Fracking in high demand as Oman drills the desert for oil

Abraj boss says oil fracking growing in popularity Oil and gas provides Omani government with 70% of annual budget Controversial technique has critics due to environmental impact Oil fracking demand in Oman has proliferated in the last four years and is projected to increase further, a top executive at Abraj Energy Services has said. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is more commonly known, is a technique for extracting oil, natural gas, geothermal energy or water from shale rock deep underground. It involves drilling into the earth and then directing a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals into a rock layer to create cracks through which the oil, gas or water can move more freely. Critics say it can lead to water contamination and the triggering of earthquakes. Read more