Hydraulic Fracturing By: Anthony, Chris, James, and Jamie

Scope - Background Materials/methods - Recent popularity in comparison with conventional fossil fuels - Effects on water sources in particular groundwater and surface water - Ecological effects on neighboring ecosystems

-What is hydraulic fracturing? -Process -Chemicals involved -Effects on… -Groundwater -Surfacewater -Surrounding ecosystems -Shale Gas Extraction vs. More Common Fossil Fuels Outline

-Fracking, or Hydraulic fracturing, is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock layers deep within the earth. -Fracking makes it possible to produce natural gas extraction in shale plays that were once unreachable with conventional technologies What is Fracking?

Process of Fracking?

Fracking involves using a solution consisting of a myriad of chemicals. -About 98% of the solution is water and sand -The other 2% is a concoction of chemicals Fracking Chemicals

A dilute acid solution -A biocide containing bromine or glutaraldehyde, -A scale inhibitor- ethylene glycol, -Iron control/stabilizing agents- like citric acid or hydrochloric acid- Friction reducing agents- potassium chloride or polyacrylamide-based compounds, -Corrosion inhibitors- dimethyl formamide -oxygen scavengers- like ammonium bisulfite Chemicals such as...

Shale Gas vs. Traditional Fossil Fuels

Traditional vs. Natural

Source: Whithen, Khalial- Stanford.edu

-There are many ways in which underground and other water sources can become contaminated through the fracking process Effects on Groundwater Source: Howarth, et. al. -It is difficult to directly link contamination of underground aquifers to the hydraulic fracturing industry. plans-issue-rules-fracking-wastewater/

-Most commonly methane is leaked into groundwater supplies. -Traces of benzene, acetone, ethylene, diesel fuel, 2- Butoxyethanol and other harmful carcinogens have been found in water taken from wells near fracking sites along with methane (Pallise). -Ignoring how it relates to hydraulic fracturing, why is there such great concern over methane contamination? Effects on Groundwater (cont’d) Source: Fontenot, et. al.

- Poor well integrity and site management can lead to surface water contamination. Spills (fracking fluid) Discharge (wastewater) - Necessary components of hydraulic fracturing operations may also attribute to surface water contamination. Transportation Construction Effects on Surface Water

Many chemical compounds employed in hydraulic fracturing fluid can have adverse effects in aquatic ecosystems. Biocides Gellants Breakers Proppants (sediment) Solvents Gordalla, B., Ewers, U., & Frimmel, F. (2013). Spills

- Leading to runoff which can reach surface waters. Spills Burton et al. (2014)

- The release of “treated” wastewater into surface waters. high salinity 120,000 mg/L hazardous elements(Ba, Ra) Jackson et al. (2014). Discharge

- Construction Roads Excavation Well pads - Infrastructure Drills and Tanks Pipelines Erosion

-Habitat loss and fragmentation -Noise pollution -Light pollution -Seismic activity -Degradation of air quality -Degradation of water quality and quantity Surrounding Ecosystem

-Drilling pads -Roads -Wildlife forced out -Nonnative plant species -Noise and light pollution -sound of diesel compressors -drilling sites lit all night long - Seismic Activity - Drilling sites far from fault lines - Disposal of waste fluids into deep injection wells Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

-Negative impact of local air quality and emissions of greenhouse gases into atmosphere -Emissions most likely from drilling rigs and fracturing engines (typically fueled by diesel or gasoline) -Trucks delivering water and hauling wastewater from site -Compressor engines during production of natural gas - Contamination of surface and groundwater Degradation of Air and Water Quality and Quantity

Burton, A., Basu, N., Ellis, B., Kapo, K., Entrekin, S., & Nadelhoffer, K. (2014). Hydraulic “Fracking”: Are surface water impacts an ecological concern? Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 33(8), Retrieved November 30, 2014, from Web of Science. -Cho, Renee. "The Fracking Facts – State of the Planet." Columbia.edu. Columbia University, June Web. -Howarth, Robert, Renee Santoro, and Anthony Ingraffea. "Methane and the Greenhouse-gas Footprint of Natural Gas from Shale Formations." Climatic Change (2011): ACSF.Cornell.edu. Cornell University, Mar Web. Jackson, R., Vengosh, A., Carey, J., Davies, R., Darrah, T., O'Sullivan, F., & Pétron, G. (2014). The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Fracking. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 39, Retrieved November 29, 2014, from Web of Science. Measurements of Methane Emissions at Natural Gas Production Sites in the United States (n.d.): n. pag. Engr.utexas.edu. University of Texas At Austin. Web. "Methane Emissions." Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. The National Center for Biotechnology Information, Sept Web. James Fontenot, B., Hunt, L., Hildenbrand, Z., Carlton, Jr, D., Oka, H., et al. (2013). An evaluation of water quality in private drinking water wells near natural gas extraction sites in the barnett shale formation. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(17), Pallise, J. (2012). Fracking fury. Science Scope, 35(7), Howarth, R., Ingraffea, A., & Engelder, T. (2011). Should fracking stop?. Nature, 477(7364), 271. References