Hydraulic Fracturing

First recorded use of expliermental hydrualic fracturing

Jan 1, 1947

Unfortunately no exact date is known, but it is generally accepted to have first been performed in 1947 in Kansas.

First two commercial hydraulic fracturing treatments

Mar 17, 1949

Halliburton performed the first two commercial hydraulic fracturing treatments in Oklahoma and Texas.

Safe Water and Drinking Act

Dec 16, 1974

The Safe Water and Drinking Act was passed to ensure that americans had safe drinking water, and it was ruled that hydraulic fracturing did not damage the quality of people's water.

The first US funded research of hydraulic fracturing

Jan 1, 1976

In 1976 the US government funded the creation of Eastern Gas Shales Project, which was the first federally funded research into hydraulic fracturing which were designed to demonstrate its effectiveness.

First economically effective shale application

Mar 1, 1997

Union Pacific Resources introduced the use of slickwater fracturing which made hydraulic fracturing using shale economically effective for the first time.

Ruling on Safe Drinking Water Act

Aug 7, 1997

The eleventh circuit court ruled that hydraulic fracturing could not be stopped according to it meeting the guidlines of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Congress requests the EPA studies hydraulic fracturing

Jan 1, 2010

Congress requested that the EPA investigate hydraulic fracturing due to political tensions prior to an election, but this is clearly a empty promise due to the fact that hydraulic fracturing is actually handled by the US Energy council.

Pennsylvannia spill

Jun 3, 2010

The first large scale spill/wellblow out in the US released hydraulic fracturing liquids into nearby wildlife (a reported 35,000 gallons)

Federal Regulations on Hydraulic Fracturing

May 1, 2012

The US government passed updated regulations on Hydraulic Fracturing on federal lands, although it was found most wells were already exceeding the new regulations.