Baker Hughes to Share Full Hydraulic Fracturing Chemical Information
Company Brings Greater Transparency to Hydraulic Fracturing
Baker Hughes Inc. is implementing a new policy of releasing 100 percent of the chemistry in its hydraulic fracturing fluids. No trade secret designations will be used.
"Introducing greater transparency about the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process and protecting the ability to innovate are not conflicting goals," says Derek Mathieson, Baker Hughes chief strategy officer.
For each fracturing job the company performs on or after Oct.1, 2014, the policy mandates that Baker Hughes will disclose a single list of all of the chemical constituents of its products used, while also specifying their maximum concentrations.
In so doing, the company says it hopes to increase public trust in hydraulic fracturing, while still protecting its commercial innovation.
"The policy we are implementing today is consistent with our belief that we are partners in solving industry challenges, and that we have a responsibility to provide the public with the information they want and deserve. It simultaneously enables us to protect proprietary information that is critical to our growth," Mathieson says.
Baker Hughes' policy is fully compatible with the online national hydraulic fracturing chemical registry, known as FracFocus. All of the company's disclosure forms can be found at www.fracfocus.org.
Baker Hughes is supplier of oilfield services, products, technology and systems to the worldwide oil and natural gas industry. The company's 60,000 employees today work in more than 80 countries. For more information, visit www.bakerhughes.com.
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