hydraulic fracking: multimedia environmental assessment southeast symposium on contemporary...
TRANSCRIPT
Hydraulic Fracking: Multimedia Environmental Assessment
Southeast Symposium on Contemporary Engineering Topics
August 31, 2012
Outline
EmergenceHydraulic FracturingProcess OverviewU.S. geographical distributionEnvironmental RisksU.S. Energy SupplyRegulationsEconomics
Emergence of Hydraulic Fracturing
1860s: Fracturing as a method to stimulate shallow, hard rock oil wells. Applied by oil producers in Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, and West Virginia by using liquid and later also solidified nitroglycerin.
1970s: United States government initiated the Eastern Gas Shales Project.
1977: Department of Energy pioneered massive hydraulic fracturing in tight sandstone formations.
Between 2005 and 2010: Shale-gas industry in the United States grew by 45% a year.
Between 2005 and 2012: Shale gas increased from 4% to 24%.
What is hydraulic fracturing?Also called “fracking”A process of initiating, and
subsequently propagating a fracture in a rock layer, by injecting the pressurized fluid
The fracturing is done from a wellbore drilled into reservoir rock formations, in order to increase the extraction and ultimate recovery rates of oil and natural gas
4
What is shale?• Fine-grained sedimentary rock
composed of mud and tiny fragments of other minerals
• Deposited in very slow moving water, lakes and lagoonal deposits, in river deltas, on flood plains and offshore from beach sands.
• Characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering
• Usually has low permeability5
Role of Hydraulic Fracturing in America’s Energy Supply
90% of oil and gas wells in the United States undergo fracturing to stimulate production.
The use of hydraulic fracturing is estimated to account for 30% of U.S. recoverable oil and gas reserves, and is responsible for the addition of 7 billion barrels of oil and 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Without hydraulic fracturing, we would be producing much less oil and gas in America, relying more on foreign imports to meet the energy demands of our nation.
Pump the fracturing fluid into
the wellbore to increase the
pressure downhole.
Formation begins to crack; fracturing
fluid enters the crack farther into the formation. A
solid proppant keeps this fracture
open after the injection stops.
The propped hydraulic fracture then becomes a
high permeability conduit through
which the formation fluids can flow to the
well.
How does hydraulic fracturing work?
8
Injected fluid: water, gels, foams, and compressed gases, including nitrogen, carbon dioxide and airProppant: sand, resin-coated sand, and man-made ceramics
Different shale gas deposits across the country
63%
13%
8%
10%6%
US Shale Gas resources (tcf)
North-East Gulf CoastMid-con-tinent
South-west
Rocky Mountain
West Coast
12% 8
%
17%
62%
US Shale oil resources (billion barrels)
North-East Gulf CoastMid-con-tinent
South-west
Rocky Mountain
West Coast
1. 86% of the total 750 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale gas are located in the Northeast, Gulf Coast, and Southwest regions.
2. In the three regions, the largest shale gas plays are the Marcellus (410.3 trillion cubic feet, 55 percent of the total), Haynesville (74.7 trillion cubic feet, 10 percent of the total), and Barnett (43.4 trillion cubic feet, 6 percent of the total).
12
Shale Natural Gas Reserves
Source: EIA, http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_gas/data_publications/crude_oil_natural_gas_reserves/cr.html.
1. EIA projects 827 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of recoverable natural gas from U.S. shales using currently available technology.
2. US current consumption: 23 Tcf per year, 20 Tcf is produces and rest is imported
3. Shale gas resources represent 36 years of current consumption.
4. One Tcf of natural gas = Heat 15 million homes for 1 year = 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity = 12 million natural-gas-fired vehicles for 1 year.
Water Use Statistics
Rig Supply Ground Water
8% Frac Supply Ground Water12%
Other Ground Water
1%
Rig Supply Surface Water
1%
Frac Supply Sur-face Water
77%
Other Surface Water<0.5%
Source Volume (Gallons)
Frac Groundwater 1,230,712,693
Frac Surface Water 8,223,152,516Drilling Rig Groundwater Supply 879,649,632Drilling Rig Surface Water Supply 157,839,504
Other Groundwater 155,545,829
Other Surface Water, 39,007,638
Source Volume (Gallons)
Frac Groundwater 1,230,712,693
Frac Surface Water 8,223,152,516Drilling Rig Groundwater Supply 879,649,632Drilling Rig Surface Water Supply 157,839,504
Other Groundwater 155,545,829
Other Surface Water, 39,007,638
15
Average Water Demands of Well Fracking
Barnett◦Water Use (gallons/well): 2,300,000
Haynesville◦Water Use: 2,700,000
Marcellus (PA)◦Water Use: 3,800,000
Source: EPA Frac Study Plan
Environmental Concerns
• Chemical concernso Pumping chemicals near water tableo Failure in pits and liners could leak chemicals
• High water usage• Air Emissions from truck use• Surface Area used
17
Risk to GroundwaterLittle to no evidence of direct impact to
groundwater.Potential contamination of groundwater if
mechanical integrity of well is compromised.Lowering aquifer water levels by water
consumption from fracking may:◦ Affect water quality by exposing mineral
to oxygen-rich environment;◦ Increasing salination and potential
chemical contamination;◦ Increase bacterial growth;◦ Cause upwelling of lower quality water
from deeper within aquifers.
Sources: http://www.api.org/policy/exploration/hydraulicfracturing/ and EPA Frac Study Plan
18
Risks to Surface Water: Flowback After fracing, pressure decreases and frac fluid
flows back to the surface. Amount of frac fluid recovered as flowback varies
from 25% to 75%. Flowback rate in first few days can exceed
100,000 gallons per day◦ Will drop to ~ 50 gallons per day over time
As of 2009, none of 27 states with fracing require reporting of flowback
Flowback can have frac fluids and high TDS values, concentrations of major ions (e.g. barium, bromide, calcium, iron), radionuclides, VOC, and other natural occurring elements.
Depleted surface water sources may affect flow, depth, temperature and reduce dilution of surface water sources increase contaminations concentrations.
Source: EPA Frac Study Plan
19
Handling/Disposing of Flowback Flowback and produced water are held in storage
tanks and water impoundment pits prior to and during treatment, recycling, and disposal.
Impoundments may be temporary or long-term. Underground injection is primary method for disposal
for flowback and produced water.◦ Concerns regarding injection capacity and cost of
trucking wastewater to injection site. Potential for use of publicly owned treatment works
(POTW) or commercial treatment facilities if in populated areas.◦ POTWs not designed to treat fracing wastewaters
Releases, leaks, and/or spills involving storage and transportation of flowback and produced water could contaminate shallow drinking water aquifers and surface water bodies.
Source: EPA Frac Study Plan
Federal Regulations
2003 Memorandum Agreement◦3 Largest oil service companies agreed
to eliminate diesel fuel from fracturing coal bed methane seams
2004 EPA Study ◦ Injection of fracturing fluids into coal bed
methane wells posed little or no threat to underground sources of drinking water
◦ Identified diesel fuel as a constituent of concern
21
Federal Regulations contd.
Fracking, except for fracking with diesel fuel, was excluded from Safe Drinking Water Act definition of “underground injection” by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. (42 U.S.C. 300h(d)(1)(B)(ii)).
◦ Bills introduced March 15, 2011 to remove exemption (HR 1084).
◦ Similar bills introduced in Senate (S 587) and in past (2009 – HR 2766).
Definition of “underground injection”
◦ (1)(A) - means the subsurface emplacement of fluids by well injection; and
◦ (1)(B) excludes –
(i) the underground injection of natural gas for purposes of storage; and
(ii) the underground injection of fluids or propping agents (other than diesel fuels) pursuant to hydraulic fracturing operations related to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities.
Clean Water Act and State Regulation
CWA covers the discharge of water produced by hydrofracturing regulations
Regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
UIC Program Requirements
To be issued a permit, the applicant must show that the underground injection will not endanger drinking water resources.
UIC program must require inspection, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements on those who employ underground injection.
The EPA can administer a UIC Program itself, or delegate that authority to the states.
The FRAC Act
Introduced on June 9, 2009Aims to define hydraulic fracturing as a
federally regulated activity under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Energy industry to disclose the chemicals it mixes with the water and sand it pumps underground in the hydraulic fracturing process.
Broaden the definition of “underground injection” to include hydraulic fracturing.
25
EPA Hydraulic Fracking Study
February 8, 2011 EPA releases Draft Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan
Study designed to examine “life cycle” of fracing, particularly potential affect to drinking water resources and human exposure to chemicals.
Study will analyze and research questions involving:◦ Water Acquisition; Chemical Mixing; Well Injection;
Flowback and Produced Water; and Wastewater Treatment and Waste Disposal
Study will include:◦ Retrospective case studies, possibly in Barnett Shale
counties of Wise and Denton Counties◦ Prospective cases studies, possibly in Flower
Mound/Bartonville. Study expected to be completed in 2012, with 2014
follow-up. In 2004, EPA conducted study finding that hydraulic
fracturing in coal-bed methane wells pose little to no threat to underground drinking water.Sources: EPA Frac Study Plan and Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of
Drinking Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane Reservoirs (EPA 816-R-04-003), 2004.
26
Other Recent Studies and ReportsApril 16, 2011:
◦ Congressional report prepared by Waxman, Markey, and DeGette outlining chemicals used in fracing, including benzene, lead, and methanol.
◦ Alleged use of 29 chemicals that are known or possible carcinogens.
April 2011: ◦ Prepublication of report by Cornell
Professors that CO2 emissions from shale fracing are greater than coal.
Sources: U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Chemical Used in Hydraulic Fracturing (April 2011) and Robert Howard, et al, Methane and the Greenhouse-Gas Footprint of Natural Gas from Shale Formations (2011).
US Economy and Hydraulic Fracking
Study Results for the U.S. Economy Decrease in production of oil and natural gas, which
results in increase in imports to meet the nation's energy demand.
No Fracturing scenario: ◦ Oil and natural gas production losses, ◦ Increasing toll on U.S. economic performance from 2014
through 2020.◦ 2014: GDP is lower by $374 billion and employment falls by 2.9
million jobs. ◦ Severe recession, exacerbating recovery and job growth.
UIC Compliance scenario:◦ Economic impacts also rise through 2014, ◦ GDP and employment both drop 0.5% ◦ 2014: GDP is $84 billion lower and there are 635,000 fewer
jobs.
Fluid Restrictions Scenario:◦ GDP is lower by $172 billion and employment falls by 1.3
million jobs.
COMPETING INTERESTS AND ISSUES
Cheaper Fuel
Jobs and Training
Income for Landowners
Greener than Oil and Coal
Revenue for Local Communities and New York State
Reduced Reliance on Imported Oil/National Security Implications
Impacts on Water, Public Health and Safety
Infrastructure Maintenance Costs
Financial Impacts and Burdens
Character of the Community
Advocacy and Actions
Quality of Life
Vs.
Opportunities for Consulting FirmsFiling for permit applicationEffective ways to handle/dispose
the flowbackRegulation compliancePossible contamination with BTEX
compoundsReporting and disclosing as per
federal and state requirements