Three different studies concerning drilling/hydraulic fracturing and the possible connection to water well contamination were released last month. The studies were conducted by the Department of Energy; Researchers from Ohio State University, Duke University and the University of Rochester; and the University of Texas at Arlington. According to the Times Record News of Wichita Falls, who reported on the findings, all three studies determined hydraulic fracturing is not responsible for water well contamination. 

A ban on drilling in Denton, as is proposed on the city’s Nov. 4 ballot, will lead to economic damage, loss of property rights, and legal problems that could be very costly to Denton taxpayers.

First, let’s be clear: The Denton initiative has been portrayed as a ban only on hydraulic fracturing, but it’s actually a ban on drilling. Denton sits atop the Barnett Shale, and drillers there must use the technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Banning fracking in Denton bans drilling, period.

On Nov. 4, 2014, residents of Denton, Texas, will vote on a referendum to ban hydraulic fracturing within the city limits; however, make no mistake about it – a ban on hydraulic fracturing is a ban on all drilling. This is borne out by the numbers: Approximately 20,000 natural gas wells have been drilled in the Barnett Shale and every one has been hydraulically fractured.

Some residents in Denton, Texas – located in North Texas atop the Barnett Shale – have proposed a ban on hydraulic fracturing within the Denton city limits. Such a ban goes further than just hydraulic fracturing, it is actually a ban on drilling altogether. This is because Barnett Shale natural gas wells do not produce natural gas until they are hydraulically fractured (a well completion technique also referred to as “fracture stimulation” or “fracking”). If hydraulic fracturing is not allowed, there will be no drilling.

The United States is experiencing a boom in energy production, thanks to hydraulic fracturing. Practically every natural gas and oil well drilled in America is hydraulically fractured using a mixture that is 99.5 percent water and sand and .5 percent chemical additives. As hydraulic fracturing has become more widespread, the development of new and improved technologies has ramped up.

Hydraulic fracturing fluid is made up of different components. Two intergovernmental agencies, the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, manage the website www.fracfocus.org, which provides information to the public about the fluids used in hydraulic fracturing. Financial assistance for the site was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), each year there are millions of earthquakes across the world; however, most are undetected due to being in remote areas or being low on the Richter scale (usually below 2.0).

In the past 20 years, the number of known earthquakes around the world has been on the rise. The USGS claims that a partial explanation for this is the increasing number of seismograph stations and improvements in communication.

An important study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found no link between hydraulic fracturing and childhood cancer. The study was independently peer reviewed and the authors claimed no conflicts of interest.

In the last 65 years, the technology behind hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" has been improved to the point that it is used to complete virtually every oil and natural gas well in the United States. Without fracking, the U.S. would not be able to access its vast bounty of oil and natural gas contained in shale deposits.

Unfortunately, some environmental groups have alleged that fracking should be stopped for a variety of reasons. Some of these activists are so hyper-focused on hydraulic fracturing that they even call themselves "fractivists."

This is a common question that is usually accompanied with the misconceived notion that hundreds of chemicals are used. As is often the case, a quick Google search on the topic produces a wide variety of answers, many of which are not factual.