How does hydraulic fracturing enhance oil and gas recovery?

Hydraulic fracturing enhances oil and gas recovery primarily by injecting high-pressure fluid into underground rock formations. This process creates fractures within the rock, increasing the permeability of the formation and allowing trapped hydrocarbons to flow more freely into the wellbore. The high-pressure fluid, typically a mixture of water, sand, and additives, is carefully pumped into the formation, which opens up previously inaccessible areas, thereby significantly boosting the volume of oil and gas that can be extracted.

The creation of these fractures allows for a much larger surface area from which the hydrocarbons can be extracted, making it a crucial technique, especially in shale formations. This method revolutionized the oil and gas industry by enabling the recovery of resources that were previously considered unrecoverable with traditional drilling techniques.