<P> Hydraulic fracturing ( also fracking , fraccing , frac'ing , hydrofracturing or hydrofracking ) is a well stimulation technique in which rock is fractured by a pressurized liquid . The process involves the high - pressure injection of ' fracking fluid ' ( primarily water , containing sand or other proppants suspended with the aid of thickening agents ) into a wellbore to create cracks in the deep - rock formations through which natural gas , petroleum , and brine will flow more freely . When the hydraulic pressure is removed from the well , small grains of hydraulic fracturing proppants ( either sand or aluminium oxide ) hold the fractures open . </P>
<P> Hydraulic fracturing ( also fracking , fraccing , frac'ing , hydrofracturing or hydrofracking ) is a well stimulation technique in which rock is fractured by a pressurized liquid . The process involves the high - pressure injection of ' fracking fluid ' ( primarily water , containing sand or other proppants suspended with the aid of thickening agents ) into a wellbore to create cracks in the deep - rock formations through which natural gas , petroleum , and brine will flow more freely . When the hydraulic pressure is removed from the well , small grains of hydraulic fracturing proppants ( either sand or aluminium oxide ) hold the fractures open . </P>
fracking is used primarily to extract oil and gas from
fracking is used primarily to extract oil and gas from
deep - rock formations
deep - rock formations