Thanks to the development of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, the US has been able to exploit a massive and hitherto unknown resource.

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"Hydraulic fracturing in a well for shale gas development, which involves injection of fluids to fracture the shale and release the gas up the well, has been confirmed as the cause for small felt seismic events at one location in the world, " the report states.

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Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is under widespread development in the United States, fueling a natural gas supply boom, with an EPA review of its environmental safety underway.

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Opposition to natural gas development using high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to tap gas-rich shale deposits has been the primary focus of environmental groups in New York for years.

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France banned hydraulic fracturing earlier this year , despite the potential for extensive shale gas development in Southern France.

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Contamination worries from local governments due to hydraulic fracturing and ongoing concerns about the climate impacts from burning natural gas continue to hamper development efforts.

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The Department of Energy has taken credit for laying the groundwork for the current natural gas boom, citing research and development dating back to the 1970s that led to today's hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, techniques of extracting gas from shale.

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The company is gaining share in U.S. hydraulic fracturing markets used to produce natural gas and improving its seismic imaging, monitoring, and development business.

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