大多数矿脉系统是在相对较高的孔隙流体压力（英语：Pore water pressure）过程中，经过反复自然压裂而成。高孔隙流体压力对矿脉系统形成过程中所产生的影响，在“裂缝-封闭”脉中尤为明显，矿脉中的物质是一系列压裂事件后的结果，每次都有额外的物质沉积。[38]长期重复自然压裂的例子譬如由地震所产生。地震让应力水平不时上升和下降，会导致大量原生水从充满流体的裂缝中排出。这个过程被称为“地震抽水”。[39]
利用压裂方式作为刺激浅层硬岩油井的方法可追溯到1860年代。当时使用矽藻土炸药或硝酸甘油爆炸，以增加含油气地层中的石油和天然气产量。1865年4月24日，曾参与美国南北战争的Edward A. L. Roberts上校获得名为“鱼雷（石油钻探）（英语：Torpedo (petroleum)）”爆裂物的专利。[41]先后在宾夕法尼亚州、纽约州、肯塔基州和西维吉尼亚州的油井使用，最早采用的是液体硝酸甘油，后来改用固化硝酸甘油。继而也应用在水井和气井的开采。在1930年代，有人引入酸性物质（而非爆炸方式）来刺激油井。由于酸蚀可让裂缝不会完全闭合，可进一步把油气产量提高。[42]
在阿莫科公司（英语：Amoco）前身的Stanolind Oil and Gas Corporation服务的Floyd Farris（生1911年，卒2003年）对油井生产力和压力处理之间的关系进行过研究。Stanolind Oil根据其研究，于1947年在格兰特县 (堪萨斯州)的胡钩藤天然气田（英语：Hugoton Gas Field）进行首次水力压裂实验。[6][45]测试中，把1,000美制加仑（3,800升，或830英制加仑当量）的凝胶汽油（主要是凝固汽油弹）和取自阿肯色河的沙子注入2,400英尺（730米）深的含气石灰岩地层中。那次实验因为产量没明显变化，不算很成功。在Stanolind Oil工作的J.B. Clark在1948年将这项实验的报告以论文方式发表。这项工艺在1949年获得专利，由哈里伯顿油井固井公司获得独家授权。1949年3月17日，哈里伯顿公司率先在斯蒂芬斯郡(奥克拉荷马州)（英语：Stephens County, Oklahoma）和阿彻郡 (德克萨斯州)进行两次商业水力压裂处理。[45]从那时开始，这种工艺被用在各种地质条件，以刺激油气井生产，数目达到100万口，[46]并取得良好的效果。
大规模水力压裂（也称为大容量水力压裂（high-volume hydraulic fracturing））是泛美石油公司（英语：Pan American Petroleum and Transport Company）于1968年首次在斯蒂芬斯郡 (奥克拉荷马州)采用。所谓大规模水力压裂有几种不同的定义，但一般是指一次注入150短吨(或大约300,000磅（136公吨）)以上的含支撑剂液体的裂解作业。[49]
在1980年代后期之前，定向钻孔（非垂直钻孔）的油井或是气井并不常见。随后德克萨斯州的经营者开始在奥斯汀·楚克（英语：Austin Chalk） 完成数千口定向钻孔的油井，并在钻孔中进行大规模滑溜水（slickwater）水力压裂处理。事实证明定向钻孔比垂直钻井技术能更有效从致密白垩中采得石油；[52]沉积层通常以接近水平方式分布，因此以平行方式（定向）钻孔可接触到更大的目标地层。[53] sedimentary beds are usually nearly horizontal, so horizontal wells have much larger contact areas with the target formation.[54]
美国国务院制定一项全球页岩气倡议（Global Shale Gas Initiative），以说服世界各国政府允许石油巨头在当地从事水力压裂业务。根据[维基解密]]所公布的一份美国外交电报文件（参见维基解密泄露美国外交电报事件）显示美国官员们为外国政府官员举行会议，会中由石油巨头代表和公共关系专业人士就安抚目标国家，对水力压裂怀有敌意的人民进行专题介绍。美国政府的努力最终获得成功，因为几大洲上的许多国家都有同意给予水力压裂特许权的想法；例如波兰同意允许它们在其近3分之1的领土上进行水力压裂作业。[130]美国政府所属的美国进出口银行从2010年以来为在澳大利亚昆士兰州建立水力压裂业务，已经对该国提供47亿美元的资金。[131]
美国导演乔什·福克斯（英语：Josh Fox）在2010年奥斯卡奖中受提名的电影 -《天然气之地（英语：Gasland）》（Gasland）[135]成为一个反水力压裂页岩的代表。这部电影展示宾夕法尼亚州、怀俄明州和科罗拉多州钻井现场附近的地下水污染问题。[136]石油和天然气行业游说团体 “Energy in Depth ”认为这部电影所述与事实不符。[137]而Gasland的网站上针对“Energy in Depth ”所谓不符事实予以反驳。[138]埃克森美孚、雪佛龙和康菲公司在2011年和2012年播放广告，描述天然气对经济和环境的效益，并认为水力压裂是安全的。[139]
2014年6月，英国卫生及社会关怀部所属的公共卫生署（英语：Public Health England）根据对已采用水力压裂的国家的文献和数据的审查，发表一篇关于英国页岩气开采过程，当地人暴露于化学和放射性污染物而对公共卫生的潜在影响的综述。[151]这份报告在执行摘要中指出：“对目前已有证据的评估显示，如果作业和监管正确运作，暴露于相关的排放物，而造成的潜在健康风险将会很低。大多数证据显示，地下水污染最有可能是由垂直钻孔泄漏所引起，地下水力压裂过程本身（即页岩的压裂）对地下水污染的可能性不大。但水力压裂液或废水在地表的泄漏有影响地下水的可能，而气体排放也有可能影响健康。在文献中所确定的潜在风险，通常是由于运作不正确和环境监管不佳所造成。”[151]:iii
一份在2012年为欧盟环境总局（European Union Directorate-General for the Environment ）准备的报告，确定水力压裂造成的空气污染和地下水污染对人类的潜在风险，[157]而引发在2014年的一系列建议，以缓解这些担忧。[158][159]2012年美国儿科护士指南称，水力压裂对公共健康有潜在的负面影响，儿科护士应做好收集有关此类主题信息的准备，用以倡导改善社区健康。[160]
每口要做水力压裂的井需要用到120至350万美制加仑（4,500至 13,200立方米）的水，大型项目使用的多达500万美制加仑（19,000立方米）。[171]当同一口井需要重新压裂时，就需使用额外的水。[78][172]一口井在其生命周期内平均需要300到800万美制加仑（11,000到30,000立方米）的水。[69]根据隶属牛津大学的牛津能源研究所（英语：Oxford Institute for Energy Studies）的数据，欧洲因为当地页岩深度平均是美国的1.5倍，而需要用到更多的压裂液。[173]地表水可能会因溢出，以及建造和维护不当的废弃物坑而受到污染，[174]从压裂的地层中逸出（例如经过废弃的钻孔、裂缝和断层[175]）的液体，或采出水（英语：produced water）（回流或是钻孔产生的流体，其中含有如矿物质和盐的溶解物）也会污染地下水。盐水和压裂液从废弃的钻孔泄漏而污染地下水的可能性很低。[176][151]采出水可透过注入不透水的地下层、利用市政和商业废水处理和排放以及油井或油田的自给式系统循环处理，作未来压裂之用。[177]用于压裂地层后的采出水，能被回收的通常不会超过一半。[178]
欧盟通过一项关于使用大容量水力压裂的最低原则的建议。[33]其监管制度要求全面披露所使用的添加剂。[208]美国非营利组织"地下水保护委员会（Ground Water Protection Council
）"[209]推出网址FracFocus.org，这是个水力压裂液在线自愿披露数据库，由石油和天然气贸易组织和美国能源部资助。[210][211]水力压裂并不包括在《安全饮用水法（英语：Safe Drinking Water Act）》的地下注入控制规定之中，但如果使用到柴油，则须受控制。EPA确保在颁发使用到柴油的压裂钻井许可时，会进行监督。[212]
2012年，佛蒙特州成为美国第一个禁止水力压裂的州。2014年12月17日，纽约州因水力压裂对人类健康和环境有潜在风险，成为第二个完全禁止这种做法的州。[213][214][215]
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