On November 10, 2011, Morgan Lewis presented the second part of a webinar series on hydraulic fracturing, "Regulatory, Enforcement, and Legislative Trends in Hydraulic Fracturing," discussed past, present, and expected future congressional and federal agency efforts to investigate and regulate fracking. This included enforcement examples as well as a discussion of where enforcement may be heading.
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as "fracking," involves drilling into deep rock formations and injecting fluids at high pressure to create fissures, or fractures, in underground formations that allow natural gas and oil to flow. Advances in drilling techniques have increased extraction rates, and fracking has become the subject of attention in the media and at government agencies. Understanding the technology of fracking as well as how it is regulated is becoming increasingly important for those in the energy industry.
How regulation concerning fracking develops will depend, in part, on how political leaders and the public view the risks and benefits of the process.
See also:
Part One: "Hydraulic Fracturing—What You Need to Know"
Part Three: "Private Litigation and Hydraulic Fracturing"