U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Federal and Regional Efforts Federal and Regional Efforts Related to Marcellus Shale Related to Marcellus Shale Exploration and ProductionExploration and Production

David P. Russ, Regional Executive, Northeast AreaU.S. Geological Survey

Maryland Marcellus Shale Technical and Policy Review Meeting

December 2, 2010

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Gas Shale Reservoirs

• Formerly considered only as hydrocarbon source rocks

• Now may be effective as hydrocarbon reservoir rocks

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Marcellus Play Fairway – Vast ResourceMarcellus Play Fairway – Vast Resource

50-ft isopach

U – M Devonian outcrop

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Drilling Pad

(from Gott, 2007)

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Horizontal Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing

(graphic by Al Granberg, 2008; http://www.wnyc.org/slideshows2/gasdrill)

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Water AvailabilityWater Availability

• Total water use for life of field may be large

• Net loss of fresh water (consumptive use)

• Impact may be larger on headwater streams

• Reduction of in-stream flows may affect habitats and endangered species

Photo Courtesy of Damian M. Zampogna, The Susquehanna River Basin Commission

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Marcellus Development Plan

Photo: Chesapeake / Statoil

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“Frac Fluid” = Fresh Water + Additives

• Injected fresh water commonly includes proprietary polymer additives to reduce pipe friction, increase frac width, & to improve sand proppant transport and clean-up.

(Frantz and Jochen, 2005)

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Frac Fluid Composition

0.44% of 3 million gallons = 13,200 gallons

(from Arthur and others, 2008)

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Surface Water QualitySurface Water Quality

• Fluid and chemical Fluid and chemical transport – spillstransport – spills

• On-site fluid handling On-site fluid handling mishapsmishaps

• Disposal of flow back Disposal of flow back waterwater

Photo Courtesy of Damian M. Zampogna, The Susquehanna River Basin Commission

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Groundwater QualityGroundwater Quality

• Loss of control during Loss of control during hydraulic fracturinghydraulic fracturing

• Loss of control of flow Loss of control of flow back from well – release back from well – release to surface to surface

• Migration of contaminated Migration of contaminated formation water through formation water through fractures over time into fractures over time into groundwatergroundwater

Photo Courtesy of Damian M. Zampogna, The Susquehanna River Basin Commission

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Marcellus Pipeline Construction - Pennsylvania

(from Spectra Energy)

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Marcellus Separation Facility – West Virginia

(from Dominion Transmission, Inc.)

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Elk County, PA

(images from GoogleEarth, 2009)

(from Coleman and others, 2009)

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Summary of Major Concerns

• Actual presence of prognosed resources.

• Availability of large volumes of fresh water needed for drilling and completion of gas shale wells; impact of extraction on ecological flows

• Disposal or reuse of fluids used during drilling and stimulation after removal from the drill hole

• Impact of frac’ing on groundwater quality

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Summary of Major Concerns

• Habitat fragmentation caused by densely spaced drill pads, compression facilities, and regional / interstate pipeline extensions and connections

• Impact of operations on fish, wildlife, habitat

• Introduction of invasive species

• Challenge of instituting a regulatory framework that includes Federal & State interests; “harmonizing” State and Commission “footprints”

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Federal Activities

• USACE Federal lead for Susquehanna and Delaware Basin Commissions

• EPA Region 3 Resource Extraction Task Force – Water Quality & Waste Water

• EPA ORD conduct Hydrofracturing Study

• NOAA/NWS provides river flow information

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Federal Activities (continued)Federal Activities (continued)

• Forming a Federal Interagency Team

• Developing a Comprehensive Impact Assessment – starting in Delaware River Basin

• Natural gas resource assessment underway – gas sands, shale gas, coalbed methane

• Surface water flow – stream gaging and water availability studies

Bryan Moore, USGS

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Federal Activities (continued)Federal Activities (continued)

• Water quality sampling and monitoring – enhancing gaging networks on streams, initiating limited flow back water sampling

• Initiating groundwater flow modeling to predict fate of injected fluids

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Federal Activities (continued)Federal Activities (continued)

• Saline water resource evaluations

• Status and trends of endangered species – statutory responsibility

• Regional long-term baseline of groundwater and surface water

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Next Steps

• Initiate Interagency Team

• Define content, timing, assets, and data needs for Comprehensive Impact Assessment

• Create Monitoring Council & identify needs-emphasis on protecting water supply and habitat in gas “high yield” areas; should industry pay?

• Plan and lead workshops – Stray Gas, Monitoring, DOE NETL Test Well