A reference to a process that is used to release petroleum, natural gas, coal seam gas, or other substances that are extracted from shale: There can be fracking problems when solid rock is cracked open to squeeze out natural gas because such actions could ruin future plans that some people have regarding the storage of carbon dioxide which is released from burning fossil fuels.

Fracking activities have been blamed for contaminating drinking water, causing small earthquakes and for driving up greenhouse gas emissions or gas that absorbs infrared radiation.

A serious fracking threat could be that carbon dioxide, which is generated by power plants, could not be stored underground because the layers of impermeable caprocks above the storage areas would be poked through with so many fracking holes that they wouldn't be able to form effective seals for any carbon dioxide to prevent leakage back into the atmosphere.