fracturing
Splitting under pressure
Fracturing is the process of breaking or causing breaks, whether in bone, rock, or abstract things like relationships and alliances.
In the oil and gas industry, fracturing—often called fracking—is a technique that injects high-pressure fluid into rock formations to release trapped petroleum or natural gas: Hydraulic fracturing has transformed American energy production.
The word emphasizes the act or ongoing process rather than the result.
Breaking violently apart
- splinteringBreaking into sharp fragments
- crackingBreaking without separating completely
- rupturingBreaking or tearing apart
- splittingDividing into parts
fragmenting · snapping · cleaving · fissuring · disintegrating · crumbling · separating · giving way
Extracting gas via pressure
- hydraulicRelating to pressurized liquids
- shaleCompacted clay sediment
- reservoirLarge water storage basin
- drillingHole-making by rotation
extraction · oil · natural gas · wellbore · permeability · seismic · fault lines · tectonic
Splitting into parts
- fragmentationBreaking into smaller pieces
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- splinteringBreaking into sharp fragments
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
disunity · schism · rupturing · separating · dividing · factionalism · discord · dissolution
Hard skeletal tissue
- splintDevice immobilizing injured limbs
- castPerformers, throw, or splint
- orthopedicRelating to bone treatment
- traumaLasting psychological wound
healing · rehabilitation · immobilization · osteoporosis · calcium · physical therapy · crutch · spinal
shattering
Breaking violently apart
- splinteringBreaking into sharp fragments
- crackingBreaking without separating completely
- rupturingBreaking or tearing apart
splitting · fragmenting · snapping · cleaving · fissuring · disintegrating · crumbling · separating · giving way · weakening
fracking
Extracting gas via pressure
- hydraulicRelating to pressurized liquids
- shaleCompacted clay sediment
- reservoirLarge water storage basin
drilling · extraction · oil · natural gas · wellbore · permeability · seismic · fault lines · tectonic · bedrock
division
Splitting into parts
- fragmentationBreaking into smaller pieces
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- splinteringBreaking into sharp fragments
breakdown · disunity · schism · rupturing · separating · dividing · factionalism · discord · dissolution · alienation
bone
Hard skeletal tissue
- splintDevice immobilizing injured limbs
- castPerformers, throw, or splint
- orthopedicRelating to bone treatment
trauma · healing · rehabilitation · immobilization · osteoporosis · calcium · physical therapy · crutch · spinal · comminuted
- breakingbreaking, cracking, rupturing, shattering, snapping
- breaking downsplitting, fragmenting, dividing, breaking up, partitioning
- deterioratingdecaying, decomposing, degrading, rotting, eroding
- bodily harmhurt, injure, wound, harm, injuries
- rock processesmineralization, albitization, contact metamorphism, metamorphism, recrystallization
- well operationsworkover, stimulation, fracking, perforation, cementing
- hydraulic fracturingFluid-pressure extraction technique
fragment, fracture, fraction, fractured, fractious, fractional, infraction, fractures, refractory