Hydraulic Fracturing of Oil & Gas Wells Drilled in Shale. Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have turned unproductive shales into the largest natural gas fields in the World.

How Long Has Hydraulic Fracturing Been Used?

The first use of hydraulic fracturing to stimulate oil and natural gas wells in the United States was in the 1940s. The method successfully increased well production rates and the practice quickly spread. It is now used throughout the world in thousands of wells every year.

What is Hydraulic Fracturing?
http://geology.com/articles/hydraulic-fr...

Published October 10, 2012, Application for ND oil refinery approved, would be first built in US in 30 years NEW TOWN, N.D. – Plans for an oil refinery on the Fort Berthold Reservation, the first major refinery to be built in the United States in more than 30 years, cleared a milestone Wednesday. By: Amy Dalrymple, INFORUM

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/...