Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Chemicals and Toxics
    • Climate Change
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Environmental Justice
    • Greener Living
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Pesticides
    • Radon
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Guidance
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • EPA Administrator
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History
    • Staff Directory
EPA's Study of Hydraulic Fracturing and Its Potential Impact on Drinking Water Resources
Contact Us

Numerical analysis of fracture propagation during hydraulic fracturing operations in shale gas systems

Jihoon Kim and George Moridis. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. June 2015.

Summary

Researchers used the TOUGH+ geomechanics computational software and simulation system to examine the likelihood of hydraulic fracture propagation (the spread of fractures) traveling long distances to connect with drinking water aquifers. The simulations indicate that typical hydraulic fracturing operations do not appear to generate an unstable growth of a fracture in the shale gas reservoir to the drinking water aquifer unless unrealistic high pressure and high injection rates are directly applied to an extremely weak and homogenous geological formation that extends up to the near surface. This work was done as part of EPA's Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources.

  • Link to journal 
  • Numerical analysis of fracture propagation during hydraulic fracturing operations in shale gas systems (pdf) (3.01 MB)
  • Hydraulic Fracturing Study Home
  • Final Assessment
  • EPA Published Research
  • Fact Sheets
  • Questions & Answers about the Final Assessment
  • EPA Hydraulic Fracturing - Agency Main Page
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on April 12, 2023
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data.gov
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Open Government
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions

Follow.