Hydraulic Fracturing:Hydraulic Fracturing:
Why ArenWhy Aren’’t We Doing It Everywhere?t We Doing It Everywhere?
Dan Tormey, Ph.D., P.G.Dan Tormey, Ph.D., P.G.
ENVIRON CorporationENVIRON Corporation
17 June 201417 June 2014
Environmental Characterization Environmental Characterization
of Shale Oil and Gas Production: of Shale Oil and Gas Production:
FirstFirst--Ever Comprehensive Ever Comprehensive
Hydraulic Fracturing StudyHydraulic Fracturing Study
2
Local Study With Global ImplicationLocal Study With Global Implication
�� Global ImportanceGlobal Importance
–– Countries with organic shale basins following US leadCountries with organic shale basins following US lead
–– Economic, geopolitical, and climate change Economic, geopolitical, and climate change
advantages to shale oil and gas productionadvantages to shale oil and gas production
–– Concerns about Social License to OperateConcerns about Social License to Operate
•• Study provides Study provides
•• DataData--rich response to fearrich response to fear--based concernsbased concerns
•• Ability to scale study results globallyAbility to scale study results globally
Key Environmental IssuesKey Environmental Issues
•• Protection of Drinking Water Protection of Drinking Water
SourcesSources
•• Chemical MigrationChemical Migration
•• Produced Water ManagementProduced Water Management
•• Induced SeismicityInduced Seismicity
•• Social License to OperateSocial License to Operate
•• Regulatory UncertaintyRegulatory Uncertainty
1. Protection of Sources of Drinking Water1. Protection of Sources of Drinking Water
Geological Cross Geological Cross
Section of Natural Section of Natural
ResourcesResources
2. Chemical Migration2. Chemical Migration
•• Resource Resource
development areas development areas
typically have high typically have high
background levels background levels
of contaminantsof contaminants
•• Fingerprinting Fingerprinting
chemical source chemical source
to distinguish to distinguish
natural contributionsnatural contributions
•• Fate and Fate and
transport analysistransport analysis
3. Produced Water 3. Produced Water
ManagementManagement
•• Large volumes of Large volumes of
water produced water produced
•• Typically saline and Typically saline and
contaminatedcontaminated
•• Volumes typically Volumes typically
greater than can be greater than can be
accommodated by accommodated by
injectioninjection
4. Induced Seismicity4. Induced Seismicity
~8
,50
0 f
t b
elo
w
gro
un
d s
urf
ace
II. Vibration Monitoring
III. CalTech Accelerometer
I. Microseismic Monitoring
•• Induced Induced
seismicity is seismicity is
linked to linked to
produced produced
water injectionwater injection
•• Field has water Field has water
flood since flood since
1971 without 1971 without
seismicityseismicity
•• Ongoing Ongoing
monitoringmonitoring
•• FracturingFracturing
microseismicity microseismicity
is is --2 to 2 to --33
•• Hydraulic Hydraulic
fracturingfracturing
insufficient to insufficient to
induce tectonic induce tectonic
earthquakesearthquakes
•• Tectonic Tectonic
quakes arequakes are
deeperdeeper
5. Community 5. Community
CompatibilityCompatibility
What's the use of having developed a What's the use of having developed a
science well enough to make science well enough to make
predictions if, in the end, all we are predictions if, in the end, all we are
willing to do is stand around and wait willing to do is stand around and wait
for them to come true? for them to come true?
-- F. Sherwood RowlandF. Sherwood Rowland
Social
License
to
Operate
www.socialicense.com
6. Regulatory Drift and Uncertainty
� State, Federal, and Local rulemaking
and studies
� State and Local moratoria and bans
� Global response ranges from
embrace to bans
� Data and scientific method are
slowly to take the stage
Thank YouThank You
Dan Tormey, Ph.D., P.G.Dan Tormey, Ph.D., P.G.
ENVIRON CorporationENVIRON Corporation
818.317.7716818.317.7716
