According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), over 87 percent of the natural gas consumed in the US comes from domestic sources. The proportion of total U.S. natural gas production coming from shale resources has grown from less than 1 percent in 2000, to 20 percent in 2010. By the end of 2011, shale resources will produce 25 percent of U.S. natural gas (MIT Study on the Future of Natural Gas).  Due primarily to technological innovation, hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have made shale gas extraction from previously inaccessible domestic shale formations feasible and economical.

This discussion will involve subject matter experts, considering hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as "fracking" or "hydrofracking."

• Carlos Santamarina (Professor and Goizuetta Foundation Chair, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech) Carlos leads a research team that explores the scientific foundations of soil behavior and subsurface processes using innovative testing methods combined with high resolution process monitoring systems. Research outcomes are addressing issues in geotechnical engineering in the area of energy geotechnology with contributions to: efficiency and conservation, resource recovery (petroleum, methane hydrates), energy storage, and waste utilization (carbon geological storage, fly ash and nuclear waste).
• Sayta Gupta (Senior Research Director of Fracturing Technology, Baker Hughes) Sayta’s career has been in the oil and gas industry. After working on the research staffs of Gulf and Pennzoil, he joined the Western Company, which was acquired by BJ Services. Baker Hughes purchased BJ Services in 2010. At Western, Sayta was chief chemical engineer. Sayta is the inventor or co-inventor on 110 U.S. and international patents related to numerous fracturing fluids and additives. He continues to have a leadership role in BJ Services SmartCare systems, launched in 2010, which enables operators to frack oil and gas wells in a responsible and safe manner while maximizing production.