大多數礦脈系統是在相對較高的孔隙流體壓力（英語：Pore water pressure）過程中，經過反復自然壓裂而成。高孔隙流體壓力對礦脈系統形成過程中所產生的影響，在「裂縫-封閉」脈中尤為明顯，礦脈中的物質是一系列壓裂事件後的結果，每次都有額外的物質沉積。[38]長期重複自然壓裂的例子譬如由地震所產生。地震讓應力水平不時上升和下降，會導致大量原生水從充滿流體的裂縫中排出。這個過程被稱為「地震抽水」。[39]
利用壓裂方式作為刺激淺層硬岩油井的方法可追溯到1860年代。當時使用矽藻土炸藥或硝酸甘油爆炸，以增加含油氣地層中的石油和天然氣產量。1865年4月24日，曾參與美國南北戰爭的Edward A. L. Roberts上校獲得名為「魚雷（石油鑽探）（英語：Torpedo (petroleum)）」爆裂物的專利。[41]先後在賓夕法尼亞州、紐約州、肯塔基州和西維吉尼亞州的油井使用，最早採用的是液體硝酸甘油，後來改用固化硝酸甘油。繼而也應用在水井和氣井的開採。在1930年代，有人引入酸性物質（而非爆炸方式）來刺激油井。由於酸蝕可讓裂縫不會完全閉合，可進一步把油氣產量提高。[42]
在阿莫科公司（英語：Amoco）前身的Stanolind Oil and Gas Corporation服務的Floyd Farris（生1911年，卒2003年）對油井生產力和壓力處理之間的關係進行過研究。Stanolind Oil根據其研究，於1947年在格蘭特縣 (堪薩斯州)的胡鉤藤天然氣田（英語：Hugoton Gas Field）進行首次水力壓裂實驗。[6][45]測試中，把1,000美制加侖（3,800升，或830英制加侖當量）的凝膠汽油（主要是凝固汽油彈）和取自阿肯色河的沙子注入2,400英尺（730米）深的含氣石灰岩地層中。那次實驗因為產量沒明顯變化，不算很成功。在Stanolind Oil工作的J.B. Clark在1948年將這項實驗的報告以論文方式發表。這項工藝在1949年獲得專利，由哈里伯頓油井固井公司獲得獨家授權。1949年3月17日，哈里伯頓公司率先在史蒂芬斯郡(奧克拉荷馬州)（英語：Stephens County, Oklahoma）和阿徹郡 (德克薩斯州)進行兩次商業水力壓裂處理。[45]從那時開始，這種工藝被用在各種地質條件，以刺激油氣井生產，數目達到100萬口，[46]並取得良好的效果。
大規模水力壓裂（也稱為大容量水力壓裂（high-volume hydraulic fracturing））是泛美石油公司（英語：Pan American Petroleum and Transport Company）於1968年首次在史蒂芬斯郡 (奧克拉荷馬州)採用。所謂大規模水力壓裂有幾種不同的定義，但一般是指一次注入150短噸(或大約300,000磅（136公噸）)以上的含支撐劑液體的裂解作業。[49]
在1980年代後期之前，定向鑽孔（非垂直鑽孔）的油井或是氣井並不常見。隨後德克薩斯州的經營者開始在奧斯汀·楚克（英語：Austin Chalk） 完成數千口定向鑽孔的油井，並在鑽孔中進行大規模滑溜水（slickwater）水力壓裂處理。事實證明定向鑽孔比垂直鑽井技術能更有效從緻密白堊中採得石油；[52]沉積層通常以接近水平方式分佈，因此以平行方式（定向）鑽孔可接觸到更大的目標地層。[53] sedimentary beds are usually nearly horizontal, so horizontal wells have much larger contact areas with the target formation.[54]
美國國務院制定一項全球頁岩氣倡議（Global Shale Gas Initiative），以說服世界各國政府允許石油巨頭在當地從事水力壓裂業務。根據[維基解密]]所公佈的一份美國外交電報文件（參見維基解密洩露美國外交電報事件）顯示美國官員們為外國政府官員舉行會議，會中由石油巨頭代表和公共關係專業人士就安撫目標國家，對水力壓裂懷有敵意的人民進行專題介紹。美國政府的努力最終獲得成功，因為幾大洲上的許多國家都有同意給予水力壓裂特許權的想法；例如波蘭同意允許它們在其近3分之1的領土上進行水力壓裂作業。[130]美國政府所屬的美國進出口銀行從2010年以來為在澳大利亞昆士蘭州建立水力壓裂業務，已經對該國提供47億美元的資金。[131]
美國導演喬什·福克斯（英語：Josh Fox）在2010年奧斯卡獎中受提名的電影 -《天然氣之地（英語：Gasland）》（Gasland）[135]成為一個反水力壓裂頁岩的代表。這部電影展示賓夕法尼亞州、懷俄明州和科羅拉多州鑽井現場附近的地下水污染問題。[136]石油和天然氣行業遊說團體 「Energy in Depth 」認為這部電影所述與事實不符。[137]而Gasland的網站上針對「Energy in Depth 」所謂不符事實予以反駁。[138]埃克森美孚、雪佛龍和康菲公司在2011年和2012年播放廣告，描述天然氣對經濟和環境的效益，並認為水力壓裂是安全的。[139]
2014年6月，英國衛生及社會關懷部所屬的公共衛生署（英語：Public Health England）根據對已採用水力壓裂的國家的文獻和數據的審查，發表一篇關於英國頁岩氣開採過程，當地人暴露於化學和放射性污染物而對公共衛生的潛在影響的綜述。[151]這份報告在執行摘要中指出：「對目前已有證據的評估顯示，如果作業和監管正確運作，暴露於相關的排放物，而造成的潛在健康風險將會很低。大多數證據顯示，地下水污染最有可能是由垂直鑽孔洩漏所引起，地下水力壓裂過程本身（即頁岩的壓裂）對地下水污染的可能性不大。但水力壓裂液或廢水在地表的洩漏有影響地下水的可能，而氣體排放也有可能影響健康。在文獻中所確定的潛在風險，通常是由於運作不正確和環境監管不佳所造成。」[151]:iii
一份在2012年為歐盟環境總局（European Union Directorate-General for the Environment ）準備的報告，確定水力壓裂造成的空氣污染和地下水污染對人類的潛在風險，[157]而引發在2014年的一系列建議，以緩解這些擔憂。[158][159]2012年美國兒科護士指南稱，水力壓裂對公共健康有潛在的負面影響，兒科護士應做好收集有關此類主題信息的準備，用以倡導改善社區健康。[160]
每口要做水力壓裂的井需要用到120至350萬美制加侖（4,500至 13,200立方米）的水，大型項目使用的多達500萬美制加侖（19,000立方米）。[171]當同一口井需要重新壓裂時，就需使用額外的水。[78][172]一口井在其生命週期內平均需要300到800萬美制加侖（11,000到30,000立方米）的水。[69]根據隸屬牛津大學的牛津能源研究所（英語：Oxford Institute for Energy Studies）的數據，歐洲因為當地頁岩深度平均是美國的1.5倍，而需要用到更多的壓裂液。[173]地表水可能會因溢出，以及建造和維護不當的廢棄物坑而受到污染，[174]從壓裂的地層中逸出（例如經過廢棄的鑽孔、裂縫和斷層[175]）的液體，或採出水（英語：produced water）（回流或是鑽孔產生的流體，其中含有如礦物質和鹽的溶解物）也會污染地下水。鹽水和壓裂液從廢棄的鑽孔洩漏而污染地下水的可能性很低。[176][151]採出水可透過注入不透水的地下層、利用市政和商業廢水處理和排放以及油井或油田的自給式系統循環處理，作未來壓裂之用。[177]用於壓裂地層後的採出水，能被回收的通常不會超過一半。[178]
歐盟通過一項關於使用大容量水力壓裂的最低原則的建議。[33]其監管制度要求全面披露所使用的添加劑。[208]美國非營利組織"地下水保護委員會（Ground Water Protection Council
）"[209]推出網址FracFocus.org，這是個水力壓裂液在線自願披露資料庫，由石油和天然氣貿易組織和美國能源部資助。[210][211]水力壓裂並不包括在《安全飲用水法（英語：Safe Drinking Water Act）》的地下注入控制規定之中，但如果使用到柴油，則須受控制。EPA確保在頒發使用到柴油的壓裂鑽井許可時，會進行監督。[212]
2012年，佛蒙特州成為美國第一個禁止水力壓裂的州。2014年12月17日，紐約州因水力壓裂對人類健康和環境有潛在風險，成為第二個完全禁止這種做法的州。[213][214][215]
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