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Hydraulic Fracturing in the Ohio River Basin

Hydraulic Fracturing in the Ohio River Basin. Overview of Hydraulic Fracturing . Conventional vs. nonconventional (continuous). Overview of Hydraulic Fracturing. Overview of Hydraulic Fracturing. +/- 5 million gallons used to hydraulically frac a single well.

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Hydraulic Fracturing in the Ohio River Basin

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  1. Hydraulic Fracturing in the Ohio River Basin

  2. Overview of Hydraulic Fracturing • Conventional vs. nonconventional (continuous)

  3. Overview of Hydraulic Fracturing

  4. Overview of Hydraulic Fracturing • +/- 5 million gallons used to hydraulically frac a single well. • Much of the frac water returns to surface in short timeframe. • Marcellus return flows are high in total dissolved solids & bromide. • Primary concerns are: • Disposal of high conc. TDS return flows. • Surface water withdrawals.

  5. Horizontal Wells Issued to Date 3/12/2013

  6. Natural Gas Projection – Electricity Production • Natural gas use in the electric power generation will grow 26% from 2009 to 2035

  7. How many more wells can we expect? • There are currently (3/12/2013) 6,634 horizontally drilled wells in OH, WV, & PA A total of 104,152 wells will be needed to extract the natural gas, with 6,634 already in play, 97,518 more wells could be drilled. Nearly 15 times more

  8. What are the Water Quality Concerns ? • Water quality issues relating to disposal of flowback water seem to be diminished. • Reuse and non-surface water disposal. • ORSANCO recently established a TDS standard of 500 mg/L for Ohio River. • Radionuclides – Minimal monitoring effort found no detections in upper river. • Evaluating need for Bromide criterion • Pittsburgh Water was having issues. • USEPA looking at trace additives.

  9. Status of Disposal of Flowback Water • WV – 81% of Frac Water is reused, 18% sent to Underground Injection Well, 1% other • PA – 99% reused, Underground Injection Well, industrial water treatment facility. • OH – Sent to Underground Injection Wells or Reused

  10. Status of State Regulations

  11. Ohio DNRDivision of Mineral Resources Mgnt • Withdrawals – • Must register for capacities > 100,000 gal/d • Obtain permit for capacities > 2,000,000 gal/d • Registration does not impose any restrictions. • Disposal – • Must be sent to Class II disposal wells or reused unless granted exemption. • City of Warren had been accepting flowback water; OEPA disallowing in their permit. • Water well sampling required within 1500ft of well. • Out of Basin Diversions > 100,000 gal/mo. requires permit.

  12. PADEP Bureau Oil & Gas Mgnt • Withdrawals – • Mandatory water management plans. • No restrictions on withdrawals < 10% of stream low flow. • Must establish pass-by flows for withdrawals > 10% of stream low flow. • Multiple methodologies available. • SRBC & DRBC regulate withdrawals in PA. • Disposal – voluntary program • Contracting with nature conservancy to establish ecosystem flows for Ohio Basin; already completed for SRBC .

  13. Ohio Basin Ecological Flow Study • The Nature Conservancy project for PADEP in Ohio Basin. • What are the variety of hydroecological settings in the basin? • Within each setting (type), how do flow conditions affect species and ecological processes throughout the year? • What range of flows would protect these species and ecological processes? • Manage flows based on ecological protection.

  14. West Virginia DEPOffice of Oil & Gas • Water Mgnt Plan required if using > 210,000 gpmo. • Withdrawals & Disposal: Where, when, how much. • Withdrawals • Demonstration of sufficient instream flows to protect stream designated uses. • ID methods used to minimize aquatic life impacts. • Disposal • No land disposal; WVDEP approval for WWTP disposal. • Quanitity, disposal locations, name hauling company. • Online Water Withdrawal Guidance tool.

  15. Questions? Jason Heath, P.E., BCEE Technical Programs Manager & Assistant Chief Engineer jheath@orsanco.org www.orsanco.org

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