T193 Joint Sustainability of Water Resources and Petroleum Energy Production
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
114/115
THE WATER INTENSITY AND WATER QUALITY FOOTPRINT OF SHALE GAS EXTRACTION
Paper number: T193-6
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 9:20 AM
Authors
Abstract
The water requirements and intensity of unconventional oil and gas extraction are large and depend strongly on the scale of comparison. In this talk I will compare production estimates and decline curves for unconventional natural gas and oil wells, two important criteria for comparing environmental footprints on a unit-energy basis. I will next examine water requirements and water intensity, comparing them to values for other fuels such as coal, nuclear, and renewables. I will also discuss water quality issues accompanying unconventional oil and gas extraction, including wastewater disposal. Finally, I will cover some positive water trends across the industry, particularly increased water reuse and recycling.