Fracking or not fracking, that is the question. America is increasingly concerned about where it will get the resources it needs for energy. Coal is becoming an expensive and closely watched resource due to its effects on our atmosphere with its carbon dioxide emissions. Nuclear energy has created concerns after the recent Japanese disaster. Let's go back to looking for a way to have the fuel needed to meet the energy needs of today and also of the future. Natural gas therefore presents itself as an option. Natural gas is celebrated as a solution to sustain us until we can become more dependent on renewable resources, such as wind and solar. The source of all this gas is literally right under our noses. It is found in shale formations underground. One such formation, America's largest, the Marcelus Shale, a huge formation in parts of Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania, contains more than $500 billion of gas in one area alone. A relatively new process and a recently much discussed topic In the center of attention around the world is fracking, which is the high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing of slippery waters. Fracking is the term for the relatively new process in the oil and gas industry of taking existing wells, or sometimes creating new ones, and using them to extract natural gas from shale formations. Fracking has inspired a recent boom in natural gas extraction and our urgent energy situation. Fracking has the potential to bring huge economic returns to several groups including landowners, the oil and gas industry and even the states involved. This process is attracting the attention of many around the world and causing much controversy. Most of the controversy lies in the lack of regulations, the uncertainties in... middle of paper... even about the carbon dioxide released in fracking are staggering. The process is also creating small earthquakes, which raises concerns about what might happen to wells and is also increasing regulation of wells. Test drilling is also performed frequently due to uncertainty about the quantity of the resource. It is known that the resource area is large, but the amount of fuel that can be obtained is often uncertain. The industry often overestimates. This can have profound effects on the local economy of drilling sites. All of this proves that fracking is nothing more than a quick fix for our energy needs and a quick money fix for the oil and gas industry. Regulations need to be tightened, processes and equipment need to be improved, the effects on both our environment and our wallet need to be better understood before we continue moving forward towards uncertain consequences