Natural gas and oil fracking are under a great deal of scrutiny for environmental reasons. Proponents favor the method for gas in shale deposits because it is an abundant, domestic source of energy. Opponents point to the toxic chemicals used and a history of aquifer contamination. An alternative fracing fluid could be the answer to all the environmental concerns, thus opening the door to widespread drilling and lower energy prices.

Hydraulic Gas Fracking, Drilling Phase
When natural gas is discovered in deeply buried layers of shale, the most common method of extraction is fracking. This term is shorthand for horizontal hydraulic fracturing. The widespread deposits of gas bearing shale in the US is driving a vigorous debate over the need for energy and jobs versus the environmental damage caused by fracking.
To frack a deep, gas-bearing, shale deposit, most drilling companies pump a slurry of water and sand into the bore hole. The mixture is pumped in under great pressure until the rocks crack or fracture. Then the water is pumped back out, leaving the sand behind. The sand particles help prop open the cracks, allowing more gas to flow out of the rock formation.
Other chemicals are added to the water as lubricants and for other, technical reasons. Environmentalists object to fracing mostly because of the secret mix of toxic chemicals and the high risk that these chemicals will leave the gas formation, thus contaminating water tables.
The company GasFrac Energy Services has perfected another way. They use no water or chemical additives. Instead, they pump the well full of liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG. The fluid still carries sand or ceramic particles to prop open the fractures, but contains no other chemicals.
LPG gas fracking has numerous advantages over water-based gas fracking. When water is pumped into the well, often up to 50 percent remains in the formation and it impedes the extraction of natural gas. When LPG is used, almost 100 percent of the LPG is recovered and the well is free of barriers. Natural gas flow rates from LPG fracking are considerably higher than water-fracked wells.
In the case of an oil-bearing formation, the LPG fracking fluid helps dissolve and thin the oil, thus making it easier to pump out. Finally, the materials cost of gas fracking with LPG is considerably lower. Since no water is used, no local source is required and there is no water treatment needed for the recovered fracking fluid.
LPG gas fracking jobs are the same as water-based gas fracing. Communities dealing with a natural gas drilling proposal should ask the company representatives about LPG gas fracking. This new method is by far the cleanest and greenest way to increase natural gas production. There is no reason not to use LPG gas fracking for any well that must be fracked. Now we can have clean water, abundant gas and plenty of oil and gas jobs all over the US.