Breaking rocks: hydraulic fracturing oilfield tactic has deep history and a bright future in Alaska.

• Author: Loy, Wesley
• Position: OIL & GAS

Hydraulic fracturing has been important for the development of Alaska resources, says ConocoPhillips, which operates the Kuparuk and Alpine oil fields on the North Slope and owns a major stake in giant Prudhoe Bay.

The technology known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has been a boon for domestic oil and gas production.

In Lower 48 states, including North Dakota and Texas, companies are using the technology to free hydrocarbons from "tight" shale formations.

Fracking, however, also has sparked widespread controversy, with critics saying it poses a threat to drinking water sources.

Whether pro or con, Alaskans might wonder: When will hydraulic fracturing come here?

In fact, companies have been using the technology in Alaska for decades. It has made a big impact in helping produce huge volumes of North Slope crude oil and Cook Inlet natural gas.

ConocoPhillips, the states top oil and gas producer, says thousands of fracking jobs have been permitted and performed in Alaska.

What's more, the procedures have been done safely, drilling regulators say.

"In over fifty years of oil and gas production, Alaska has yet to suffer a single documented instance of subsurface damage to an underground source of drinking water," the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission said in a 2011 white paper on fracking. "As long as each well is properly constructed and its mechanical integrity is maintained, hydraulic fracturing should have no potential to damage any fresh groundwater."

The Lower 48 hoopla over fracking, however, is resonating in Alaska.

State regulators are moving to clarify regulations on the technique, potentially increasing requirements for oil and gas operators.

On the production side, operators are importing advanced fracking processes to Alaska's oil patch. Plans include targeting North Slope shale formations, which could hold enormous volumes of oil and gas.

How it Works

Hydraulic fracturing is a well stimulation treatment for impermeable reservoirs that don't readily release their oil and gas riches, as do conventional reservoirs with porous rock that lets hydrocarbons flow through.

Fracking involves pumping water at high pressure down wells to crack the reservoir rock. The cracks provide paths for hydrocarbons to enter the well and flow to the surface. Particulate material, known as proppant, is typically mixed with the injected water.

Halliburton, an oil field services company, describes the fracking of a gas well on its Hydraulic...