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Analysis of Frack Water

By Kiersten Briggs and Schuyler Mincemoyer. Analysis of Frack Water. Objective. An organic analysis of the effects of hydraulic fracturing on well water through GC-MS and FT-IR .

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Analysis of Frack Water

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  1. By Kiersten Briggs and Schuyler Mincemoyer Analysis of Frack Water

  2. Objective • An organic analysis of the effects of hydraulic fracturing on well water through GC-MS and FT-IR. • After GC-MS and FT-IR results were found, we also proceeded to run an XRF analysis to determine the metal and alloy makeup of the frack water.

  3. What is Hydraulic Fracturing? • Drilling technique widely utilized for collecting Natural Gas • Energy from injecting highly-pressurized fracking fluid cracks rocks to release gas • Drilling occurs ~6,200 ft below the surface • Can produce fracturing at least 1,000-1,500 ft away from the initial pressurization point

  4. What is Hydraulic Fracturing?

  5. What is Frack Water? • Caused by Hydraulic Fracturing for Natural Gas • Well water speculated to be contaminated by fracking fluid byproducts • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZe1AeH0Qz8

  6. Suspected Contaminants • We are testing for 5 out of a possible 353 dangerous components of fracking fluid (632 total components) • Xylene • Benzene • Ethylbenzene • Naphthalene • Toluene

  7. Procedure • Extract components from water using Separatory Funnel and Hexane • Also attempted using Methylene Chloride for extraction • Run organic layer through the GC-MS and FT-IR • Standard Samples were mixed with hexane and run through each instrument as a reference point

  8. Results • GC-MS and FT-IR showed no benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene, xylene, or naphthalene present. • An XRF analysis showed that of the metals/alloys in the water, 60% was Sulfur. The other 40% was Silica.

  9. Conclusions • The benzene derivatives we tested for were not present. Probable causes: • Present in extremely low concentrations • Did not have a good water sample for testing • Gas samples may have left the sample before testing

  10. Conclusions • The XRF showed a surprising result with 60% sulfur contents within the Frack Water. • Sulfur is present in the shale they fracture during hydraulic fracturing • Sulfur and CO2 are a byproducts of processing natural gas

  11. For further studies • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBjSXWQRV8 • Shows the breaks in the water from the tap system where the fire lights. Leads to a question of a gas trapped in the pipes, rather than a contaminant of the water itself.

  12. Questions?

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