Energy companies are losing the PR war over fracking

In a recent interview with Politico, Coll, who authored a book examining ExxonMobil, said, “I think they are in denial about how hard the politics of this is going to prove to be over time.”

Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency issued its first set of guidelines to address air pollution associated with fracking. Meanwhile, elected leaders in shale-rich regions are growing more wary about the issues—thanks, in part, to concerned constituents and lobbying efforts of well-funded opposition groups.

But it’s not simply about politics; it’s the public perception of using fracking to tap into once unreachable natural gas.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process that requires large volumes of water and sand, and a smaller amount of chemicals. The high-pressure mixture is injected into drilled wells and the fluid fractures shale rock located deep underground. This process unlocks natural gas and has created an energy renaissance (of sorts) throughout the country and world.