marcellus shale natural gas fracking in penn... · a leaking waste water pipe from a range...
TRANSCRIPT
Marcellus Shale
Amy Bergdale
US EPA, Region 3,Environmental Assessment & Innovation Division, Office of Monitoring & Assessment, Freshwater Biology Team
Who is Marcellus??•Brief History of Natural Gas
•Sources of Natural Gas
•Exploring the Marcellus Shale
•Waste Characteristics of the Marcellus Shale, including TENORM
•Reasonable Potential of the pollutants of concern: both aquatic and human health
•Reality of the Issue
Discovery of Natural Gas
1815 –
Charleston, WV The first Natural Gas well discovered by accident
Discovered in Appalachia•World’s 1st
commercial oil well in 1859, Titusville, PA.
•Natural gas was an accidental and underestimated by-product of the oil rush of 1850s.
•Large scale practice of natural gas was introduced in late 1800s by Joseph Pews and George Westinghouse for steel and glass industries in Pittsburgh.
•Local gas companies evolved from individual wells to an interstate supply acquired by Rockefeller’s Standard Oil.
•1950s shifted supply from Appalachia to new discoveries of natural gas in Southwest and Gulf of Mexico.
Energy Consumption in the UNITED STATES, 2007
Energy Consumption
Source: Energy Information Administration
OIL
World Coal Consumption
0.0
500.0
1,000.0
1,500.0
2,000.0
1980198219841986198819901992199419961998200020022004
P2006M
illio
n S
ho
rt T
on
s
UnitedStatesAll ofEuropeEurasia
China
India
p://www.eia.doe.gov/basics/naturalgas_basics.htm
2008: 23.2 TCF
United States Gas Fields
http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/P1-AP715A_NATGA_NS_20090429185625.gif
Source TCF
Barnett Shale - TX 2.1 - 30
Anadarko Basin – TX to KS 100
Haynesville Shale – Gulf Coast 250
Prudhoe Bay – North AK 28
Marcellus 168 - 516
SOURCES of GAS
Asalouyeh, South Pars Gas Field- Iran 500
Urengoy gas field- Russia 385
Iolotan gas field - Turkmenis tan 264
Marcellus Shale
www.geoexpro.com
What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?
VERTICAL VS HORIZONTAL
Marcellus Fracturing
http://geology.com/articles/marcellus-shale.shtml
Water-
Groundwater
Municipal
Surface
Proppant
–
30% of Water volume
Shale & Overburden
Additives
Additives•
Over 300 proprietary additives, including surfactants, biocides, wetting agents, scale inhibitors, organic compounds (benzene, toluene) etc
Wetting agent nonionic surfactants 5-9 lbs/ 1000 gal
Friction reducer anionic polyacrylamide polymer 3-5 lbs / 1000 gal
Biocidesdibromo nitrilopropionamide, glutaraldehyde, or n,n dibromosulfamate
1-5 lbs / 1000 gal
Scale inhibitors
Either a Polyacrylate or a Phosphonate, such as aminotri methylenephosphonate or phosphonobutane tricarboxylate
1-2 lbs / 1000 gal
Fracwater Chemistry
5lb/1000gal
5,000,000gal
25000 lbs
What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?
•Access Roads
•Well pads
•Transport vehicles
•Compression stations
•Cleaning stations
•Pipelines
LANDUSE ALTERATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
(National Park Service, December 2008)
•5,000,000 gal
•3000 gal/truck
•1667 trucks for water
•1.5 million lbs of proppant
•2000 lbs/truck
•750 trucks for proppant
•
Vertical vs
Horizontal
•
Infrastructure
•
Land Use
Alteration
•
Process
water
proppants
additives
shale &
overburden
composition
•
Supporting
Infrastructure
•
Treatment
www.geoexpro.com
What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?
Characterizing the Waste•
Surfactants
•
Organics•
TDS–
30,000 to 230,000+ mg/l •
Chlorides–
15,000 to 110,000+ mg/l•
Metals–
Barium, Strontium–
Selenium•
TENORM–
Radium 226, 228–
Gross alpha, beta–
Uranium–
Radon
TDS - 70,334mg/LCI - 37,460mg/L
TDS – N/ACI – 30,000 mg/L
TDS – 211,000 mg/LCI – 102,000 mg/L
Gross alpha – 960 pCi/L
TDS – 217,000 mg/LCI – 107,000 mg/L
Gross alpha – 3420 pCi/L
TDS – 132,000 mg/LCI – 121,000 mg/L
Gross alpha – 3330 pCi/L
Staged Flowback of Marcellus Well - WV
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
Day 1 Day 5 Day 10 Day 20 Day 30
mg
/L
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
mg
/L
Chloride Total Dissolved Solids Specific Conductivity
Characterizing the Waste
What is in the Waste?
waste treatment
& disposal
method
waste
storage
method
↑ frac
water
↑ produced
water
↑ cuttings
↑
organics
↑
surfactants
↑ other
toxic
substances
↑metals↑ TDS
↑
Cl‐
↑
Na+
↑ K+
↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2
↑
TENORM
↑radon ↑ U ↑
Ra226
↑
Ra228
↑ other
radionuclides
What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?
Treatment of Waste
Underground Injection
Thermal Evaporation
DilutionBrine Treatment
What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?
How much waste?
Average Horizontal Well –
•5,000,000 gal H2O (not considering proppant
and/or additive volume)
•Flowback
~60% injected volume
•1,500,000 gal of waste
•Need 500+ trucks to transport
Underground Injection -
PA
County Injection Formation
Injection Pressu
reInjection Volume
(Bbls/Month) API
BeaverHuntersville/Oriskan
y 1300 21,00037-017-
20027
Clearfield Oriskany 3240 426037-033-
00053
Greene Mine Void 0 150,000
Erie Gatesburg 1570 45,00037-049-
24388
Indiana Balltown 1930 360037-063-
20246
Somerset Oriskany 3250 27,00037-111-
20059
Clearfield Oriskany 1450 420037-033-
22059
SomersetHuntersville/Oriskan
y 3218 30,00037-111-
20006
TOTAL 285,060
Brine Treatment
•VOCs
–
blown off
•Oil & Grease, removed
•Metals, removed
•Does NOT treat TDS
•TDS in = TDS out
Thermal Evaporation
•VOCs
–
blown off•Oil & Grease, removed•Metals, removed•TDS, removed•By-products
SaltWater
Dilution
Is Dilution the
Solution?
Marcellus gas drilling
Pollutants = i.e., Metals, TDS, etc.
Reasonable Potential
Is there Reasonable Potential to cause harm?
Reasonable Potential -
Limitations must be established in permits to control all pollutants or
pollutant parameters that are or may be discharged at a level that will causewill cause, have , have the the reasonable potentialreasonable potential to to cause, or cause, or contribute to an contribute to an excursion above any state excursion above any state water quality standardwater quality standard [40
CFR 122.44(d)(1)(i)].
Components of Water Quality Standard:
•Designated Uses•Water Quality Criteria•Antidegradation policy•General Policies
Water Quality Criteria:
Numeric criteriaChemical
Aquatic lifeHuman healthOthers (e.g., wildlife,
sediment)Whole Effluent ToxicityBiological
Narrative Criteria
Calculating Receiving Water Concentrations Under Critical
Conditions for Marcellus Waste
•
Criterion for protection of aquatic life from chronic effects from Pollutant X (in our case we are using Chloride as our pollutant of concern)
Upstream
(Qs, Cs)
Downstream
(Qr, Cr)
Discharge (Qd, Cd)
Current IssueWater leak from Washington County gas
well kills fishThursday, June 04, 2009
By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-GazetteA leaking waste water pipe from a Range Resources Marcellus Shale gas
well drilled in Washington County's Cross Creek Park has polluted an unnamed tributary of Cross Creek Lake, killing fish, salamanders,
crayfish and aquatic insect life in approximately three-quarters of a mile of the stream.
The state Department of Environmental Protection said Range Resources reported the May 26 waste water discharge from a coupling on a 6-inch pipe running from a recently drilled well to a waste water impoundment.
The DEP has taken water samples of the stream above and below the pollution release, said Helen Humphreys, a department spokeswoman,
and, after those are evaluated, will determine the appropriate enforcement action.
The Range Resources wastewater pipeline connects three Marcellus Shale deep gas wells drilled in the 3,000 acre county-owned park.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09155/975107- 113.stm#ixzz0HZotpuGY&C
"It's a gold rush, really. It's a boom," said Steve Rupert, an executive with Range Resources,
which is drilling aggressively in the rolling farmland southwest of Pittsburgh. (Washington Post Aug. 15, 2008)
Determining a Critical Value (Cr)
Upstream
(Qs, Cs)
Downstream
(Qr, Cr)
Discharge (Qd, Cd)
Criterion for protection of aquatic life from chronic effects:
Qs = Critical stream flow (7Q10) for chronic criterion
Qd = Critical effluent flow from discharge flow data
Qr = Sum of critical stream flow and critical effluent flow
Cs = Critical upstream pollutant concentration
Cd = Critical effluent pollutant concentration
Cr = QsCs + QdCd
Qr
Chloride Brine Data from Western PA
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
mg
/L Avg
65600 mg/L
Characterizing the Waste in PA
Determining a Critical Value (Cr)
Upstream
(Qs, Cs)
Downstream
(Qr, Cr)
Discharge (Qd, Cd)
•Ohio River, River Mile 40, U.S. Chester, WV
•Background chloride 100mg/L
•Large 100mgd (155cfs) Treatment Facility
•7Q10: 2,060cfs
•Max observed is 109000mg/L of 16 samples
•Cd = 109000 * 2.5 = 272,500mg/L (assuming 99th percentile, default CV of 0.6)
Cr = QsCs + QdCd
Qr
= 19162 mg/L >230 mg/L
Conclusion: The discharge would cause, have the reasonable potential to cause, or contribute to an excursion of the Chronic National Aquatic Life Criteria for Chloride
Determining a Critical Value (Cr)
Upstream
(Qs, Cs)
Downstream
(Qr, Cr)
Discharge (Qd, Cd)
•S.F. Tenmile
•Background chloride of 28.5mg/L
•Large 0.8mgd (1.23cfs) Treatment Facility
•7Q10: 3.75cfs
•Max observed is 109000mg/L of 16 samples
•Cd = 109000 * 2.5 = 272,500mg/L (assuming 99th percentile, default CV of 0.6)
Cr = QsCs + QdCd
Qr
= 67,326 mg/L >230 mg/L
Conclusion: The discharge would cause, have the reasonable potential to cause, or contribute to an excursion of the Chronic National Aquatic Life Criteria for Chloride
What if diluted?
VS.
Ohio River Receiving
Cr = 19162 mg/L > 230 mg/L Chronic Chloride National Aquatic Life Criteria
10% = 1916 mg/L
5% = 958 mg/L
1% = 192 mg/L
0.5% = 96 mg/L
S. F. Tenmile Receiving
Cr = 67,326 mg/L > 230 mg/L Chronic Chloride National Aquatic Life Criteria
10% = 6733 mg/L
5% = 3366 mg/L
1% = 673 mg/L
0.5% = 337 mg/L< 230 mg/L
Waste Disposal Methodswaste
treatment &
disposal
method
↓ water
availability
waste
storage
method
retention
pondsstorage
tanks
↑ oil &
grease
exposure
↑
leachate
&
leakage
brine waste
↑ groundwater
contamination
↑ surface
water
contamination ↑ soil
contamination
underground
injectionbrine
treatmentdilution
thermal
evaporation
blown
off
VOCs
↑
VOCs
removed
metals
disposed as
hazardous
waste
disposed as
landfill
waste
removed
surface oil &
grease
other
disposal
methods
discharged
to surface
water
evaporated
water
discharged
to air
distilled
reuse
↑
VOCs
↑
NOx
salt cake
↑
SOx
↑
PM↑
N2
↓waste volume
brine waste
recycled initial fracwater
recycled initial fracwater
drilling processdrilling process
↑ frac water ↑ produced water
↑ cuttings↑ flow alteration ↓water
availability
waterwater
land use alterationland use alteration
↑ sediment
↑ surface runoff
↑ surface runoff
↑weathering & erosion
↑weathering & erosion
↓ groundwater↓ groundwater ↓ surface water↓ surface water
↓municipal water supply↓municipal water supply
↓ vegetation↓ vegetation ↓ permeability↓ permeability
↓water uptake↓water uptake
pipelinespipelines
access roadsaccess roads
↑ habitat fragmentation
drill site infrastructure
drill site infrastructure
↑ noise ↑ VOCs ↑ NOx
↑ other air pollutants
transport vehiclestransport vehicles
compression stations
compression stations
well padswell pads
supporting infrastructuresupporting
infrastructure
brine treatment plants
brine treatment plants
thermal evaporation plants
thermal evaporation plants
additive & proppantmanufacturing plantsadditive & proppantmanufacturing plants
↑ energy expenditure
vertical drillingvertical drilling horizontal drillinghorizontal drilling
water sourcewater source
proppants
silica sand
bauxite friction reducers
additives
biocides oxygen stabilizers
acidssurfactants
other additives
proppants
silica sand
bauxite
proppantsproppants
silica sandsilica sand
bauxitebauxite friction reducers
additives
biocides oxygen stabilizers
acidssurfactants
other additives
friction reducersfriction reducers
additivesadditives
biocidesbiocides oxygen stabilizersoxygen
stabilizersacidsacidssurfactantssurfactants
other additivesother
additives
wet vs. dry shale
wet vs. dry shale
waste treatment & disposal methodwaste treatment & disposal method
↑ organics↑ surfactants
↑ other toxic substances
↑ groundwater contamination
↑ surface water contamination ↑ soil
contamination
underground injection
underground injection
brine treatmentbrine
treatmentdilutiondilution
↓water availability removed
metalsremoved metals
↑VOCs
↑ NOx
thermal evaporationthermal
evaporation
evaporated water
evaporated water
discharged to air
discharged to air
distilleddistilled
reusereuse discharged to surface waterdischarged to surface water
salt cake
disposed as hazardous waste
disposed as hazardous waste
disposed as landfill wastedisposed as landfill waste
removed surface oil &
grease
removed surface oil &
grease
blown off VOCs
blown off VOCs
↑ VOCs
other disposal methods
other disposal methods
↑metals↑ TDS
↑ Cl‐ ↑ Na+ ↑ K+
↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2
↑ TENORM
↑radon ↑ U ↑ Ra226↑
Ra228↑ other
radionuclides
waste storage method
waste storage method
retention ponds
retention ponds
storage tanksstorage tanks
↑ oil & grease
exposure
↑leachate & leakage
↑leachate & leakage
sourcesource
stressor
additional step in causal pathwayadditional step in causal pathway
human activityhuman activity
modifying factormodifying factor
treatment methodtreatment method
end waste productend waste product
LEGEND
DRAFT – Drilling Conceptual Model
Amy Bergdale 06/2009For Internal Use Only,
Do NOT share
shale & overburden composition
↑ SOx
cleaning stationscleaning stations
↑ particulate matter
↑PM
↑N2
↓waste volume
Source = Marcellus gas drilling
Stressor(s) = i.e., Metals, TDS, etc.
Biological Effect(s)
Visualize linkages b/n
sources, stressors, and biological effects
brine waste
recycled initial fracwater
recycled initial fracwater
drilling processdrilling process
↑ frac water ↑ produced water
↑ cuttings↑ flow alteration ↓water
availability
waterwater
land use alterationland use alteration
↑ sediment
↑ surface runoff
↑ surface runoff
↑weathering & erosion
↑weathering & erosion
↓ groundwater↓ groundwater ↓ surface water↓ surface water
↓municipal water supply↓municipal water supply
↓ vegetation↓ vegetation ↓ permeability↓ permeability
↓water uptake↓water uptake
pipelinespipelines
access roadsaccess roads
↑ habitat fragmentation
drill site infrastructure
drill site infrastructure
↑ noise ↑ VOCs ↑ NOx
↑ other air pollutants
transport vehiclestransport vehicles
compression stations
compression stations
well padswell pads
supporting infrastructuresupporting
infrastructure
brine treatment plants
brine treatment plants
thermal evaporation plants
thermal evaporation plants
additive & proppantmanufacturing plantsadditive & proppantmanufacturing plants
↑ energy expenditure
vertical drillingvertical drilling horizontal drillinghorizontal drilling
water sourcewater source
proppants
silica sand
bauxite friction reducers
additives
biocides oxygen stabilizers
acidssurfactants
other additives
proppants
silica sand
bauxite
proppantsproppants
silica sandsilica sand
bauxitebauxite friction reducers
additives
biocides oxygen stabilizers
acidssurfactants
other additives
friction reducersfriction reducers
additivesadditives
biocidesbiocides oxygen stabilizersoxygen
stabilizersacidsacidssurfactantssurfactants
other additivesother
additives
wet vs. dry shale
wet vs. dry shale
waste treatment & disposal method
waste treatment & disposal method
↑ organics↑ surfactants
↑ other toxic substances
↑ groundwater contamination
↑ surface water contamination ↑ soil
contamination
underground injection
underground injection
brine treatment
brine treatment
dilutiondilution
↓ water availability removed
metalsremoved metals
↑VOCs
↑ NOx
thermal evaporationthermal
evaporation
evaporated water
evaporated water
discharged to air
discharged to air
distilleddistilled
reusereuse discharged to surface waterdischarged to surface water
salt cake
disposed as hazardous waste
disposed as hazardous waste
disposed as landfill wastedisposed as landfill waste
removed surface oil &
grease
removed surface oil &
grease
blown off VOCs
blown off VOCs
↑ VOCs
other disposal methods
other disposal methods
↑metals↑ TDS
↑ Cl‐ ↑ Na+ ↑ K+
↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2
↑ TENORM
↑radon ↑ U ↑ Ra226↑
Ra228↑ other
radionuclides
waste storage method
waste storage method
retention ponds
retention ponds
storage tanksstorage tanks
↑ oil & grease
exposure
↑leachate & leakage
↑leachate & leakage
sourcesource
stressor
additional step in causal pathwayadditional step in causal pathway
human activityhuman activity
modifying factormodifying factor
treatment methodtreatment method
end waste productend waste product
LEGEND
DRAFT – Drilling Conceptual Model
Amy Bergdale 06/2009For Internal Use Only,
Do NOT share
shale & overburden composition
↑ SOx
cleaning stationscleaning stations
↑ particulate matter
↑PM
↑N2
↓waste volume
↑ binding & uptake at gill epithelium
↑ bioaccumulation
↑ deformities
↑ mortality
↓ reproductive success
↓ metal-sensitive life stages
other stressors
pH, redox potential, abiotic ligandavailability, & microbial
transformation
↑ metals in discharged waters
↑ free metal ions
↑ membrane permeable organometallic compounds
↑ metals sorbed to particles & bound to abiotic ligands
↑ tissue concentration of metals
↑ membrane destabilization↑ protein damage
↑ smothering
↑ flocculate
landfills
geology & other natural sources
acid precipitationacid-forming soils
↓ uptake of nutrients
Detailed conceptual model diagram for METALSDeveloped 7/ 2007 by Kate Schofield & Pat Shaw-Allen
watershed land cover alteration
↑ channel incision
↓ permeability
riparian land cover alteration
channel alteration
↑ exposure of metal-enriched rock & soil
↓ vegetation
↑ surface runoff
↑ erosion
historical sources
other non-point sources
fire ash & smoke
metallic agrochemicals
mining wastes
septic systems
power plant releases
other combustion by-products
heating emissions
vehicle emissions
industrial emissions
stormwaterdrainage
WWTP effluent
industrial effluent
other point sources
↑ metals in subsurface waters
↑ metals in surface runoff
↑ metals in wet or dry deposition↑ metals in soil
↑ passive diffusion through gill epithelium
↑ metal ingestion & adsorption in gut
↑ impairment of blood ion regulation
↑ susceptibility to other stressors
Δ behavior
↓ condition
↓ metal-sensitive taxa
↑ metal-tolerant life stages
↑ metal-tolerant taxa
↑ mucous secretion in fish
↑ parasitism & disease
↑ delivery of metals to stream
biotic response
proximate stressor
source
additional step in causal pathway
LEGEND
interacting stressor
mode of action
contributing landscape change
contributing environmental condition
biologically impaired invertebrate assemblages
biologically impaired fish assemblages other biological impairments
agricultural practices
other mining practices
fossil fuel extraction & refinement practices
residential & commercial practices
industrial practices
↑ binding & uptake at gill epithelium
↑ binding & uptake at gill epithelium
↑ bioaccumulation↑ bioaccumulation
↑ deformities↑ deformities
↑ mortality↑ mortality
↓ reproductive success
↓ reproductive success
↓ metal-sensitive life stages
↓ metal-sensitive life stages
other stressors
pH, redox potential, abiotic ligandavailability, & microbial
transformation
pH, redox potential, abiotic ligandavailability, & microbial
transformation
↑ metals in discharged waters
↑ metals in discharged waters
↑ free metal ions
↑ membrane permeable organometallic compounds
↑ metals sorbed to particles & bound to abiotic ligands
↑ tissue concentration of metals↑ tissue concentration of metals↑ tissue concentration of metals
↑ membrane destabilization↑ membrane destabilization↑ protein damage↑ protein damage
↑ smothering ↑ smothering
↑ flocculate
landfillslandfills
geology & other natural sourcesgeology & other natural sources
acid precipitationacid precipitationacid-forming soilsacid-forming soils
↓ uptake of nutrients↓ uptake of nutrients
Detailed conceptual model diagram for METALSDeveloped 7/ 2007 by Kate Schofield & Pat Shaw-Allen
watershed land cover alterationwatershed land cover alteration
↑ channel incision↑ channel incision
↓ permeability↓ permeability
riparian land cover alteration
riparian land cover alteration
channel alterationchannel
alteration
↑ exposure of metal-enriched rock & soil↑ exposure of metal-enriched rock & soil
↓ vegetation↓ vegetation
↑ surface runoff↑ surface runoff
↑ erosion↑ erosion
historical sourceshistorical sources
other non-point sources
other non-point sources
fire ash & smoke
fire ash & smoke
metallic agrochemicals
metallic agrochemicals
mining wastesmining wastes
septic systemsseptic
systemspower plant
releasespower plant
releases
other combustion by-products
other combustion by-products
heating emissions
heating emissions
vehicle emissions
vehicle emissions
industrial emissionsindustrial emissions
stormwaterdrainage
WWTP effluent
industrial effluent
other point sources
stormwaterdrainage
stormwaterdrainage
WWTP effluentWWTP effluent
industrial effluent
industrial effluent
other point sources
other point sources
↑ metals in subsurface waters
↑ metals in subsurface waters
↑ metals in surface runoff↑ metals in
surface runoff
↑ metals in wet or dry deposition
↑ metals in wet or dry deposition↑ metals in soil↑ metals in soil
↑ passive diffusion through gill epithelium↑ passive diffusion
through gill epithelium↑ metal ingestion & adsorption in gut↑ metal ingestion & adsorption in gut
↑ impairment of blood ion regulation
↑ impairment of blood ion regulation
↑ susceptibility to other stressors↑ susceptibility to other stressors
Δ behaviorΔ behavior
↓ condition↓ condition
↓ metal-sensitive taxa
↓ metal-sensitive taxa
↑ metal-tolerant life stages
↑ metal-tolerant life stages
↑ metal-tolerant taxa↑ metal-tolerant taxa
↑ mucous secretion in fish
↑ mucous secretion in fish
↑ parasitism & disease
↑ parasitism & disease
↑ delivery of metals to stream↑ delivery of metals to stream
biotic response
proximate stressor
source
additional step in causal pathway
LEGEND
interacting stressor
mode of action
contributing landscape change
contributing environmental condition
biotic responsebiotic response
proximate stressor
sourcesource
additional step in causal pathway
additional step in causal pathway
LEGEND
interacting stressor
mode of actionmode of action
contributing landscape change
contributing landscape change
contributing environmental condition
contributing environmental condition
biologically impaired invertebrate assemblages
biologically impaired fish assemblages other biological impairments
biologically impaired invertebrate assemblagesbiologically impaired invertebrate assemblages
biologically impaired fish assemblagesbiologically impaired fish assemblages other biological impairmentsother biological impairments
agricultural practices
agricultural practices
other mining practices
other mining practices
fossil fuel extraction & refinement practices
fossil fuel extraction & refinement practices
residential & commercial practices
residential & commercial practices
industrial practicesindustrial practices
Waste Disposal Methodswaste
treatment &
disposal
method
↓ water
availability
waste
storage
method
retention
pondsstorage
tanks
↑ oil &
grease
exposure
↑
leachate
&
leakage
brine waste
↑ groundwater
contamination
↑ surface
water
contamination ↑ soil
contamination
underground
injectionbrine
treatmentdilution
thermal
evaporation
blown
off
VOCs
↑
VOCs
removed
metals
disposed as
hazardous
waste
disposed as
landfill
waste
removed
surface oil &
grease
other
disposal
methods
discharged
to surface
water
evaporated
water
discharged
to air
distilled
reuse
↑
VOCs
↑
NOx
salt cake
↑
SOx
↑
PM↑
N2
↓waste volume
What is in the Waste?
waste treatment
& disposal
method
waste
storage
method
↑ frac
water
↑ produced
water
↑ cuttings
↑
organics
↑
surfactants
↑ other
toxic
substances
↑metals↑ TDS
↑
Cl‐
↑
Na+
↑ K+
↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2
↑
TENORM
↑radon ↑ U ↑
Ra226
↑
Ra228
↑ other
radionuclides
Stage Flowback from Marcellus well - WV
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Day 1 Day 5 Day 10 Day 20
piC
/L
Gross Alpha Radioactivity Gross Beta Radioactivity
Radium 226 Radium 228
Characterizing the Waste
Defining Pollutant
•
Pollutant –
40 CFR 122.2–
Dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water
Contaminant MCL (year promulgated) Source Health Effect
Combined radium-226/-228 5 pCi/L (1976) Naturally occurs in some drinking water sources.
Some people who drink water containing radium –226 or -228 in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
(Adjusted) Gross Alpha 15 pCi/L (not including radon or uranium) (1976)
Naturally occurs in some drinking water sources.
Some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Beta Particle and Photon Radioactivity
4 mrem/year (look-up table) (1976)
May occur due to contamination from facilities using or producing radioactive materials.
Some people who drink water containing beta and photon emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Uranium 30 µg/L (2000) Naturally occurs in some drinking water sources.
Exposure to uranium in drinking water may result in toxic effects to the kidney. Some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years
Radionuclide MCLs
960, 3420, 12500 pCi/L
299, 1005, 12.49 pCI/L
Reasonable Potential for Radionuclides??
Radium 226+228•
Ohio River, 2060cfs
•
Max observed, 1005 pCi/L * 5.6 = 5628 pCi/L
•
= 398 pCi/L
Radium 226+228•
S.F. Tenmile, 3.75 cfs
•
= 1390 pCi/L
Gross alpha•
Ohio River, 2060cfs
•
Max observed, 12500 pCi/L * 5.6 = 70000 pCi/L
•
= 4898 pCi/L
Gross alpha•
S.F. Tenmile, 3.75cfs
•
= 17289 pCi/L
5 pCi/L
15 pCi/L
Waste Disposal Methodswaste
treatment &
disposal
method
↓ water
availability
waste
storage
method
retention
pondsstorage
tanks
↑ oil &
grease
exposure
↑
leachate
&
leakage
brine waste
↑ groundwater
contamination
↑ surface
water
contamination ↑ soil
contamination
underground
injectionbrine
treatmentdilution
thermal
evaporation
blown
off
VOCs
↑
VOCs
removed
metals
disposed as
hazardous
waste
disposed as
landfill
waste
removed
surface oil &
grease
other
disposal
methods
discharged
to surface
water
evaporated
water
discharged
to air
distilled
reuse
↑
VOCs
↑
NOx
salt cake
↑
SOx
↑
PM↑
N2
↓waste volume
XX
Region 3 Treatment of Marcellus Waste, PA & WV
Underground Injection
COMING SOON-
Thermal Evaporation
DilutionBrine Treatment
2008 Events that Impacted Pittsburgh District Water Management
•
Summer/ Fall. Multiple requests for water withdrawals from Corps Reservoirs
•
August – December. Low stream flows. Monongahela 10% of normal
2008 Events that Impacted Pittsburgh District Water Management
•October 10. Hatfield Power Plant Failed air emissions requirements, businesses not meeting state mandated criteria, intake concentrations higher than criteria, etc•October 22. Start of Monongahela River high TDS Event. PA State Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Drinking Water Criteria of 500 mg/l exceeded.•October 22 -27. Special release from Stonewall and Tygart Reservoirs to mitigate elevated TDS in PA•November 7. W PA Drought Watch Declaration•December 10. Union Township issued a bottled water advisory, water supply of 850,000 affected•December 12. High Runoff, TDS began to decrease
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Drinking water of 800,000+ peopleElizabeth Conductivity '03-'05, '08 & '09
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1-Jan15-Jan29-Jan12-Feb26-Feb11-Mar25-Mar8-Apr22-Apr6-M
ay20-May3-Jun17-Jun1-Jul15-Jul29-Jul12-Aug26-Aug9-Sep23-Sep7-Oct21-Oct4-Nov18-Nov2-Dec16-Dec30-De
Date/Time
UH
MO
S/C
M
2009
2008
2005
2004
2003
Region 3 Draft Permit Reviews – To Date
•
4 Proposed Treatment Facilities in PA–
Monongahela River Watershed (3)
•
TDS impaired –
applying 500 mg/l
–
W Br Susquehanna River (1)•
Applying PA TDS Strategy
•
TDS loads up to 522,245 lbs/day (equivalent to 156,548 mg/l)
•
3 Existing POTWs
accepting brine–
Wilkes-Barre proposed TDS load up to 1,194,399 lbs/day
Proposed TerrAqua
Facility•
W Branch Susquehanna River–
Protect Warm Water Fishes–
28.5 Stream Miles to Milton PWS•
TDS In-stream Analysis ––
Region 3 Objection
–
Analyzed in combination with Williamsport Central STP
–
“Far Field”
=> 500mg/l at Milton PWS•
Allocated to 10 facilities in watershed•
Loads as high as 522,245 lbs/day for TerrAqua
–
“Near Field”
=> 1800mg/l at Discharge•
Calculated load of 1,344,541 lbs/day for TerrAqua
–
Far Field more Stringent
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Biological Assessment of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers
PADEP and EPA, 2 yr grant (’08-’09)
•Evaluate conditions via probabilistic survey.
•Fish, fish habitat, macroinvertebrate, mussels, water chemistry, plankton, and sediment.
•Data will assist in risk assessment from potential stressors.
•Aid in analyzing the potential seasonal and yearly variability.
•PADEP can develop, implement, and test bioassessment methods to produce an
unbiased estimate of the current ecological condition.
•PADEP can estimate or develop biological criteria, reference conditions, and water quality
conditions in support of the CWA.
RIVER ALERT INFORMATION NETWORK RIVER ALERT INFORMATION NETWORK (RAIN)(RAIN)
••Protection Protection measures form the measures form the first barrier to a first barrier to a multiplemultiple--barrier barrier approach to drinking approach to drinking water protectionwater protection
Water Water TreatmentTreatment
MonitoringMonitoring
Distribution Distribution System System
MaintenanceMaintenance
Source Water Source Water ProtectionProtection
Multiple Multiple Barrier Barrier
ApproachApproach
RAIN Goals•
Provide information and tools to aid water suppliers in making decisions
•
Improve communication between water suppliers about water quality events
•
Install monitoring equipment at appropriate locations and provide operational training
•
Develop a secure website to share information about water quality
•
Improve communication between water suppliers, USACE and emergency responders
Concept For RAINConcept For RAIN•
Coverage: Allegheny, Monongahela, Youghiogheny, and headwaters of Ohio Rivers
•
Communication System–
Spill Alert/Alarm notifications
–
Water supplier Roundtables•
Monitoring System–
On-line, continuous monitoring equipment
–
Operator training•
Website Development –
Water quality data –
historical/current
–
Links (USGS, NOAA, NWS, USACE)
RAIN’s Monongahela TDS Project Site Selection Rationale
East Dunkard -
Mon intake below Cheat RiverDunkard Valley -
Mon intake below Dunkard Creek
Carmichael -
Mon intake below Whiteley Creek
Brownsville -
Mon intake below Tenmile Creek
Washington Twp -
Mon intake below Redstone Creek
PAWC (A) -
Mon intake in USACE Dam 3PAWC (B) -
Mon intake in USACE Emsworth Pool
McKeesport -
Youghiogheny intake 1 mile from Mon
Pittsburgh -
Furthest downstream intake on Allegheny
West View -
First intake on Ohio River
RAIN’s Monongahela TDS Project Monitoring Effort
Ten RAIN FacilitiesHACHSC1000
•Conductivity•pH•Temperature
Four Remote Tributary SitesHydrolab
MS5Sonde
•Conductivity•pH•Temperature
RAIN’s Proposed Monitoring Effort
11-15 RAIN Member Facilities:HACH Source Water PanelNitrateAmmoniaDissolved OxygenUV OrganicsSuspended Solids-TurbidityORP
Waste Characterization Study •TDS
•Metals
•Organics
•TENORM
Phase I
Site specific, across Region
Phase II
Treatment of Waste, ‘cradle to grave’
Marcellus•Brief History of Natural Gas
•Sources of Natural Gas
•Exploring the Marcellus Shale
•Waste Characteristics of the Marcellus Shale, including TENORM
Reasonable Potential of the pollutants of concern: both aquatic and human health
•Reality of the Issue
Questions to ASKWhat are the characteristics of the
WASTE? How is the WASTE being treated?What are the characteristics
of the EFFLUENT?
What are the characteristics of your RECEIVING water?
Are we PROTECTING the AQUATIC LIFE USE?
Are we PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH?
Marcellus Shale