flowback water

Flowback water is the fluid that returns to the surface after hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which is a method used to extract oil and natural gas from underground rock formations. During this process, a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is injected into the ground to fracture the rock. Once the extraction is completed, some of this injected fluid, along with naturally occurring water from the formation, flows back to the surface. Flowback water can contain various contaminants, requiring careful management and treatment before it can be disposed of or reused.