Hydraulic fracturing: economic powerhouse or environmental disaster? In past decades, the economic practice of oil production has been perpetually subjugated to the Middle East. However, the increase in domestic production of crude oil and shale natural gas in the United States has culminated in it overtaking Saudi Arabia in terms of oil production. This economic milestone is due in part to the relatively recent implementation of hydraulic fracturing, commonly called “fracking.” According to Aaron Herridge of Shale Gas España, hydraulic fracturing is “…an effective method for extracting natural gas (and oil) from natural shale formations.” In the process, millions of pounds of “fracture fluid,” a mixture of water, sand and chemicals, are injected into a steel-lined well, and the resulting pressure forces the shale rock to crack, allowing natural gas to be pumped. on the surface, together with the fracture fluids. Indeed, the chemicals present in the fracture fluid are the catalysts of the environmental consequences. In conjunction with oil spills and hazardous natural compounds, the negatives outweigh the positives. Despite hydraulic fracturing's favorable impact on U.S. oil production, it poses a significant threat to environmental health; The proliferation of fractured wells, the use of dangerous chemicals and a large number of oil spills have caused water contamination, land damage and air pollution. Arguably the most precarious form of pollution that can afflict the environment, water contamination has plagued the world. mentality that hydraulic fracturing will be the future engine of the American economy. According to Elizabeth Ridlington of Frontier Group, there are three particulars… middle of the paper… the test market gives a positive premonition that many of the environmental consequences of hydraulic fracturing will be dissipated (Brino). Cited Brino, Anthony, Nearing, Brian. “The new waterless fracturing method avoids pollution problems, but drillers are slow to adopt it.” Inside climate news. November 6, 2011. Web.FracFocus. Find a well. Map. [1:500,000]. GWPC and IOGCC, 2011. Web.Herridge, Aaron, Kerwin, Teresa, Lestarjette, Tricia, Schmidt, Mat and Wohlgemuth, Lara. “The Consequences of Hydraulic Fracturing.” PowerPoint presentation. Network. July 8, 2014.Hoffman, Joe. “Potential Health and Environmental Effects of Hydrofracking in the Williston Basin, Montana.” SERC Carletto. NAGT, June 26, 2014. Web. July 8, 2014. Ridlington, Elizabeth, Rumpler, John. “Fracking by the Numbers: Key Impacts of Dirty Drilling at the State and National Levels.” July 8, 2014. PDF file.