Abstract:

The growing global economy requires even more energy sources, the traditional production methods cannot meet these requirements. A recent steady trend is an increase in non-traditional methods of oil and gas production. However, there are a number of issues associated with environmental safety of new technologies, in particular, the impact of hydraulic fracturing (HF) on water-bearing formations. One of the leading countries using HF is the United States of America (the USA). In addition, the use of water wells for domestic and agricultural needs is common there. In this case HF is often performed in horizontal wells of production formation and located close to the water wells. The impact of HF on nearby aquifers has been poorly studied that leads to disputes about use and regulation of HF operations.The article presents the comparison of legislation in Russia and the USA in the sphere of environmental protection, HF regulation, in particular.