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Hydraulic Fracturing and Water
Ports-to-Plains Alliance
2011 Energy Summit
April 78, 2011
John Harju
Associate Director for Research
2010 University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental
Research Center.
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Background
Water is the most critical limiting resource throughout the
world. Sustainable water supplies are needed for:
Energy production.
Growing and processing high-value crops. Industrial
manufacturing.
Expanding populations.
As population grows and demand for food, water,
energy, and manufactured goods increases, competitionfor
existing water supplies will increase.
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Projected Domestic Gas Production
Source: Energy Information Administration, 2011,
http://www.eia.gov/neic/speeches/newell_12162010.pdf
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Global Liquids Production
Source: Energy Information Administration, 2011,
http://www.eia.gov/neic/speeches/newell_12162010.pdf
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Projected U.S. Energy Use
Source: Energy Information Administration, 2011,
http://www.eia.gov/neic/speeches/newell_12162010.pdf
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Water Needs for Fraccing
Fraccing requirements range from1 to 5 million gallons of
freshwater
per well. The water is mixed with small
amounts of chemicals (biocides,polymers, friction reducers)
andproppants prior to injection.
A percentage of the frac waterreturns to the surface
(flowback)
and is recovered, disposed of, orrecycled.
Typically contains dissolved solids
(salts), suspended solids, residualhydrocarbons, and
chemicals.
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Options for Flowback Disposal
Underground injection
Discharge to a commercial industrial treatment facility
Discharge to a municipal wastewater treatment plant
Discharge to surface water bodies, following treatment
Reuse
Blending with freshwater
Recycling
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Water and Fraccing Issues in the Media
Water availability, especially in arid and semiarid areas.
Public perception of how much water is needed forfraccing.
1 million gallons is the daily amount of water used to
irrigate130 acres of farmland (1/4 section) in North Dakota.
Potential impacts of fraccing on underground suppliesof drinking
water.
Precautions are taken to protect groundwater supplies when a
well is drilled and subsequently fracced. Fraccing has been
successfully employed for over 60 years.
Concerns over frac flowback disposal.
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Marcellus Water Issues
Marcellus Shale
Public concern over contamination of underground supplies
ofdrinking water.
Temporary suspension of high-volume fraccing permits in NewYork
pending review of industry practices by the New YorkDepartment of
Environmental Control.
Proposed moratoriums on fraccing by the New York
StateLegislature and other environmental groups.
Frac flowback disposal.
Stricter regulations than some midwestern states.
Lack of disposal well sites increases water hauling distancesand
costs.
There is also some public concern over safe disposal of
fracflowback.
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Bakken Water Issues
Lack of freshwater availability forfraccing:
Access to Lake Sakakawea iscurrently restricted until the
U.S.Army Corps of Engineers completesan environmental impact
study.
Other surface water sources arelimited.
Groundwater supplies are alsolimited, already allocated,
and/or
restricted by the North Dakota StateWater Commission.
Water haulers often wait in long linesor drive long distances to
fill trucks.
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Bakken Formation Water Issues
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The Northern Great Plains Water Consortium(NGPWC) is a
partnership between the
EERC, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),and key stakeholders
to address criticalissues that impact the water resources of
thenorthern Great Plains region.
Stakeholders: Electrical power generation
utilities
Oil and gas companies
Industry
Municipalities
State agencies
Other interested entities
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Key NGPWC Goals
To assess, develop, and demonstrate technologies
andmethodologies that optimize water use for energyproduction.
To identify nontraditional water supply sources andinnovative
options for water reuse.
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Example NGPWC Projects
Evaluation of Bakken flowback recycling.
Pilot project demonstration of brackish groundwater treatment
for
use in Bakken fraccing.
Funded by DOE, North Dakota Industrial Commission Oil andGas
Research Council, and North Dakota Petroleum Council.
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Contact Information
Energy & Environmental Research Center
University of North Dakota15 North 23rd Street, Stop 9018Grand
Forks, North Dakota 58202-9018
World Wide Web: www.undeerc.orgTelephone No. (701) 777-5157Fax
No. (701) 777-5181
John Harju, Associate Director for
[email protected]
