Baker Hughes to reveal fracking ingredients

HOUSTON, April 25 (UPI) -- Oil services company Baker Hughes said it could disclose the ingredients of hydraulic fracturing fluids without comprising trade secrets.

Energy companies have been reluctant to disclose all of the chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing. The drilling practice, known also as fracking, involves the injection of large volumes of water mixed with abrasives and trace amounts of chemicals to coax oil and natural gas out of shale formations.

The oil services company said "it is possible to disclose 100 percent of the chemical ingredients we use in hydraulic fracturing fluids without compromising our formulations."

The disclosure is at odds with other major companies like Schlumberger and Halliburton, who argue their chemical components should be protected.

Baker Hughes said Thursday it would take several months before the disclosure policies goes into effect. The company said the format would list the chemicals used, but be categorized in such a way that specific formulas are protected.

The company, the third-largest oilfield services provider the world, said it would distribute the list to monitoring website FracFocus and on any necessary state forms.