Many people are surprised to find out that the additives used in the hydraulic fracturing process make up less than 0.5 percent of the total solution. The other 99.5 percent is water and sand. Each additive has a very important role in the process of producing natural gas and other energy resources such as oil; whether it is preventing corrosion of the steel pipe, killing bacteria in the water, reducing friction, or the volume of water required, they all have a specific purpose. In fact, many of the additives used in the hydraulic fracturing process can be found in common household items. This fact sheet is a good visual and provides you with some examples of what additives are used in the process and their common house-hold applications.
Additionally, MSC member companies disclose on a well-by-well basis the additives used in the hydraulic fracturing process. If you’re interested in looking up the additives used in a specific well, you can do so by visiting www.FracFocus,org, a national chemical disclosure registry.
