Fracking may or may not contribute to the high number of earthquakes in Oklahoma, but ending the practice would trigger economic disaster.
That's the contention of Greg Kozera, an engineer, environmentalist, and President of the Virginia Oil and Gas Association.
He explains the fracking process and defends its environmental safety in his new book, "Just the Fracks, Ma'am."
"I'm not sure about the earthquake thing, but I damned sure know what happens when young men and women go to war," he said, noting that his own son was in the military and fought to keep the oil flowing from the Middle East.
He tells KRMG the science is unclear on the recent swarm of earthquakes in Oklahoma, but the economic realities are indisputable.
There's really no option available if the fracking process is halted, he says.
"If we don't frack, there goes virtually every well in the country," he told KRMG.
If anything, he believes the U.S. should increase its production of oil, and more importantly natural gas, which provides an inexpensive, relatively clean form of energy that we could export and help improve the economies of developing countries.
He also pointed out that petrochemicals are vital to our lives in ways people don't even consider -- for instance, nearly every piece of plastic or rubber in every gadget, tool, or machine.
And fracking has definitely made gasoline and natural gas less expensive, as KRMG has confirmed with industry analysts.
Take it out of the equation, Kozera says, and energy prices jump to the point where people would die for lack of heat.