On Tuesday, November 4, 2014, 59 percent of voters elected to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing (“fracing”) in the city of Denton, which sits on top of the hydrocarbon-rich Barnett Shale. Although the ban does not prevent conventional drilling operations, the ban essentially forbids fracing, effectively expelling the drilling industry from city limits. Other municipalities sitting on top of the Barnett Shale—such as Fort Worth, Dallas and Arlington—have grappled with urban drilling as well, but Denton’s complete prohibition marks the first of its kind in Texas.
Responsible Fracking and Successful Operations: Enabling the Energy Industry to Keep Its Machinery Running
By Brian RobsonHydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is a dynamic source of power – for oil and gas development, job creation and domestic energy independence. Its reach goes far beyond any physical depths in which advanced machinery and innovative means of extraction penetrate thick layers of rock. Its proliferation is a matter of fact, which depends on sophisticated… Keep reading →