First developed in 1947, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) remained an unheard-of tactic for extraction until it was used in the Barnett Shale Basin in 1998. The process works by pumping fracturing fluids–like slickwater, gel or foam–into a wellbore at a sufficient enough rate to fracture the rocks below. When these fractures occur, the operator injects proppants into the well to prevent the fractures from closing when the fluid pressure is reduced. And finally, oil and gas leaks from the fractures into the well for extraction. This overnight success has investors looking for the best ways to play the newly abundant natural resource market [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].