Fracking, is big business. But, questions about its impact on the air and water are far from settled. With support from the National Science Foundation, University of Colorado environmental Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method used to extract natural gas and oil from deep rock formations known as shale. Using this method, drilling operators force water, sand, and a mix of chemicals into horizontally drilled wells, causing the shale to crack and release natural gas or oil. American Chemical Society: Chemistry for Life. ACS Position Statement. PDF Version. Hydraulic fracturing is a method to enhance oil and natural gas extraction from underground geological formations involving injection of a fluid under high pressure in order to crack the rock containing the hydrocarbon.