Updated Outline for First Section

Here is the (hopefully) final outline for my section of the paper.

1. The Purpose and the Process – This section will explain why fracking is needed to extract hydrocarbons from certain rock formations. It will also provide a step-by-step description of how the process works.
2. Birth of a Process – This section will describe the early history of fracking. It will describe the process’ early roots in the 1860s, its first use in 1947, its first commercial use in 1949, and its fast growth throughout the rest of the century.
3. Technological Advances – This section will describe how advances in four key areas – fracking fluids, propping agents, pumpin and blending equipment, and fracture planning – led to fracking growing into an essential part of the American energy industry. It will also discuss how intense competition between small independent firms, along with a favorable political climate directly led to this impressive rate of technological innovation.
4. Unconventional Deposits – This section will describe in detail each of the three key types of unconventional deposits that fracking is needed for: shale (both oil and natural gas), coalbed methane, and tight sands. It will show the location and sizes of these fields in the United States
5. 5.    The Potential – This section will discuss the effects of exploiting these unconventional deposits through fracking. It will look at how this exploitation will impact both the energy situation and the economy of the United States