyfracking.com.
  

• Who invented fracking?

  Floyd Farris originally studied the impact of pressure on limestone in the 1940s. But a man named George Mitchell really perfected it and is often called the father of fracking.  We’ve been fracking in Colorado for more than 60 years.
  

• How has fracking changed over the years?

  Like a lot of technologies, energy development continues to improve over the years and fracking is no different.  In Colorado, we’re constantly innovating to enhance the fracking process and going above and beyond to make oil and gas development safer and reduce the environmental footprint.
  

• What happens to the water after fracking?

  It’s either safely treated and then properly disposed of, or recycled and reused. Because fracking is less water-intensive than some older energy production processes, fracking may help with water scarcity issues by reducing overall consumption. (Source: TIME Magazine)
  

• Do environmentalists support fracking?

  Yes, many environmentalists do support fracking in recognition of the reduced carbon emissions made possible by natural gas production and fracking. Air emissions continue to be one of our nation’s biggest challenges, and natural gas from fracking has helped to cut carbon pollution to nearly 20-year lows.  (Sources: Centre for Policy Studies, U.S. Energy Information Administration)
  

• What would happen if we ban fracking in Colorado?

  Banning fracking amounts to a ban on oil and natural gas activity in Colorado, and it would have an enormous negative impact on the state. Huge job losses for people you probably know, the economy would lose billions of dollars in revenue, the quality of state-supported services like schools and emergency responders would dramatically decline as they have slashed budgets due to the loss in tax revenue. (Source: University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business)
  Our cost of living would certainly go up, and we’d be eliminating one of the most practical solutions we have to addressing our energy, environmental and economic challenges.
  

• Does fracking hurt our drinking water?

  According to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the fracturing process has never been found to have polluted underground sources of drinking water. (Source: Testimony of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson)
  

• How many people have jobs because of fracking in Colorado?

  More than 110,000 Coloradan jobs are supported by the oil and natural gas industry.  (Source: University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business)