1. Myth or Fact The real “FRACKING” story

2. Myth or Fact?  Oil and natural gas reside in huge underground pools and lakes.  Myth  Oil and natural gas are trapped in sedimentary rock formations, such as sandstone and shale, in the Earth’s crust.

3. Myth of Fact?  Fracking is a new technology that has only been used in the last 10-15 years.  MYTH and FACT  Fracking actually began in 1949 and over 90% of existing oil and gas wells have been fracked.  However, fracking isn’t like it used to be. New techniques can add up to 100 times more fractures to rock.

4. Myth or Fact?  There are regulations to help ensure that fracking does not contaminate water resources underground (aquifers).  FACT  Regulations do exist in some places (Texas, Colorado, Canada, Germany, and the U.K.). However, regulations do not exist in most U.S. states and most countries.

5. Myth or Fact?  99.5% of fracking fluid consists of water and sand  FACT  0.5% is chemical additives, 99% is water and sand

6. Composition of fracturing fluids blog.ecologix.com/whats-in-frac-fluid/

7. Myth or Fact?  The chemical additives in fracking fluid are present in small enough quantities that they are not a danger to health.  MYTH  Some of those chemicals are hazardous at very small quantities. Example: Benzene

8. Myth or Fact?  In Colorado, spills from fracking have contaminated groundwater and surface water.  MYTH and FACT  According to testimony from an EPA Administrator the EPA and COGCC have not found a direct connection to chemicals from fracking contaminating groundwater  A case study found 77 surface spills with groundwater impact reported to COGCC in Weld County, CO between July 1, 2010 and July 1, 2011  Impact rate: <0.5% of active wells experienced spill impacting groundwater

9. Myth or Fact?  MYTH and FACT  In places where fracking is used to produce natural gas which lowers use of coal, then greenhouse gas emissions are lowered.  In places where fracking is used for oil or where natural gas development does not reduce use of coal, then this adds greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change.

10. Sources  Bayswater/CU Field Trip, July13 2015  Forbes, Ten Things to Know About Fracking, Jun 21, 2011  Hydrosphere: Effects of hydraulic fracturing on water resources, Power Point presentation by Jessica Rogers, January 26, 2015  Colorado Division of Water Resources  Materials Safety Data Sheet for Benzene