Cooley is a recipient of the environmental protection agencys. Epa s study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Work with oil and gas operators to clarify information provided. Hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas impacts from the hydraulic fracturing author. Study of the the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The sab finds that the data presented by the epa within chapter 5 indicate that spills occur at hydraulic fracturing sites. The first mechanism was the direct injection of fracturing fluids into a usdw in which the coal is located, or injection of fracturing fluids into a coal seam that is already in hydraulic communication with a usdw e. Based on its research, epa concluded that the injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids into cbm wells poses little or no threat to usdws and did not justify additional study at the time of the. Study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking.
Better for the environment and the economy 5,280 ft 1 mile 7,920 ft 1. Aerial photograph of hydraulic fracturing well sites near williston, north dakota. Epas study of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas and. These fractures increase the exposed surface area of the rock in the formation and, in turn, stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil to the wellbore. Hydraulic fracturing drinking water assessment by the numbers author. Other concerns include competition for water between hydraulic fracturing activities and other water users, especially in areas of the country experiencing drought, and the disposal of wastewater generated from hydraulic fracturing. In the past decade, energy companies have learned to tap previously inaccessible oil and gas in shale with hydraulic fracturing fracturing or fracking, pumping fluid at high pressure to crack the shale and release gas and oil trapped inside. An extended overview of the history of the fracturing technology is presented. Gwpc provided the epa with pdf disclosures submitted to fracfocus 1. Study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on. Analysis of hydraulic fracturing fluid data from the. Environmental protection agency, december, 2016 webinar.
Air pollution from hydraulic fracturing threatens public health and communities regional pollution ozone smog frackingrelated processes and other stages of the oil and. Handbook of hydraulic fracturing wiley online books. Illustration of the structure of the epas study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking. Details emerging technologies such as fracture treatment design, open hole fracturing, screenless completions, sand control, fracturing completions and productivity. Hydraulic fracturing and water resources pacific institute. Evaluation of geology and water well data associated with the epa hydraulic fracturing retrospective case study, bradford county, pa. Impacts from the hydraulic fracturing water cycle on drinking water resources. Disclaimer the views expressed in these proceedings are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the us environmental protection agency epa. Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is a process that uses. The assessment identified potential causes of drinking water impairment, and evaluated the extent to which hydraulic fracturing has been identified as a cause of impairment.
Also, several municipalities have attempted to ban hydraulic fracturing through zoning restrictions and other local laws, creating potential conflicts with oil and gas industry regulation at the state level. Epas study of hydraulic fracturing and its potential impact on drinking water resources. Results are returned by listing links to individual pdf files. Hydraulic fracturing for onshore natural gas from shale and tight rocks information received from proponents on the basis of the requirements included in the attachment to this bulletin see section on information requirements below will guide the epa in its decision to. According to the united states environmental protection agency epa, hydraulic fracturing is a process to stimulate a natural gas, oil, or geothermal well to maximize extraction. The us epa published its draft assessment of the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Scoping materials for initial design of epa research study on potential relationships between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources pdf march 2010 other materials dr. Water needs and availability for hydraulic fracturing in the bakken formation, eastern montana mitch plummer 1, thomas wood, h.
The database and the accompanying analysis of hydraulic fracturing fluid data. Study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas on drinking water resources. Impacts of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas on drinking water resources. Metesh 1 idaho national laboratory 2 montana bureau of mines and geology water needed for energy developments in the mountain west may. As the use of hydraulic fracturing has increased, so have concerns about its potential environmental and human health impacts. Environmental protection agency epa released a draft report titled assessment of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas on drinking water resources epa draft assessment epa 2015a. Epa evaluated that potential based on two possible mechanisms. However, in a pdf file, a table is essentially a series of lines and characters positioned on a page that, when assembled by pdf reading software, appear as a table to the end user. Hydraulic fracturing study timeline pdf 1 pg, 1 mb contact us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. Epa, hydraulic fracturing activities, drinking water resources, congress, public citizens, potential impacts, oil and gas production wells, hydraulic fracturing water cycle, water acquisition, chemical mixing, well injection, produced water handling, wastewater disposal and reuse. Data in the disclosures were extracted from individual pdf files and compiled into a microsoft access 20 database, which was used for analyses. Paul anastass statement on the release of plan as prepared for delivery november 2011 pdf. The source microsoft excel files, as uploaded by the operators, contained data in tables. Quantitative support for epas finding of no widespread.
Impacts from the hydraulic fracturing water cycle on drinking water resources in the united states, dec. Natural gas plays a key role in our nations clean energy. Titles and descriptions of the research projects conducted as part of the epa s. The epa defines the broader process to include acquisition of source water, well construction, well stimulation, and waste disposal. Epa s study of hydraulic fracturing and its potential impact on drinking water resources. Shale gas and groundwater quality publications deltares. Hydraulic fracturing tort litigation summary february 6, 2020 blake watson samuel a. Environmental protection agency epa is conducting a. Infographic explaining what is in epas hydraulic fracturing drinking water final assessment keywords. Epa project database developed from fracfocus 1 disclosures. Congress, epa announced plans to develop a comprehensive research study on the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources.
Hydraulic fracturing and shale gas production alternative fuels. You may need a pdf reader to view some of the files on this page. This 186page document served as the foundation for a statewide ban on high volume hydraulic fracturing. Natural gas development in central new york colgate university.
The contractors role did not include establishing agency policy. On december 16, 2016, epa hosted public webinars on the final assessment report, hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas. Presented at us epa technical workshop for the hydraulic fracturing study. Hydraulic fracturing has enabled oil and gas production to expand into areas of the united states. Evaluation of geology and water well data associated with. Analysis of hydraulic fracturing fluid data from the fracfocus chemical disclosure registry 1. Water requirements for hydraulic fracturing, by shale plays in texas 16. Environmental protection agency epa to study the relationship. Hydraulic fracturing study timeline pdf epas study of. Waste and production files downloaded for marcellusunconventional wells, july 2009. How, where, and its role in oil and gas article pdf available in journal american water works association 10611. Technical roundtables on epas study of the potential.
Water requirements for hydraulic fracturing, by shale plays in texas. Epa science advisory board hydraulic fracturing research. Concerns also have been raised about the ultimate outcome of chemicals that are recovered and disposed of as wastewater. Water needs and availability for hydraulic fracturing in. The epa would like to acknowledge the ground water protection council and the interstate oil and gas compact commission for providing data and information for this report. Study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Epa analysis of fracfocus 1 data fact sheet epas study.
Hydraulic fracturing was exempted from underground injection controls of the safe drinking water act. Environmental justice in hydraulic fracturing analysis. Presents an uptodate description of current and new hydraulic fracturing processes. In may 2012, the state of vermont became the first state to outlaw hydraulic fracturing and new york state, which unlike vermont has significant gas reserves, banned the practice in december 2014.
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