Data Consolidation and Visualization in Hydraulic Fracturing: Enhancing Transparency and Accountability

This chapter explores the potential offered by digital innovations in narrowing the divide between hydraulic fracturing entities and community constituents. It outlines instances where digital infrastructures have facilitated enhanced engagement with communities, encouraging the creation and sustaining of a social license to operate (SLO). The impact of data visualization techniques and digital platforms in augmenting the transparency of hydraulic fracturing activities demonstrates how democratizing complex environmental data to make it comprehensible to the public aids the industry in securing an SLO. These digital tools empower stakeholders, fostering an environment of trust and informed dialogue. Our study contributes to the ongoing discourse regarding the influence of digital transformation in the achievement of sustainable outcomes. It offers a deep dive into how cutting-edge technologies can mitigate potential controversies, facilitating coexistence between industrial operations and community interests. In doing so, our conceptual framework provides a holistic understanding of how visualization techniques can enhance transparency, accountability, and trust, thereby fostering greater acceptance by communities.