Shale Gas

Greening of America?
By Ethan Bellavance, Kaylyn Hawkes, Justin Grodman, an Hale, !aitlin Shea
"hat is Shale Gas?
#$%$& 'ethane, (%$& Ethane, )%(& *ro+ane%
,arge omestic Source of energy
$%- .cf/year in 0##1 to 1%# .cf/year in ())2
.y+es of 3nconventional 4atural Gas
.ight Gas Sands
!oal Bed 'ethane
Gas Shale5s6 'ost E7+ansive Growth, !om+rise $)68)& of countries reserves
growth 9y ()00
.hree factors that have created the unconventional natural gas industry%
irectional rilling
Hydraulic :racturing
High well +rices
'arcellus Shale
e+osited over ;$) 'illion years ago%
Area and e+th of 'arcellus Shale
<9=ectives
Assess whether water release from acid fracturing is detrimental to surface
water and aquifers?
Determine if the amount of water necessary for acid fracturing can be
sustainably extracted from existing watershed aquifers.
Observe how the process of acid fracturing effects local ecosystems.
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Analyze the national and local socioeconomic impact of acid fracturing in
regard to potential job creation !" energy profile social values and land use.
#ydraulic $racturing
%hree treatments available
$oam
&el
"lic'water
"lic'water %reatments
(ntroduction of )roc' acid* + cleans out well
"lic'water plug+ formed with water sand and additives. $riction reducing chemicals to
allow faster pumping.
$racturing+ over a million gallons of water sand and chemicals.
$lush+ recovery of water in pumps to allow collection of gases.
Acid $racturing
,ach $racture is unique
-ased on local stress conditions.
%ypically contains ./0 water and sand and 10 chemicals
2urrently 3.4 products used in slic'water process 351 products 'nown
!hemical Additives
(NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, 2009)
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"ater >uantity
6ater 6ithdrawals
7ariety of sources
8roximity to drill site
%hree to four million gallons for typical horizontal shale gas well
9.5 to six million gallons for hydraulic fracturing of the :arcellus "hale
!sed in relatively short time period
"ater .rans+ort
;ocation and type of sources
;onger route distance < more expensive and less water efficiency
=eliability of source as constant supply
=ate and timing of withdrawals are 'ey
Effects on "ater ?esources
=eduction in stream flow
"tream>s uses and public supplies altered
Adjacent habitats altered
=ecreational uses potable and culinary uses fish survival and propagation disposal of
wastes
Effects !ontinued
Depletion of aquifers
2umulative withdrawals
Occurs when volume extracted ? recharge rate
8otentially lead to reduction to aboveground bodies of water
%ranslocation of water from watershed
Ecosystem @m+acts
Adverse effects on local ecosystems
@atural cycles essential to ecosystems
Alterations in flow regimes affect habitat
(mproper techniques and structures for withdrawing
6ater upta'e flow velocity
%ransporting invasive species
Effects on "etlands
"usceptibility to draining of water
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Auantity withdrawn has direct impacts depending on natural dynamics of flow
7ariety of species significantly affected
"ater >uality
*roduced "ater
-yproduct of the stimulation and drilling process
-efore natural gas can be recovered water that is pumped into the shale must be allowed
to flow out as )produced water*
2an consist of fracturing fluids heavy metals brine waters dissolved minerals or organic
matter from the shale
!om+osition of a :racture :luid
!hemical Additives
@o )one size fits all* percentage that are added to fracture fluid
Additives in a single hydrofrac job result in approximately 35999 gallons of chemical
waste
:ost are proprietary
All are necessary in order to ensure the success of the drilling process
=is' to human and environmental health is low
.hreats to rinking "ater
Drilling must pass through shallow drin'ing water aquifers
6ell casings made of steel and concrete can become defective or damaged
8otential chemical spills
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=oadBconstruction activity
"astewater .reatment *lants
2annot handle the quantity of water used
!nsure of the chemical composition of the proprietary chemicals used in the acid
fracturing process
Do not successfully remove salts and other dissolved solids
Additional .reatment 'ethods
=e+inject produced water into the ground at a shallow depth
=e+inject produced water into the ground at a depth below the :arcellus "hale
Allow wastewater to evaporate from open pits or tan's
Dilute produced water and reuse it in future fracturing operations
@ew technologyC
Ha9itat :ragmentation
(nevitable consequence of all mining practices
Occurs through construction of unpaved roads pipelines and infrastructureD
6ell pads drilling rigs storage facilities heavy machinery necessary to mine natural gas
and eventually transport it off site
?oads
&enerally includes removing large roc's and vegetation and replacing them with crushed
gravel or stone
,ach well+site must have an access road
According to @E D,2 every 359ft of F9ft access road adds 3B39 acre to the total
disturbed surface area attributed to the well site
#ighly used fragments such as access roads significantly increase impact
,dge sensitive species affected most
(ncreased erosion contributes to habitat and water+quality degradation
Sedimentation and Erosion
Overflow off roads and impervious drilling pads alters slopes and soils and further G
surface water quality issues
8lants rooting is disrupted
Aquatic receptors are affected by increased sedimentation increasing %"" in the water
column
7elocity and volume of runoff G with reciprocal H in infiltration Iimpermeable surfacesJ
2hemicals and pollutants are present on impermeable surfaces
8ollutants adhere to eroded sediment particles
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Ecological ?ece+tor6 .rout
=ising "ta'e+holder concern
2hesapea'e -ay Association 8A and @E trout association land owners fishermen
:arcellus "hale spans under the Appalachian basin which provides headwaters for
numerous streams valued for trout habitat
"alinity acidity and toxicity in mine runoff are of concern for trout health and ability to
reproduce
(ncreased impervious surfaces and increase acidity have been shown to negatively affect
-roo' %rout populations in the @orth,ast I2onservation "trategy 6or' &roup 1995J
:ine drainage in has historically in 8A and 67 has drastically decreased stream
ecological health
!"&" records over FK99 miles of streams and &6 contaminated in 8A alone due
to mining practices I!",8A 1993J
Edge6related Stress
(ncreased edge will affect some species more drastically than others
;ife history traits population numbers physical size physical size and amount of area
needed per individual
&olden+winged and prairie warbler have shown increase abundance in early succession
edge areas
=esults @O% shown when fragmentation is maintained by constant use and traffic
2erulean warbler L ,dge sensitive species inhabitaing areas along :arcellus "hale
territory
;argely impacted by habitat fragmentation due to mining
Soil !om+action A ?eclamation
Overburden must be removed to gain access to bedroc'
"toc'piling of this material is essential for reclamation efforts
6here overburden is not removed continuous use of heavy machinery compacts soils
(ncreased bul' density rates
2reates difficult habitat for plant rooting
;ower water infiltration rates
2ontributes to G surface runoff
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?eclamation .echniBues
Open pits must be bac'filled
"oils must be tested for salinity acidity and toxicity in order to prepare restoration plan
"alinity acidity and toxicity will li'ely all contribute to "hale gas sites due toD
salts hydroflouric acid heavy metal leaching and a variety of chemicals used in
the frac'ing liquid
&rading and scraping to loosen soils and adding ;ime and fertilizer are recommended
:any mine =eclamation sites fail due to soil toxicity
?ecommendations for "ater 'anagement
2ommunicating with local water planning agencies is essential for the operators of the
drills in order to manage water sources.
!sing several large sources of water instead of many smaller ones.
,nsuring that the withdrawal of every water source used will not significantly nor
permanently deplete that source.
2hoosing water sources in close proximity to mine site.
,nsuring the safe and effective disposal of produced water from the acid fracturing
process.
2ontinue to research the proper disposal of produced water in order to create more
effective methods of treatment.
?ecommendations for ,and 3se !hange
(n order to protect trout populations drilling should not be permitted in areas deemed
sensitive coldwater habitats.
:ultiple wells should be placed along the same access road while utilizing current roads
as much as possible.
Areas of sensitivity such as steep slopes wetlands and streams should be avoided.
8roper erosion controls must be implemented.
%opsoil must be maintained for proper reclamation. 2atch ponds andBor artificial
wetlands must be provided to store filter and monitor surface runoff from mine sit
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