Hydraulic Fracturing Impacts and Technologies

Hydraulic Fracturing Impacts and Technologies PDF

Author: Venki Uddameri

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2015-06-22

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 1498721214

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Hydraulic Fracturing Impacts and Technologies: A Multidisciplinary Perspective serves as an introduction to hydraulic fracturing and provides balanced coverage of its benefits and potential negative effects. Presenting a holistic assessment of hydraulic fracturing and its environmental impacts, this book chronicles the history and development of un

Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing

Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing PDF

Author: Frank R. Spellman

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2012-09-17

Total Pages: 465

ISBN-13: 146651468X

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There is a strong need for innovation and the development of viable renewable energy sources. Recent technological advances now allow natural gas supplies—previously believed inaccessible or nonexistent—to be discovered, mined, and processed for both industrial and consumer use. The technology, a controversial process that is alternatively called hydraulic fracturing, fracking, fracing, or hydrofracking, has greatly expanded natural gas production in the United States. Presenting a balanced discussion, Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of hydraulic fracturing used to extract natural gas, along with gas exploration and production in various shale fields. As the use of hydraulic fracturing has grown, concerns about its environmental and public health impacts have also increased—one of the most significant concerns being the fluids that are injected into rock formations to cause the fracturing contain potentially hazardous chemical additives. The book covers all facets of the issue, including ongoing controversies about the environmental and operator safety issues arising from possible water pollution, drinking water contamination, on-the-job safety hazards, and harmful chemical exposure to workers and residents near well areas. The author discusses both the pros and cons of hydraulic fracturing, explaining the process in great detail. He describes the benefits of hydraulic fracturing and its importance in making the United States energy independent by drilling for its own resources, as well as the potential impacts to the surrounding environment. The text also includes suggestions and recommendations on how to mitigate environmental damage. Arguably the first book of its kind, this is the go-to text on the use and impacts of hydraulic fracturing.

Fracking

Fracking PDF

Author: Michael D. Holloway

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2013-05-20

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1118747917

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This book explores the history, techniques, and materials used in the practice of induced hydraulic fracturing, one of today's hottest topics, for the production of natural gas, while examining the environmental and economic impact. You can't squeeze blood from a turnip, but you can release trapped natural gas from rock. At least that is what is being accomplished now throughout North America. Natural gas that is primarily methane has been proven to be an excellent fuel source. It can be safely burned to create heat to power engines, boilers in factories and homes as well as powering turbines for generating electricity. Projections on natural gas volumes trapped underground suggest a nearly inexhaustible supply of this product. Yet with such abundance comes controversy. A popular and economical technique relies on the gas from subterranean sources and requires fracturing rock bed. This process is actually carried out naturally every day with water or magma. Magma may flow into rock beds superheating water to generate steam. The resulting pressure of the expanding water molecules can be so great, it can lift and separate thousands of tons of rock deep beneath the Earth's surface. This same practice can be carried out artificially (induced) using high-powered pumps and various liquid compounds. This technique combined with new horizontal directional drilling machines have enabled the harvest and distribution of natural gas. But at what cost? Does this practice contribute to greenhouse gas? Does it create earthquakes? Does it contaminate the groundwater supply? These are important issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing, and they are covered here in detail.

Fracking and the Environment

Fracking and the Environment PDF

Author: Daniel J. Soeder

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-11-11

Total Pages: 293

ISBN-13: 3030591212

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This book provides a systematic scientific approach to the understanding of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) as a hydrocarbon extraction technology and its impact on the environment. The book addresses research from the past decade to assess how fracking can affect air, water, landscapes and ecosystems, and presents the subject in the context of the history of fracking and shale gas development in the United States, describing what is known and not known about environmental impacts, and the broader implications of fossil energy use, climate change, and technology development. In 9 chapters, the author lays out how and why hydraulic fracturing was developed, what driving forces existed at the beginning of the so-called "shale revolution", how success was achieved, and when and why public acceptance of the technology changed. The intended audience is scientific people who are concerned about fracking, but perhaps do not know all that much about it. It is also intended for lay people who would be interested in understanding the technical details of the process and what effects it might or might not be having on the environment. The book is written at a level that is both understandable and technically correct. A further goal is to give some useful insights even to experienced petroleum geologists and engineers who have been doing fracking for many years.

Environmental Considerations Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

Environmental Considerations Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations PDF

Author: James A. Jacobs

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2019-04-05

Total Pages: 921

ISBN-13: 1119336112

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A guide to environmental and communication issues related to fracking and the best approach to protect communities Environmental Considerations Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations offers a much-needed resource that explores the complex challenges of fracking by providing an understanding of the environmental and communication issues that are inherent with hydraulic fracturing. The book balances the current scientific knowledge with the uncertainty and risks associated with hydraulic fracking. In addition, the authors offer targeted approaches for helping to keep communities safe. The authors include an overview of the historical development of hydraulic fracturing and the technology currently employed. The book also explores the risk, prevention, and mitigation factors that are associated with fracturing. The authors also include legal cases, regulatory issues, and data on the cost of recovery. The volume presents audit checklists for gathering critical information and documentation to support the reliability of the current environmental conditions related to fracking operations and the impact fracking can have on a community. This vital resource: Contains the technical information and mitigation recommendations for safety and environmental issues related to hydraulic fracturing Offers an historical overview of conventional and unconventional oil and gas drilling Explains the geologic and technical issues associated with fracking of tight sand and shale formulations Presents numerous case studies from the United States EPA and other agencies Discusses issues of co-produced waste water and induced seismicity from the injection of wastewater Written for environmental scientists, geologists, engineers, regulators, city planners, attorneys, foresters, wildlife biologists, and others, Environmental Considerations Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations offers a comprehensive resource to the complex environmental and communication issues related to fracking.

Offshore Well Completion and Stimulation

Offshore Well Completion and Stimulation PDF

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2019-06-08

Total Pages: 87

ISBN-13: 030949236X

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While the public is generally aware of the use of hydraulic fracturing for unconventional resource development onshore, it is less familiar with the well completion and stimulation technologies used in offshore operations, including hydraulic fracturing, gravel packs, "fracpacks," and acid stimulation. Just as onshore technologies have improved, these well completion and stimulation technologies for offshore hydrocarbon resource development have progressed over many decades. To increase public understanding of these technologies, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a planning committee to organize and convene a workshop on Offshore Well Completion and Stimulation: Using Hydraulic Fracturing and Other Technologies on October 2-3, 2017, in Washington, DC. This workshop examined the unique features about operating in the U.S. offshore environment, including well completion and stimulation technologies, environmental considerations and concerns, and health and safety management. Participants from across government, industry, academia, and nonprofit sectors shared their perspectives on operational and regulatory approaches to mitigating risks to the environment and to humans in the development of offshore resources. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

Hydraulic Fracturing Operations PDF

Author: Nicholas P. Cheremisinoff

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2015-01-28

Total Pages: 792

ISBN-13: 1119100003

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Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as“fracking,” is a technique used by the oil and gasindustry to mine hydrocarbons trapped deep beneath theEarth’s surface. The principles underlying the technology arenot new. Fracking was first applied at the commercial level in theUnited States as early as 1947, and over the decades it has beenapplied in various countries including Canada, the UK, and Russia.The author worked with engineering teams as early as the mid-1970sin evaluating ways to improve oil recovery from this practice. By and large fracking was not an economically competitiveprocess and had limited applications until the early 2000s. Several factors altered the importance of this technology, amongthem being significant technological innovations in drillingpractices with impressive high tech tools for exploration, wellconstruction and integrity, and recovery along with discoveries ofmassive natural gas reserves in the United States and other partsof the world. These factors have catapulted the application of thetechnology to what is best described as the gold rush of the 21stcentury, with exploration and natural gas plays proceeding at apace that seemingly is unrivaled by any historical industrialendeavor. But this level of activity has invoked widespreadcriticism from concerned citizens and environmental groups inalmost every nation across the Globe. This outstanding new volume offers the industry a handbook ofenvironmental management practices that can mitigate risks to theenvironment and, through best practices and current technologies,to conform to the current standards and regulations that are inplace to provide the world with the energy it needs while avoidingenvironmental damage. For the new hire, veteran engineer, andstudent alike, this is a one-of-a-kind volume, a must-have foranyone working in hydraulic fracturing.

Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources

Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources PDF

Author: U. S. Environmental Agency

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2015-01-16

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9781507587270

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Natural gas plays a key role in our nation's clean energy future. The United States has vast reserves of natural gas that are commercially viable as a result of advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies, which enable greater access to gas in rock formations deep underground. These advances have spurred a significant increase in the production of both natural gas and oil across the country. Responsible development of America's oil and gas resources offers important economic, energy security, and environmental benefits. However, as the use of hydraulic fracturing has increased, so have concerns about its potential human health and environmental impacts, especially for drinking water. In response to public concern, the US House of Representatives requested that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conduct scientific research to examine the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. In 2011, the EPA began research under its Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources. The purpose of the study is to assess the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, if any, and to identify the driving factors that may affect the severity and frequency of such impacts. Scientists are focusing primarily on hydraulic fracturing of shale formations to extract natural gas, with some study of other oil-and gas-producing formations, including tight sands, and coalbeds. The EPA has designed the scope of the research around five stages of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle. Each stage of the cycle is associated with a primary research question: Water acquisition: What are the possible impacts of large volume water withdrawals from ground and surface waters on drinking water resources? Chemical mixing: What are the possible impacts of hydraulic fracturing fluid surface spills on or near well pads on drinking water resources? Well injection: What are the possible impacts of the injection and fracturing process on drinking water resources? Flowback and produced water: What are the possible impacts of flowback and produced water (collectively referred to as "hydraulic fracturing wastewater") surface spills on or near well pads on drinking water resources? Wastewater treatment and waste disposal: What are the possible impacts of inadequate treatment of hydraulic fracturing wastewater on drinking water resources? This report describes 18 research projects underway to answer these research questions and presents the progress made as of September 2012 for each of the projects. Information presented as part of this report cannot be used to draw conclusions about potential impacts to drinking water resources from hydraulic fracturing. The research projects are organized according to five different types of research activities: analysis of existing data, scenario evaluations, laboratory studies, toxicity assessments, and case studies.