tcubridges

I was actually a frac engineer before being laid off at the beginning of march. The smoke seen is the pictures above is not actually smoke! It is very fine sand known as 100 mesh. Sand is used to prop open the fractures created in the earth during these jobs. In terms of the chemicals, there are very few of the chemicals listed on those links used in every job. In the Barnett Shale, the main chemicals are friction reducers, biocides, scaling inhibitors, and oxygen scavengers. I understand some people may worry about Fracing, but it's really not something to worry about. The process is under strict environmental controls and the operators such as XTO, Chesapeake, etc...take every precaution to preserve the communities they operate in.