shale formations underlie much of the United States they are the source of
United States they are the source of
United States they are the source of natural gas and oil historically the
natural gas and oil historically the
natural gas and oil historically the formations have been difficult to drill
formations have been difficult to drill
formations have been difficult to drill today it’s possible with the technology
today it’s possible with the technology
today it’s possible with the technology of fracking in North Dakota’s Bakken
of fracking in North Dakota’s Bakken
of fracking in North Dakota’s Bakken formation fracking started in 2006
formation fracking started in 2006
formation fracking started in 2006 nearly eight thousand active wells now
nearly eight thousand active wells now
nearly eight thousand active wells now dot the landscape deep underground
dot the landscape deep underground
dot the landscape deep underground horizontal pipes stretch up to two miles
horizontal pipes stretch up to two miles
horizontal pipes stretch up to two miles long the Iverson well drilled in 2010
long the Iverson well drilled in 2010
long the Iverson well drilled in 2010 illustrates the fracking process the
illustrates the fracking process the
illustrates the fracking process the well plunges nearly two miles down with
well plunges nearly two miles down with
well plunges nearly two miles down with cement and steel casing inserted to
cement and steel casing inserted to
cement and steel casing inserted to prevent leaks into groundwater the well
prevent leaks into groundwater the well
prevent leaks into groundwater the well curves when it reaches the Bakken layers
curves when it reaches the Bakken layers
curves when it reaches the Bakken layers of shale that sandwich a layer of
of shale that sandwich a layer of
of shale that sandwich a layer of sandstone the pipe follows the sandstone
sandstone the pipe follows the sandstone
sandstone the pipe follows the sandstone because that’s where shale oil collects
fracking begins by forcing plastic balls
fracking begins by forcing plastic balls down the well the balls open sleeves in
down the well the balls open sleeves in
down the well the balls open sleeves in the pipe to expose holes fluid is then
the pipe to expose holes fluid is then
the pipe to expose holes fluid is then pumped down the well under extremely
pumped down the well under extremely
pumped down the well under extremely high pressure the fluid shoots through
high pressure the fluid shoots through
high pressure the fluid shoots through the holes and fractures the rock over
the holes and fractures the rock over
the holes and fractures the rock over the course of three days this well
the course of three days this well
the course of three days this well fracked the rock 29 times the burst show
fracked the rock 29 times the burst show
fracked the rock 29 times the burst show where fissures were created
once fracking is done oil is released
once fracking is done oil is released and flows up the well the used fluid
and flows up the well the used fluid
and flows up the well the used fluid which contains toxic materials flows up
which contains toxic materials flows up
which contains toxic materials flows up with the oil some of the fluid is
with the oil some of the fluid is
with the oil some of the fluid is recycled the rest is pumped into
recycled the rest is pumped into
recycled the rest is pumped into disposal wells deep below ground water
disposal wells deep below ground water
disposal wells deep below ground water the long-term environmental effects of
the long-term environmental effects of
the long-term environmental effects of fracking are unknown but in coming years
fracking are unknown but in coming years
fracking are unknown but in coming years the number of wells in North Dakota is
the number of wells in North Dakota is
the number of wells in North Dakota is expected to jump from today’s 8,000 to
expected to jump from today’s 8,000 to
expected to jump from today’s 8,000 to 50,000
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