A controversial oil and gas drilling process is concerning some farmers in Taranaki.

Fracking, a contraction of the term ‘fracturing’, is a process that involves injecting a mixture of water, sand and chemicals at extreme pressure, into underground rock layers, to find where reserves of oil or gas are trapped.

The pressure of the water creates tiny cracks in the rock, and the sand holds the cracks open, freeing the oil or gas to flow up the well.

Fracking is a widely used technique around the world, but because of protests and environmental concerns, has been banned in France, South Africa, the UK and some states in the US.

A number of Taranki farmers have raised concerns over the process, questioning the potential for contamination of water supplies in nearby wells and bores.

But scientific reports claim fracking does not affect aquifers used for drinking water or irrigation.

Harvey Leach, Taranaki Federated Farmers President, said farmers in the area are keen to learn more about the process of fracking, and want the oil companies to speak with the public about the process, and what it involves before jumping to any conclusions.

"We have a liaison guy and he goes around the farms, talking to the farmers and it depends on what they are wanting to do.

"They have a radius from where the wells are going to be drilled. From there that lets them know the type of work they are going to be doing and how many people on that radius out from the hole they will contact."

Mr Leach told Country99tv he personally wasn’t concerned about the effects of fracking and that it has little effect on people and animals.

"Fracking’s done three, four kms under the ground. It’s not done near the surface like they do in America."