A new regulation will require drillers in Texas to report the chemicals in their hydraulic fracturing fluid and the amount of water used to frack each well.
More at The Texas Tribune.Water
Ohio Injection Well Temporarily Closed
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has temporarily shut down a waste injection well that is suspected to have triggered earthquakes. The state has nearly 200 other injection wells that have not been associated with seismic activity.
More at The Columbus Dispatch.
Fracking with Explosives Instead of Water
An article on the Platts.com website explains how Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is studying how explosive detonations can be used as an alternative hydraulic fracturing in the production of natural gas from shale.
More at Platts.com.
Wetland Mitigation Banks
When a development project destroys an acre of wetlands the responsible company is often required to create another acre of new wetlands in the same watershed. This has fueled a new business of “mitigation banks”.
More at Business Week.
Marcellus Shale Wastewater Injection
It is never politically popular to accept out-of-state waste and injection well owners in Ohio are taking heat because they are injecting Marcellus Shale drilling waste from Pennsylvania. An article in the Houston Chronicle explains why so much Pennsyl…
More at Houston Chronicle.
Treating Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid in New York
Many oil and gas companies that use hydraulic fracturing methods recycle the waste water produced during drilling. As a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in New York is lifted the Niagara Falls Water Board is ready to accept hydraulic fracturing wast…
More at WGRZ.
Recycling Fayetteville Shale Frack Water
Dealing with the waste water from hydraulic fracturing is a problem. A Canadian company working in Arkansas has plans to treat Fayetteville Shale waste water and recycle it for continued drilling.
More in the Houston Chronicle.
Waste Water for Hydraulic Fracturing?
In Louisiana, a pipeline carries treated waste water from a paper mill to a natural gas field in the Haynesville Shale. The water is being recycled for hydraulic fracturing instead of being discharged into the Red River.
More at UpstreamOnline.com.
Shale Gas Advisory Board Recommendations
The Shale Gas Advisory Board called for “making information about shale gas production operations more accessible to the public; taking immediate and long-term actions to reduce the environmental and safety risks of shale gas operations, with a particular focus on protecting air and water quality; creating a Shale Gas Industry Operation organization committed to improving operating practices; and continuing research and development to improve safety and environmental performance.”
More at UPI.com.
EPA’s 1987 Report of Contamination Caused by Hydraulic Fracturing
Representatives of industry and government agencies often state that there has not been one documented case of hydraulic fracturing contaminating a private water supply well. However, an EPA report from 1987 links hydraulic fracturing with a contaminated water supply in Jackson County, West Virginia. Those opposed to hydraulic fracturing hope to get a lot of mileage out of that report. More in the New York Times.
ExxonMobil and Chevron Shareholders Address Hydraulic Fracturing
Much of the discussion at ExxonMobil’s annual shareholder meeting was on the subject of hydraulic fracturing.
The topic was also on the agenda at Chevron’s annual shareholder meeting.
Shareholder Resolutions: Hydraulic Fracturing Disclosure
An article on Platts.com reports on shareholder resolutions at ExxonMobil, Chevron and Ultra Petroleum calling for those companies to disclose information about the environmental and financial risks of hydraulic fracturing in the production of natural gas.
Over 100 Injection Wells and 1000 Water Trucks
An article on the ShreveportTimes.com website considers the industry activity and environmental impact associated with the injection of salt water waste produced by drilling for natural gas in the Haynesville Shale.
Water Treatment Experiment at Marcellus Shale Production Site
“The Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE) announced favorable results from a demonstration project turning wastewater from drilling sites into clean water.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration’s Natural Gas Update.
FracFocus.org: Information About Hydraulic Fracturing
The FracFocus website is all about hydraulic fracturing. It contains information about the process, the chemicals that are used and contact agencies in states were oil and gas drilling is active. It also has a “Find A Well” feature that allows you to look-up wells and view the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. The site is provided by the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.
Manufacturing Oil and Gas Reservoirs in the Niobrara Shale
Mark Northam, director of the School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming says that horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing allow drillers to “manufacture a reservoir” in the Niobrara Shale. More in the Billings Gazette.
Natural Gas Concerns Trigger Water Testing in Pennsylvania
Drinking water facilities and wastewater treatment plants will expand their water testing procedures out of concern for radioactive particles in wastewater produced during natural gas drilling. More in the New York Times.
Impact of Barnett Shale Development on Groundwater Resources
The impact of hydraulic fracturing on ground water supplies is a concern in almost every area where the well stimulation method is employed. The Texas Water Development Board has published an informative study: Northern Trinity/Woodbine GAM Assessment of Groundwater Use in the Northern Trinity Aquifer Due To Urban Growth and Barnett Shale Development. Get the report here.
EPA vs Texas Railroad Commission
The Railroad Commission has jurisdiction of natural gas drilling in Texas and the commission disagrees with the United States Environmental Protection Agency on the cause of domestic water well contamination in North Texas. EPA claims that Barnett Shale drilling has caused the problem. More in the Washington Post.
EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study
“As natural gas production has increased, so have concerns about the potential environmental and human health impacts of hydraulic fracturing in the United States. [...] The overall purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. More specifically, the study is designed to examine the conditions that may be associated with the potential contamination of drinking water resources, and to identify the factors that may lead to human exposure and risks.” Quoted from the EPA publication announcement.
Radiation in Marcellus Shale Wastewater?
A New York Times article explores concerns about radiation levels in wastewater from Marcellus Shale drilling sites and how that water is being processed before discharge into the environment.
Hydraulic Fracturing Return Water – Mobile Treatment Plant
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has approved the first mobile treatment plant for hydraulic fracturing return water. The plant processes the water and yields about 80% of it as a clean liquid that can be discharged into the environment. The remaining 20% is a brine that requires further treatment. Read more at WorldOil.com.
Guy, Arkansas Earthquake Activity
During the past three months over 500 small earthquakes have shaken the area around Guy, Arkansas. These earthquakes have been blamed on drilling the Fayetteville Shale, wastewater injection wells and natural processes. Which is it?
The New Hydraulic Fracturing
An article on the FuelFix.com website reviews improvements in the hydraulic fracturing process that could be implemented in the next few years. These involve more efficient equipment, new and safer chemicals, automation of tasks and recycling waste w
Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids – Basic Chemistry
Chemicals added to hydraulic fracturing fluids include: friction reducers that allow fluids to pumped more efficiently; biocides to prevent microorganism growth and to reduce biofouling of the fractures; oxygen scavengers and other stabilizers to prevent corrosion of metal pipes; and acids that are used to remove drilling mud damage within the near-well bore area.
The State of the Susquehanna
“The State of the Susquehanna” is a report prepared for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. It will be updated every few years to track issues that include: water use, water supply, mine drainage impact, nutrient levels, aquatic life, drilling impact, sediments and more.
Range Resources: Methane and Benzene in Household Wells
Two household water supplies in Texas were found to contain methane and benzene. Range Resources is working to restore their water supplies and determine the source of the gas. More at the New York Times.
Halliburton Fracturing Fluid – Ingredients from the Food Industry
“Long recognized as the industry leader in advancing the science and engineering of the production enhancement technology known as hydraulic fracturing, Halliburton today announced the introduction of a first-of-its-kind fracture fluid system comprised of materials sourced entirely from the food industry.” Quoted from the Halliburton press release.
Recycling Hydraulic Fracturing Water
A company working in the Barnett Shale play has a portable unit that recycles hydraulic fracturing fluid. The unit distills the fracturing fluid – which recovers clean water for reuse and concentrates dissolved materials for disposal. More on the Star-Telegram.com website.
National Geographic on Natural Gas Shales
National Geographic has an article that reviews the use of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in extracting natural gas from shale formations that were once not considered to be natural gas “reservoirs”. The article also explores the economic and environmental role that water plays in the drilling/fracturing process.
