Transparency is a key tenant of our organizations mission, as outlined in our Guiding Principles. When it comes to the additives used in the hydraulic fracturing fluid, it’s important to keep in mind that approximately 99.5 percent of the fluid is water and sand. The other 5 percent of the fracturing fluid is composed of (in most cases) 3 to 12 additives that all serve a unique purpose. The additives used in fracturing fluid vary depending on the geological makeup of the formation, so not every fluid make-up is exactly the same.
In Pennsylvania, natural gas companies are required by regulation to disclose all chemical additives used during the hydraulic fracturing process in there well completion reports which are filled with state environmental regulators following the completion of a well. Operators are also required to disclose on a well-by-well basis the fluid composition via www.FracFocus.org, a national chemical disclosure registry.
