Marcellus Gas Drilling and Water Resources

1. Marcellus Gas Drilling and Water Resources Marcellus drilling involves …. Bigger rigs More disturbance More water Hydrofracturing More wastewater PA’s abundant water resources - a blessing and a concern 83,000 miles of streams Thousands of ponds/lakes 80 trillion gallons of groundwater

2. Water Resources Concerns Protection of drinking water Adequate wastewater treatment Fracing chemicals Photo courtesy – Paul Hart, Hart Resource Technologies, Inc Impact of water withdrawals Regulations and enforcement

3. Protection of Drinking Water Supplies Wells drilled 1966-1994 • One million homes, 3.5 million residents • Use groundwater • Are drilling regulations protective enough? • Are homeowners aware of water testing documentation needed and leasing stipulations?

4. Water Well Studies Some recent western U.S. studies indicate higher contamination rates % Exceeding Drinking Standards Contaminant

5. Symptoms of Problems • Erosion/sediment in surface water • Changes in water appearance • Sediment during construction or drilling • Effervescence, spurting faucet • Foaming • Changes in drinking water taste • Metallic (iron, manganese) • Salty (chloride) • Changes in water odor • Changes in well or spring yield

6. Freshwater Use During Shale Drilling Access + Allocation Typically 3 to 4 million gallons of water per gas well

7. Freshwater Use for Drilling • Withdrawal must be permitted • River basin commissions • DEP permit • Clean Streams Law • Water withdrawals • Purchase water from communities • Large rivers and impoundments • Small streams and groundwater • Incentives – wastewater use and storage of water during spring • Biggest concerns • Withdrawals in western PA with no river basin oversight • Illegal withdrawals - enforcement

8. Hydrofracturing • Several million gallons of water mixed with sand (proppant) and various additives • 30-40% return of frac fluids = >100,000 gallons

9. Hydrofracturing Mixtures Source: Arthur et al. 2008. Hydraulic Fracturing Considerations for Natural Gas Wells of the Marcellus Shale. The Ground Water Protection Council , 2008 Annual Forum, Cincinnati, OH.

10. Wastewater Pollutants (drilling, brine, flow-back, production) • Salt (sodium, chloride, total dissolved solids) • Metals (iron, manganese, barium, arsenic) • Chemical oxygen demand • Surfactants/detergents • Total suspended solids • Oil and grease • Methane gas (migration) • Additives

11. Wastewater Treatment • Challenges • Limited existing capacity • Volume of wastes • Highly polluted, variable waste • Treatment methods • Dedicated facilities – salt discharge • Road spreading – limited circumstances • Deep injection wells – limited number + capacity • POTW’s – just diluting waste, stop gap measure • Reuse / recycle – dilute waste for reuse • New regulations will prohibit high TDS discharges in 2011 • New treatment plants to remove salts will be needed

12. Regulations and Enforcement • Sufficient setback distances to water • Sufficient bonds during permitting • Well construction to prevent methane migration • Inspections on freshwater protection string • Zone of presumed responsibility (1,000’ enough?) • Water testing burden on homeowners • Waste fluid collection – pits with liners – leaks? • Proper chemical storage on sites – preventing spills • Tracking of waste fluids – preventing illegal dumping • Staff to investigate complaints (10 days / 45 days)

13. Educational ResourcesGas Drilling and Water Resources Publications Web sites / webinars Presentations Portable Classroom DVD • Gas drilling and your private water supply • Water stipulations for gas leases • Treatment options for gas waste fluids • Gas well drilling and water resources

14. Questions?