122 When Oil and Water Mix: Understanding the Environmental Impacts of Shale Development II

Monday, 26 September 2016
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Mile High Ballroom 2A/3A

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF A HYDRAULICLY FRACTURED FIELD SITE

Paper number: 122-1
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 1:30 PM – 1:50 PM

Authors

Abstract

The most environmentally friendly well, is the well that is not drilled. This is the central dogma to the Gas Technology Institute’s Hydraulically Fractured Test Site (HFTS), where new fracturing techniques and technologies are being tested to optimize well spacing for the most efficient extraction of mineral resources. An important aspect of this research is the monitoring of environmental receptors during the hydraulic fracturing, flowback, and completions phases of the oil and gas extraction life cycle. At this field site in West Texas, 5 sentinel ground water wells within a 2 mile radius of the fracturing of 11 horizontal wells have been monitored before, during, and after activities to assess their impact on the underlying aquifer. Produced water and water stored on site as impoundment water has been characterized geochemically and monitored for microbial growth. Corrosive microorganisms can play an important role in wellhead and casing integrity as well as have an impact on the character of the reservoir itself. Air quality was monitored on site for methane, BTEX, NOx, and VOCs before activities began, during hydraulic fracturing, during flowback, and after completions. This data provides an understanding of air quality for residential areas near oil and gas fields.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 48, No. 7

doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-280660

© Copyright 2016 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.