AN ANALYSIS OF SLICKWATER SOLUTIONS IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING By Andrew Campbell and Aaron Johnson Chart of the common breakdown of fracking fluid composition, by percent volume. Slickwater Fluid Components Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of drilling wells into shale beds at depths ranging from 2,000 to 13,000 feet, cracking the shale with small explosive charges, and extracting natural gases or oil via the cracks in the shale. In order to stimulate the flow of resources from the cracked shale, a water-based solution, referred to as slickwater, is forced down the well at high pressure to extend and prop open the fractures initiated by the explosive charges. A formulated mixture of additives comprises this solution, which is intended to increase the efficiency of resource extraction. Currently, approximately 90% of all operational natural gas and oil producing wells in the U.S. have been stimulated by this process. Moreover, this number is predicted to increase as drilling companies continue to explore natural sources of gas and oil in greater depth. Hydraulic fracturing: What is it? Image of a hydraulic fracturing well near Burlington P.A. Most slickwater solutions used currently consist of a plethora of additives. The types and amount of each additive used in a particular mixture varies greatly, depending on the state of the well and geological structure of the intended jobsite. The specifically engineered purposes of these chemical additives can be to inhibit bacterial growth, prop open fractures, maintain pH levels, and reduce pumping pressure, in addition to other purposes. The common breakdown of fracking fluid composition can be seen in the figure above. Friction Reducing Agents Percent friction reduction of six friction reducing agents submitted by companies for testing. The term “slickwater” is derived from the addition of chemicals that reduce friction between the fluid and pipe surfaces, thus making the fluid “slick”. These chemicals greatly affect the performance of fracking pumps, which utilize pressure differences to deliver fluid and stimulate gas production. The lowered pressure requirements due to friction reducing agents allow for greater flow rates and thus allow pumps with less power to provide similar deliver rates. Compared to fracking fluids which do not contain friction reducing agents, slickwater solutions can be pumped at rates as high as 100 barrels/min, opposed to only 60 barrels/min, when the same amount of pressure is applied. The percent friction reduction of six friction reducers used currently in industry is depicted on the left. Environmental And Ethical Considerations Of Slickwater Recently, fracking has been the subject of much scrutiny, due to concerns over the effects the process has on the environment. Most of the environmental concerns involving slickwater components stem from mismanagement of fracking fluids. These include mechanical failures which result in chemical spillage, as well as irresponsible disposal of flowback and fracking fluids. Many of these issues could be solved with proper site regulation and more environmentally-friendly practices. Additionally, many of the ethical issues corresponding to fracking can be solved through the reduction of environmental impact, as issues such as drinking water contamination directly affect civilians. The key to solving these problems lies in maintaining production efficiency while protecting the areas around jobsites. The following chart provides a breakdown of the constituents of water returned by a fracking well. Chart of produced water components. Over recent years, the fracking industry has made efforts to become more environmentally-friendly. One way that this was accomplished was through reusing fracking fluids. This practice allows for the conservation of fresh water since new fluids do not need to be created. Another way the fracking industry has advanced is in the area of wastewater treatment. After a well is fracked, the collected wastewater is laden with harmful compounds, both from the original slickwater solution and from the target rock formation. These compounds can be very difficult to remove by traditional water treatment methods. However, Ohio University researchers have developed a way to use ultraviolet rays, water softening technology, and supercritical transformations to purify wastewater. In addition to new wastewater management techniques, more eco-friendly chemical additives have been explored. One such eco- friendly additive, created by Halliburton in 2003, is a non-toxic friction reducer that is a mixture of a copolymer of acrylamide and dimethylaminoethyl acrylate quaternized with benzyl chloride and a stabilizing and dispersing homopolymer of ethanaminium,N,N,N- trimethyl-2-[(1,oxo-2-propenyl)oxy]-chloride. This friction reducer is able to maintain friction pressure reduction in excess of 50%, while also being more environmentally friendly than most other additives used today.