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Deep underground lies stores of once
inaccessible natural gas.

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This gas was likely formed 
over millions of years

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as layers of decaying organisms
were exposed to intense heat and pressure

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under the Earth's crust.

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There's a technology called
hydraulic fracturing,

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or fracking,

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that can extract this natural gas,

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potentially powering us
for decades to come.

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So how does fracking work,

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and why it is a source 
of such heated controversy?

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A fracking site can be anywhere
with natural gas,

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from a remote desert

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to several hundred feet
from your backyard.

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It starts out with a long vertical hole
known as a wellbore

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drilled down through layers of sediment.

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When the well reaches 2500 - 3000 meters,
it's at its kickoff point

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where it can begin the process
of horizontal drilling.

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It turns 90 degrees and extends
horizontally for about 1.5 kilometers

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through a compressed black layer
called the shale rock formation.

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A specialized perforating gun
is then lowered and fired,

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creating a series of small, 
inch-long holes

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that burst through the well's casing
into the rock layer.

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About three to four months
after the initial drilling,

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the well is ready for fracking to begin.

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Fracking fluid is pumped down
into the well at a pressure so high,

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it cracks the shale rock,

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creating fractures through which
the trapped gas and oil can escape.

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The fluid itself is more than 90% water.

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The rest is made up of concentrated
chemical additives.

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These vary depending on the specific
characteristics of the fracking site,

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but usually fall into three categories:

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acids for clearing debris
and dissolving minerals,

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friction-reducing compounds to create

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a slippery form of water 
known as slickwater,

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and disinfectant to prevent
bacteria growth.

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Sand or clay is also mixed into
the water to prop open the fissures

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so the gas and oil can keep leaking out,
even after the pressure is released.

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It's estimated that all of fracking's
intense pumping and flushing

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uses an average of 3-6 million gallons
of water per well.

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That's actually not a lot compared
to agriculture,

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power plants,

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or even golf course maintenance,

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but it can have a notable impact
on local water supply.

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And disposing of used fracking water
is also an issue.

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Along with the trapped gas
that's pumped up to the surface,

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millions of gallons of flow-back liquid
come gushing up.

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This liquid containing contaminants
like radioactive material,

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salts,

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heavy metals,

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and hydrocarbons,

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needs to be stored and disposed of.

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That's usually done in pits on-site
in deep wells

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or off-site at water treatment facilities.

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Another option is to recycle
the flow-back liquid,

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but the recycling process can actually
increase levels of contamination

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since the water is more toxic
with each use.

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Wells are typically encased 
in steel and cement

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to prevent contaminants from leaking
into groundwater.

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But any negligence 
or fracking-related accidents

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can have devastating effects.

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Fracturing directly 
into underground water

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hazardous underground 
seepage and leakage,

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and inadequate treatment and disposal
of highly-toxic waste water

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can potentially contaminate
drinking water around a fracking site.

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There's also concern about
the threat of earthquakes

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and damaged infrastructure

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from pressure 
and waste water injection.

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Links between fracking
and increased seismic activity

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leave unresolved questions
about long-term pressure imbalances

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that might be happening
deep beneath our feet.

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Fracking's biggest controversy, though,
is happening above the ground.

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The general consensus is that burning
natural gas is better for the environment

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than burning coal

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since the gas collected from fracking

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emits only half 
the carbon dioxide as coal

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per unit of energy.

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The pollution caused 
by the fracking itself, though,

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isn't negligible.

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Methane that leaks out during the drilling
and pumping process

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is many times more potent
than carbon dioxide

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as a greenhouse gas.

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Some scientists argue that methane
eventually dissipates,

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so has a relatively low long-term impact.

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But a greater question hangs in the air.

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Does fracking take time,
money, and research

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away from the development
of cleaner renewable energy sources?

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Natural gas is non-renewable,

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and the short-run economic interests
supporting fracking

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may fall short in the face
of global climate change.

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Experts are still examining
fracking's overarching effects.

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Although modern fracking has been
around since the 1940s,

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it's boomed in the last few decades.

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As other sources of natural gas decrease,
the costs of non-renewable energies rise,

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and cutting-edge technologies
make it so accessible.

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But many countries and regions
have already banned fracking

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in response to environmental concerns.

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It's undeniable that fracking has reshaped
the energy landscape around the world,

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but for what long-term benefit
and at what cost?