• Welcome to FracFocus 2.0! We're excited about our latest upgrades designed to dramatically enhance the site's functionality for the public, state regulatory agencies and industry users. Our user-friendly 'Find A Well' chemical disclosure registry now includes more extensive search options.

    FracFocus continues to evolve and expand, adding more participating companies and reported wells from across the country. Our continued success is the result of nationally recognized organizations working with state governments and the oil and natural gas industry to provide public transparency.

    Find Out More
  • This technique uses a specially blended liquid which is pumped into a well under extreme pressure causing cracks in rock formations underground. These cracks in the rock then allow oil and natural gas to flow, increasing resource production.

    Learn More About Casing
  • Casing is the multiple layers of steel and cement inside the drilled hole used to protect water aquifers. The specific length, thickness, strength and composition of casing is regulated at the state level.

    Learn More About Casing
    Illustration Courtesy of the Texas Oil & Gas Association.
  • Use the interactive map to find regulations per state as well as contact information for groundwater protection and oil and natural gas production.

    Find Regulations Now

Groundwater Protection: Priority Number One

Oil and natural gas producers have stringent requirements for how wells must be completed. The genesis of these requirements is water safety.

Casing is the first line of defense used to protect freshwater aquifers.

More About Groundwater Protection »


Find Well

Search for nearby well sites that have been hydraulically fractured to see what chemicals were used in the process.

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FAQs
  • Why are chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing?

    Chemicals are used for many purposes in hydraulic fracturing. Some chemicals are designed to inhibit bacterial growth. These are called biocides. Others make fluids flow down the casing more easily. These are called friction reducers. Without these and other chemicals, the effectiveness of the fracturing job would be limited. Read more...

  • Is my groundwater safe to use?

    This depends upon many factors including:

    1. The level of chemicals in the groundwater; whether naturally occurring or introduced. (NOTE: The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for drinking water was established by the EPA and can be found on their website at: http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/index.cfm .  It is important to note, however, that not all chemicals, compounds or elements have an MCL.  For example natural gas does not have an MCL; and
    2. Your individual tolerance to some chemicals.  While some chemicals such as Benzene can be toxic to everyone in quantities as low as a few parts per billion, the toxicity of other additives depends upon the individual.  For example, some people are sensitive to Sodium due to conditions like high blood pressure.  Consequently, a tolerable level of sodium for them might be lower than for a person without a similar condition.  However, only you and your doctor can determine a safe level of exposure for you.  To see a more comprehensive evaluation of chemical toxicity you should visit the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Risk Assessment System (IRIS); and
    3. The use to which the groundwater is put (e.g. will it be used for human consumption, livestock consumption, irrigation, washing or bathing etc…). 

    The best way to determine if your groundwater is fit for its intended use is to have it analyzed by an accredited laboratory for all constituents of concern and to have that analysis evaluated by a qualified professional such as a toxicologist.  You can often obtain a list of accredited laboratories from your County Extension Agent, State Water Quality Agency or local Health Department.

     

  • Are the records from FracFocus available in a digital format such as Excel?

    No. FracFocus was originally designed to serve records one at a time in Adobe pdf format in order to ensure accurate, unaltered and uncompromised data. Consequently the chemical information gathered does not currently reside in a database or spreadsheet format.

All FAQs »

10/22/2014 FracFocus Help Desk now available

FracFocus has instituted a Help Desk to address any issues you may have in using the system.  You can reach the Help Desk Monday-Thursday from 8 AM to 5 PM and on Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM CDT at 405-607-6808.

Ground Water Protection Council Interstate Oil and Gas