De flesta gasskiffer finns i omfattande sömmar hundratals eller tusentals meter under ytan . Dessa sömmar kan nås genom konventionell vertikal borrning, men den mest produktiva metoden är vanligtvis horisontell borrning . i denna teknik en brunn påbörjas på traditionellt sätt, med den auguering av en pilothål. This is lined with a steel pipe some 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 inches) in diameter, called the conductor casing, that is cemented into place. From there the borehole is drilled straight down, passing through numerous rock layers that may include contaminable freshwater aquifers used for private wells or municipal water supply. This portion of the borehole is lined with a cemented Stålrör som kallas ythöljet . Beroende på produktionsbehov eller miljöregler, kan ett annat rör, kallat mellanhöljet, cementeras inuti ythöljet .
At a predetermined "kickoff point" (in some cases above the shale formation, in other cases within it), a steerable drill bit is installed, and the borehole is turned to the horizontal. From there drilling continues within the shale, sometimes for another thousand meters or more. When this lateral section of the well is drilled, the entire borehole is lined with yet another pipe called the production höljet . I många operationer kan mer än en brunn borras från en enda ytplats (eller "pad"), eller mer än en sidosektion kan stråla från ett enda borrhål .
