verb
- to inject liquid at high pressure into rock to force open existing cracks and extract oil or gas
Usage: also called hydraulic fracturing; common in energy industry
Examples
- The company plans to frack several new wells in the shale formation.
- Environmental groups oppose efforts to frack in protected areas.
- Modern drilling techniques allow operators to frack at greater depths.
- The process of fracking has increased natural gas production significantly.
- Regulators are reviewing proposals to frack near residential neighborhoods.