Since the hydraulic fracturing method is widely used in unconventional oil and gas development, it has been highly controversial. But, the large number of opposition invoices does not seem to stop the promotion and application of this technology. After shining on the shale revolution in North America, Hydraulic fracturing method came to the Gulf of Mexico, and carved out a whole new world in this famous deepwater oil and gas exploration area.

In fact, it’s not a new thing to use Hydraulic fracturing method on offshore oil and gas exploration. There is information that there might be 20 years of history for using Hydraulic fracturing method for offshore. In recent years, due to technological advances, plus a large number of offshore oil and gas reserves were found, large-scale application of this technology was promoted in deepwater fields.

According to Bloomberg News report, before then, there was the application of Hydraulic fracturing method in deepwater fields in both Brazil and Africa. But now in Gulf of Mexico, this technology obtains wider applications. The offshore oil and gas wells on the Gulf of Mexico need to be a long distance under the sea in most cases, and it gives a bigger play space to Hydraulic fracturing method.

Such as Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Schlumberger and other famous oil service provider have gained a huge market in Gulf of Mexico. According to the forecast of Douglas • Stephens, the head of pressure pump business in Baker Hughes, by 2015, the application of Hydraulic fracturing method in Gulf of Mexico may grow more than 10%.

Meanwhile, Chevron, Shell, BP and other oil and gas producers have also indicate, it enhance oil and gas production by using Hydraulic fracturing method widely. Due to this reason, the oil & gas companies could increase billions of dollars in revenue each year. “This is a reasonable and worthwhile investment”. Cindy • Yi Erding who is the head of BP assessment department said: Hydraulic fracturing method helps us to meet the challenge of how to get more oil from the lithosphere.” Besides, the popular of Hydraulic fracturing method also led to a number of developments in some related markets. It is understood that app. 7,000,000 pounds weight of people & equipment which including broken rocks motor, tons of sand will be squeeze into a 300 ft long workboat for fracturing drilling at sea. The data shows since 2007, because the demand of offshore oil and gas projects on Hydraulic fracturing method was increasing, within the scope of global, Oil service companies have increased by 31% for the production Q’TY of fracturing operations Boats. According to a survey by the American Offshore Magazine, the market size which is drove up by Hydraulic fracturing industry was comparable to the whole onshore oil and gas industry of Russia who is the oil giants.

Oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico, including Chevron and Shell, is now facing new development area deeper in the formations where rock is denser and harder, difficulty of exploration of oil and gas also increased a lot. For this reason, oil service companies also tried a lot of ways to enhance and improve the technology. For example, a one-time fracturing multilayer rock, rather than the previously separating layer by layer, thus saving time and cost of drilling. However, the disadvantage is the pressure increased, the need for more water, sand and equipment, and thus requires a larger workboat.

"This work is becoming more complex." UBS analyst James • Vick Rand said in an interview, "drilling in deepwater fields need to inject more fracturing objects, increasing the difficulty of the job."

At the same time, hydrofracturing method fracking has not got rid of the previous controversy, especially the questioning from environmental protection. In the Gulf of Mexico, although oil and gas developers and oil service companies have stressed that the waste generated by the fracturing fluid is treated entirely in accordance with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provisions, but environmental organizations still raise objections.

Tony • Knapp who is the director of Geochemical and Environmental Research Group in Texas A & M University said: it’s necessary to have more detailed environmental assessment for using Hydraulic fracturing method in Gulf of Mexico to confirm the impact on the environment.

Miyoko Sakashita who is the head of the non-profit organization Center for Marine Biodiversity department point out: the liquid containing chemicals used in the fracturing process, finally discharged into the Gulf of Mexico, it may hurt the marine organisms, even destroy the ecosystem of the region. “It’s very much worth to concern the environmental impact caused by using fracturing method on the sea.” Sakashita said. “Nobody knows whether an impact was already made, and how deep the impact degree is.” 

For this reason, the U.S. Environmental Defense Center has asked federal regulators, prohibit the use of Hydraulic fracturing method for offshore oil and gas exploration in the West Coast before confirming the degree of environment impact.  One of spokesman of EPA indicates, now there is almost no individual environmental Assessment Study for marine applications of Hydraulic fracturing method. This approach is often considered to be "short-termism, and often combined using with other methods.”

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