The United States is in the midst of an energy revolution. Once considered to have dwindling energy resources and a dangerous reliance on foreign imports, the United States now has the distinction of being the largest combined oil and natural gas producing country in the world. Few experts saw this transformation coming, and it was made possible by the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling, which allowed oil and natural gas to be unlocked from tight rock (shale) formations. This revolution first began in North Texas 35 years ago, with the Barnett Shale being the birthplace of modern-day fracking. This report examines the history of the Barnett Shale, the role it has played in changing global energy dynamics, and the economic benefits it continues to provide to the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
Read the entire report here.