[vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/2″]Though certain documentaries would have you believe hydraulic fracturing is a fairly new phenomenon, it is definitely not. Hydraulic fracturing originated in the United States at the end of the Civil War, in 1865.  Back then, the process was crude and highly unregulated, much like many practices around that time.
[/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”” border_color=”” img_link_large=”” link=”” img_link_target=”” img_size=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Thanks to Civil War veteran Col. Edward A.L. Roberts hydraulic fracturing was initially called “shooting”. This process began with 15-20 pounds of gunpowder encased in to an iron “torpedo” that was then lowered into a well and triggered for detonation by a single at the surface.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]In 1866, the United States approved a patent for the “Roberts Torpedo”, and the end-result was a 1,200% increase in oil production.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]In 1949, vertical hydraulic fracturing occurred commercially for the very first time outside of Duncan, Oklahoma.  In a matter of hours the technology had been replicated by Halliburton. By 1988 the technology had been replicated almost a million times.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]In this span of time, the process was refined and understood, eventually evolving from vertical to horizontal drilling.  Even though horizontal drilling existed since 1929, it was not put into commercial practice until the Barnett Shale in Texas first featured it in 2002.  By 2007, vertical drilling had become less common, what had required three vertical wells could now be accomplished with just one horizontal well.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_single_image css_animation=”” image=”5451″ border_color=”” img_link_large=”” link=”https://wellsaidcabot.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/barnettbarpII.png” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]To this day, hydraulic fracturing has continued to evolve, as well as the regulations and laws that help maintain safe and environmentally-conscious operations.  Frac’ing emerged as a much safer and cleaner alternative to “shooting or torpedoing”. Experts have continued to modify the process and formula since 1949.What innovations will another decade bring to hydraulic fracturing?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]