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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), over 87 percent of the natural gas consumed in the US comes from domestic sources. The proportion of total U.S. natural gas production coming from shale resources has grown from less than 1 percent in 2000, to 20 percent in 2010. By the end of 2011, shale resources will produce 25 percent of U.S. natural gas (MIT Study on the Future of Natural Gas). Due primarily to technological innovation, hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have made shale gas extraction from previously inaccessible domestic shale formations feasible and economical.
This discussion will involve subject matter experts, considering hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as "fracking" or "hydrofracking."