Ceres Report Released: Hydraulic Fracturing & Water Stress: Growing Competitive Pressures for Water

Recently, Ceres an international "advocate for sustainability leadership" issued a report titled, Hydraulic Fracturing & Water Stress: Growing Competitive Pressures for Water (2013). According to the press release for the brief report, and available with a one-time free registration,

[t]his Ceres research paper analyzes water use in hydraulic fracturing operations across the United States and the extent to which this activity is taking place in water stressed regions. It provides an overview of efforts underway, such as the use of recycled water and nonfreshwater resources, to mitigate these impacts and suggests key questions that industry, water managers and investors should be asking.

WRI Working Paper Released: Clearing the Air: Reducing Upstream Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Natural Gas Systems

Recently, the World Resources Institute, a global environmental think tank whose mission is “to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations,” released a report authored by James Bradbury titled, Clearing the Air: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Natural Gas Systems (2013). The 60-page report available here discusses the following:

Natural gas production in the United States has increased rapidly in recent years, growing by 23 percent from 2007 to 2012. This development has significantly changed projections of the future energy mix in the U.S. Advances combining horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enabled producers to access vast supplies of natural gas deposits in shale rock formations. This shale gas phenomenon has helped to reduce energy prices, directly and indirectly supporting growth for many sectors of the U.S. economy, including manufacturing.

This paper seeks to clarify what is known about methane emissions from the natural gas sector, what progress has been made to reduce those emissions, and what more can be done. Box S-1 lists the paper’s key findings. Box S-2 describes the scope of this study.  
Shale gas development has triggered divisive debates over the near- and long-term environmental implications of developing and using these resources, including concerns over air quality, water resources, and community impacts. One point of controversy concerns the climate change implications of shale gas development, in part due to uncertainty about emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that is the primary component of natural gas. Fugitive methane emissions reduce the net climate benefits of using lower-carbon natural gas as a substitute for coal and oil for electricity generation and transportation, respectively.

USGS Report Released: Landscape Consequences of Natural Gas Extraction in Allegheny and Susquehanna Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004--2010

Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report titled Landscape Consequences of Natural Gas Extraction in Allegheny and Susquehanna Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004--2010 (USGS Open File Rep. 2013-1025). The 38-page report available here, authored by E.T. Sloanecker et al. discusses the following:

Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing extensive drilling and production. The technology used to extract gas in the Marcellus Shale is known as hydraulic fracturing and has garnered much attention because of its use of large amounts of fresh water, its use of proprietary fluids for the hydraulic-fracturing process, its potential to release contaminants into the environment, and its potential effect on water resources. Nonetheless, development of natural gas extraction wells in the Marcellus Shale is only part of the overall natural gas story in this area of Pennsylvania. Coalbed methane, which is sometimes extracted using the same technique, is commonly located in the same general area as the Marcellus Shale and is frequently developed in clusters of wells across the landscape. The combined effects of these two natural gas extraction methods create potentially serious patterns of disturbance on the landscape. This document quantifies the landscape changes and consequences of natural gas extraction for Allegheny County and Susquehanna County in Pennsylvania between 2004 and 2010. Patterns of landscape disturbance related to natural gas extraction activities were collected and digitized using National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery for 2004, 2005/2006, 2008, and 2010. The disturbance patterns were then used to measure changes in land cover and land use using the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) of 2001. A series of landscape metrics is also used to quantify these changes and is included in this publication.

Environmental Law Institute CLE: Environmental Impacts of Shale Development and Hydraulic Fracturing: Key Legal Issues and Future Directions

Co-sponsored by ALI CLE

State and Regional Regulatory Trends in Hydraulic Fracturing States are at the fore in regulating shale drilling and hydraulic fracturing, and several regional bodies have significant regulatory input as well. Get an in-depth examination of the changes and trends in state and regional regulation, including: State regulatory initiatives and moratoria Regional regulatory efforts by River Basin Compact Commissions The tension between the states and US EPA over the regulation of drilling and hydraulic fracturing Efforts to create model state codes and regulations When: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 12:30–2PM ET Where: Via teleconference and webcast. RSVP: To attend, please visit http://www.ali-cle.org/index.cfmfuseaction=courses.course&course_code=TSUX06 Teleconference and webcast information will be emailed one business day prior to the event. Continuing Legal Education credits will be available for this series Panelists: Joel R. Burcat, Partner, Saul Ewing LLP (moderator) Scott R. Perry, Deputy Secretary, Office of Oil and Gas Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Craig Segall, Staff Attorney, Sierra Club Edward L. Strohbehn Jr., Of Counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP Lori Wrotenbery, Director of Administration, Oklahoma Corporation Commission This replay was originally presented on December 14, 2012. Questions submitted during the program will be answered by email within two business days after the program. This program is part of the 5-part ALI CLE and ELI series, Environmental Impacts of Shale Development and Hydraulic Fracturing: Key Legal Issues and Future Directions. The series offers an in-depth examination of the environmental law and policy issues facing companies, governments, activist groups, and citizens who are concerned about this critical area of our nation’s energy infrastructure. You do not have to participate in the entire series to benefit from the information provided in each individual program. For more information on the series go to http://eli.ali-cle.org.

CRS Report Released: Hydraulic Fracturing and Safe Drinking Water Act Regulatory Issues

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, recently issued the report Hydraulic Fracturing and Safe Drinking Water Act Regulatory Issues (Jan. 10, 2013). The 43-page report authored by Mary Tiemann and Adam Vann discusses the following:

Summary

Hydraulic fracturing is a technique developed initially to stimulate oil production from wells in declining oil reservoirs. With technological advances, hydraulic fracturing is now widely used to initiate oil and gas production in unconventional (low-permeability) oil and gas formations that were previously inaccessible. This process now is used in more than 90% of new oil and gas wells. Hydraulic fracturing is done after a well is drilled and involves injecting large volumes of water, sand (or other propping agent), and specialized chemicals under enough pressure to fracture the formations holding the oil or gas. The sand or other proppant holds the fractures open to allow the oil or gas to flow freely out of the formation and into a production well. Its application, along with horizontal drilling, for production of natural gas (methane) from tight gas sands, unconventional shale formations, and coal beds, has resulted in the marked expansion of estimated U.S. natural gas reserves in recent years. Similarly, hydraulic fracturing is enabling the development of tight oil resources, such as the Bakken and Eagle Ford formations. The rapid growth in the use of fracturing has raised concerns over its potential impacts on groundwater and drinking water sources, and has led to calls for more state and/or federal oversight of this activity.

Historically, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had not regulated the underground injection of fluids for hydraulic fracturing of oil or gas production wells. In 1997, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled that fracturing for coalbed methane (CBM) production in Alabama constituted underground injection and must be regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This ruling led EPA to study the risk that hydraulic fracturing for CBM production might pose to drinking water sources. In 2004, EPA reported that the risk was small, except where diesel was used, and that national regulation was not needed. However, to address regulatory uncertainty the ruling created, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) revised the SDWA term “underground injection” to explicitly exclude the injection of fluids and propping agents (except diesel fuel) used for hydraulic fracturing purposes. Thus, EPA lacks authority under the SDWA to regulate hydraulic fracturing, except where diesel fuel is used. As the use of the process has grown, some in Congress would like to revisit this statutory exclusion. In EPA’s FY2010 appropriations act, Congress urged the agency to study the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water quality. In late 2012, EPA issued a research progress report. In May 2012, EPA issued draft permitting guidance for hydraulic fracturing operations using diesel.

Several relevant bills were offered in the 112th Congress, but none was enacted. H.R. 1084/S.587 proposed repealing the hydraulic fracturing exemption established in EPAct 2005, and amending the term “underground injection” to include the injection of fluids used in hydraulic fracturing operations, thus authorizing EPA to regulate this process under the SDWA. The bills also would have required disclosure of the chemicals used in the fracturing process. In response to rules proposed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 2012, S. 2248/H.R. 4322 proposed that a state would have sole authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing on federal lands within state boundaries; H.R. 3973 would have prohibited the rule from having any effect on Indian lands; and H.R. 6235 would have barred a final rule for 10 years, pending an impact study. At the state level, many states have revised laws and rules to address high-volume hydraulic fracturing.

This report reviews past and proposed treatment of hydraulic fracturing under the SDWA, the principal federal statute for regulating the underground injection of fluids to protect groundwater sources of drinking water. It reviews current SDWA provisions for regulating underground injection activities, and discusses some possible implications of the enactment of legislation authorizing EPA to regulate hydraulic fracturing (beyond diesel) under this statute.

EPA Releases Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources Progress Report

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources Progress Report (Dec. 2012).  The 278-page report available here, according to the agency press release provides an update on the EPA's,

ongoing national study currently underway to better understand any potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Results of the study, which Congress requested EPA to complete, are expected to be released in a draft for public and peer review in 2014. The update provided today outlines work currently underway, including the status of research projects that will inform the final study. It is important to note that while this progress report outlines the framework for the final study, it does not draw conclusions about the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, which will be made in the final study.

Previous EPA reports related to drinking water and hydrofracking are available here under the "EPA publications" header.  

Accenture Report Released: Water and Shale Gas Development - Leveraging the US Experience in New Shale Developments

Yesterday, Accenture "a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company," released a new report titled, Water and Shale Gas Development - Leveraging the US Experience in New Shale Developments (2012). According to the abstract for the 72-page report available here,

Shale gas development has transformed the US energy landscape and global development of shale gas resources has the potential to expand significantly outside the United States.

However, there continue to be environmental concerns, particularly with respect to water use. There are many lessons that can be taken from the United States’ experience. Accenture’s upcoming study “Water and Shale Gas Development: Leveraging the US experience in new shale developments” focuses on three key aspects of water and shale gas development.

These are water regulation, water management and water movements. The report highlights areas that operators of new shale developments should consider. It also includes an analysis of considerations for Argentina, China, Poland and South Africa. The report concludes with lessons learned for new shale developments and implications for operators.

UNEP Global Environmental Alert Released for November: Gas Fracking: Can We Safely Squeeze the Rocks?

This month, the United Nations Environment Programme released a new Global Environmental Alert titled, Gas Fracking: Can We Safely Squeeze the Rocks? (Nov. 2012). According to the 15-page alert, available here

Hydrological fracturing techniques have made accessible vast unconventional gas reserves. However, observed impacts on the environment and human health raise legitimate public concerns. The potential climate benefits of coal-to-gas substitution are both less clear and more limited than initially claimed. The question of whether to allow or ban gas fracking needs to be carefully assessed by relevant authorities. A review of current related policies and regulations is critically needed.

Prior alerts are available here, dating from Aug. 2010 to the present.

U.S. Geological Survey Report Released: Landscape Consequences of Natural Gas Extraction in Greene and Tioga Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010

Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report, titled Landscape Consequences of Natural Gas Extraction in Greene and Tioga Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010, USGS Open File Rep: 2012-1220. The 37-page report available here, discuss how,

[i]ncreased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing extensive drilling and production. The technology used to extract gas in the Marcellus shale is known as hydraulic fracturing and has garnered much attention because of its use of large amounts of fresh water, its use of proprietary fluids for the hydraulic-fracturing process, its potential to release contaminants into the environment, and its potential effect on water resources. Nonetheless, development of natural gas extraction wells in the Marcellus Shale is only part of the overall natural gas story in the area of Pennsylvania. Coalbed methane, which is sometimes extracted using the same technique, is commonly located in the same general area as the Marcellus Shale and is frequently developed in clusters across the landscape. The combined effects of these two natural gas extraction methods create potentially serious patterns of disturbance on the landscape. This document quantifies the landscape changes and consequences of natural gas extraction for Greene County and Tioga County in Pennsylvania between 2004 and 2010. Patterns of landscape disturbance related to natural gas extraction activities were collected and digitized using National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery for 2004, 2005/2006, 2008, and 2010. The disturbance patterns were then used to measure changes in land cover and land use using the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) of 2001. A series of landscape metrics are also used to quantify these changes and are included in this publication.

SkyTruth Releases Fracking Chemical Database

Yesterday, SkyTruth an environmental group which "promotes environmental awareness and protection with remote sensing and digital mapping technology" released a database of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking).  The database is comprised of "more than 27,000 "chemical disclosure reports" voluntarily submitted by industry to FracFocus, for gas and oil wells fracked between January 2011 and August 2012."  The information from FracFocus was obtained on either a"voluntary or regulatory basis by the participating oil and gas companies" from the eight states who use the service: Colorado, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, North Dakota, Montana, Mississippi and Pennsylvania.  
To access the database click here.

Congressional Research Service Report Released: Natural Gas in the U.S. Economy: Opportunities for Growth

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, just issued the report Natural Gas in the U.S. Economy: Opportunities for Growth (Nov. 6, 2012). The 35-page report authored by Robert Pirog and Michael Ratner discusses the following:

Summary

Due to the growth in natural gas production, primarily from shale gas, the United States is benefitting from some of the lowest prices for natural gas in the world and faces the question of how to best use this resource.

Different segments of the U.S. economy have different perspectives on the role natural gas can play. Suppliers, which have become the victims of their own production success, are facing low prices that are forecast to remain low. Some companies that have traditionally produced only natural gas have even turned their attention to oil in order to improve their financial situation. Smaller companies are having a difficult time continuing operations and larger companies, including international companies, have bought into many shale gas assets. Prices have remained low even as consumption has increased, in part, because producers have raised production to meet the demand and because companies have improved efficiency and extraction techniques. Some companies, many with large production operations, have applied for permits to export natural gas. This has raised concerns from consumers of natural gas that domestic prices will rise. The debate regarding exports is ongoing.

Industries that consume natural gas have seen input costs drop, and some have heralded low natural gas prices as the impetus for a manufacturing revolution in the United States. Some companies have begun to make major investments to take advantage of the low natural gas prices, particularly in petrochemicals. Other companies are waiting to see if prices will remain low long enough to warrant major investments in new facilities. Meanwhile, the electric power sector has already seen a transition from coal-fired generation to natural gas. Low natural gas prices are also putting pressure on renewable sources of power generation. However, increases in demand will put upward pressure on natural gas prices.

The transportation sector, the one part of the economy vulnerable to foreign energy supplies, is beginning to explore ways to use more natural gas. Transportation makes up less than 1% of U.S. natural gas consumption and would require billions of dollars in investment to increase that share significantly.

All of the change that has taken place so far has occurred despite environmental concerns and regulatory developments at the state and federal level that might curtail production. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that produces various pollutants, some more than other fossil fuels and some less. Methane, the major component of natural gas, is also a potent greenhouse gas when released without burning. Other environmental concerns focus on water use and disposal in hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from shale formations.

Over the next five years, many of the issues being debated now may be decided. The industry and market are adapting to the newly found supplies and the concerns associated with them, as well as integrating more natural gas into the economy. There are many evolving issues some of which Congress can influence directly because of statutes and some indirectly. On the demand side, legislation has been introduced regarding exports of liquefied natural gas and alternative fuels for vehicles. There has been other legislation related to environmental regulations of natural gas.

Earthworks Report Released: Gas Patch Roulette: How Shale Gas Development Risks Public Health in Pennsylvania

Recently, Earthworks a pro-environmental "nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the impacts of irresponsible mineral and energy development while seeking sustainable solutions," released a report titled, Gas Patch Roulette: How Shale Gas Development Risks Public Health in Pennsylvania (2012). The 51-page report available here is alleged to be "[t]he largest health survey to-date of Marcellus Shale residents living near oil and gas development . . . [as the report] surveyed 108 residents in 14 Pennsylvania counties, and conducted air and water tests at more than half of the households were surveys were completed."  According to the website the main conclusions of the report are as follows;

1. Contaminants associated with oil and gas development are present in air and water in many communities where development is occurring.

2. Many residents have developed health symptoms that they did not have before—indicating the strong possibility that they are occurring because of gas development.

3. By permitting widespread gas development without fully understanding its impacts to public health—and using that lack of knowledge to justify regulatory inaction—Pennsylvania and other states are risking the public’s health.

EPA Report Released: Investigation of Ground Water Contamination near Pavillion, Wyoming: Phase V Sampling Event Summary of Methods and Results

On October 10, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a follow-up to its initial report on its Pavillion Wyoming groundwater investigation involving the first documented correlation between groundwater contamination and hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.  Titled, Investigation of Ground Water Contamination near Pavillion, Wyoming: Phase V Sampling Event Summary of Methods and Results (2012), and according to the fourteen page report, available here,  

[t]he objective of the Phase V component of the Pavillion, Wyoming ground water investigation was to resample and reanalyze EPA’s two deep monitoring wells (MW01 and MW02) in conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey. The EPA also collected samples from five (5) domestic water wells located adjacent to the deep monitoring wells and a municipal well. Below, this “Summary of Methods and Results” details the methods, results, and QA/QC for the Phase V investigation.

Related Links

EPA Region 8, Pavillion Phase V, EPA, http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/wy/pavillion/phase5.html (last visited Oct. 15, 2012).

EPA Region 8, Pavillion Groundwater Investigation, EPA, http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/wy/pavillion/index.html (last visited Oct. 15, 2012).

GAO Reports Released on the Environmental and Public Health Risks of Oil and Gas Shale Development

Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released two reports related to hydrofracking and shale development in the U.S..  While neither report makes any recommendations, both have been released in a timely manner as states such as New York are currently weighing the environmental and public health risks associated with the development of shale resources.  

• Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Key Environmental and Public Health Requirements, GAO-12-874 (Sept. 5, 2012). In the 241-page report available here, the  

  GAO was asked to review environmental and public health requirements for unconventional oil and gas development and (1) describe federal requirements; (2) describe state requirements; (3) describe additional requirements that apply on federal lands; and (4) identify challenges, if any, that federal and state agencies reported facing in regulating oil and gas development from unconventional reservoirs. GAO identified and analyzed federal laws, state laws in six selected states (Colorado, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming), and interviewed federal and state officials and representatives from industry, environmental, and public health organizations.

• Oil and Gas: Information on Shale Resources, Development, and Environmental and Public Health Risks, GAO 12-732 (Sept. 5, 2012).  In the 70-page report available here, the 

  GAO was asked to determine what is known about the (1) size of shale oil and gas resources and the amount produced from 2007 through 2011 and (2) environmental and public health risks associated with the development of shale oil and gas. GAO reviewed estimates and data from federal and nongovernmental organizations on the size and production of shale oil and gas resources. GAO also interviewed federal and state regulatory officials, representatives from industry and environmental organizations, oil and gas operators, and researchers from academic institutions.

U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet Released: Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Ordovician Utica Shale of the Appalachian Basin Province, 2012

Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a fact sheet titled Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Ordovician Utica Shale of the Appalachian Basin Province, 2012 (U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2012–3116).  The six-page sheet available here, discusses

unconventional oil and gas resources of the Upper Ordovician Utica Shale and adjacent units in the Appalachian Basin Province. The assessment covers parts of Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The geologic concept is that black shale of the Utica Shale and adjacent units generated hydrocarbons from Type II organic material in areas that are thermally mature for oil and gas. The source rocks generated petroleum that migrated into adjacent units, but also retained significant hydrocarbons within the matrix and adsorbed to organic matter of the shale. These are potentially technically recoverable resources that can be exploited by using horizontal drilling combined with hydraulic fracturing techniques. 

U.S. Geological Survey Reports Released Related to Groundwater Sampling Near Pavillion, Wyoming

Today the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released two reports related to groundwater quality sampling near Pavillion, Wyoming titled Groundwater-quality and quality-control data for two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, April and May 2012, USGS Data Series: 718 (2012) (report available here) and Sampling and analysis plan for the characterization of groundwater quality in two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, USGS Open-File Report: 2012-1197 (report available here).  Both reports were prepared in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and address issues related to the first documented correlation between groundwater contamination and hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.

Related Resources

Groundwater Investigation Pavillion, EPA (last visited Sept. 27, 2012).
 
Press Release, EPA, EPA Releases Draft Findings of Pavillion, Wyoming Ground Water Investigation for Public Comment and Independent Scientific Review (Dec. 8, 2011).  
 
EPA, Draft Report Investigation of Groundwater Contamination Near Pavillion, Wyoming (2011).
 
Fractured Science – Examining EPA’s Approach to Ground Water Research: The Pavillion Analysis Before the H. Energy and Envt. Subcomm., 112th Cong. (2012).

Kirk Johnson, E.P.A. Links Tainted Water in Wyoming to Hydraulic Fracturing for Natural Gas, NY Times (Dec. 8, 2011).

The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy presents: The Policy Workshop Webinar Series: Emerging Issues in Shale Gas Development

The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy presents:     The Policy Workshop Webinar Series: Emerging Issues in Shale Gas Development   Environmental Implications of Shale-Gas Development: Frack versus Fiction Wednesday, October 10, 2012 | 4:00-5:00 PM EDT  Speaker: Dr. Jim Saiers, Professor of Hydrology, Yale University    Register here: https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/856567871

The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy invites you to participate in our second annual policy workshop webinar series, Emerging Issues in Shale Gas Development. Natural gas extraction generally, and shale gas extraction in particular, has become a highly charged issue as stakeholders debate its effects on environmental and public health and its role in our future energy mix. This webinar series seeks to answer important questions about extraction, the environment, and the future of energy by grounding that debate with expert speakers from a variety of disciplines.    Dr. Jim Saiers, Professor of Hydrology at Yale University, will launch the series with an overview of the environmental implications of shale gas development.   His presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience.  Presentation Abstract:  Is U.S. shale gas a blessing or a curse? In this presentation, Professor Saiers will evaluate several of the claims made by proponents and opponents of shale-gas development in light of available evidence. More generally, he will present a primer on shale gas, focusing on the effects of shale-gas extraction and its attendant activities on the environment. This primer will cover the nature and supplies of shale gas and the history of the fracking methods used to unlock this resource. Professor Saiers will, through the course of the presentation, distinguish between what is known, only suspected, and unknown, leaving you to decide whether shale gas is a blessing or a curse, if it's too early to judge, or if its future defies this either/or characterization.   About the Speaker: Professor Saiers studies the circulation of water and the movement of waterborne chemicals in surface and subsurface environments. One element of his research centers on quantifying the effects that interactions between hydrological and geochemical processes have on the migration of contaminants in groundwater. Another focus is on the dynamics of surface water and groundwater flow in wetlands and the response of fluid flow characteristics to changes in climate and water management practices. His work couples field observations and laboratory-scale experimentation with mathematical modeling.   About the Series: Hosted and sponsored by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, our second annual webinar series highlights emerging issues in shale gas development. The series is publicly available online and promoted to both domestic and international academic and policy communities, including governmental officials, think tank analysts, climate change advocates, professors, and students. The webinar format enables interested parties to access and participate in these presentations from anywhere in the world.    The series is free and open to the public.    The next presentation is scheduled for Thursday, November 8, at 12:00 PM EST. Dr. Ramón Alvarez, a senior scientist in Environmental Defense Fund's Texas office, will discuss the ongoing efforts to better quantify the methane losses associated with natural gas production. Registration is available online at  https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/790770447. For more information visit the Center website.     Follow the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy on Facebook and Twitter!        ***    To register for the October 10 event: 1. Go to https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/856567871    2. Click "Register." 3. On the registration form, enter your information and then click "Submit." Once the host approves your registration, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event.    A recording of the presentation will be posted online for public access after the event.   System Requirements: PC-based attendees Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server Mac-based attendees Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer Mobile attendees iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet

U.S. Geological Survey Report Released: Dissolved Methane in New York Groundwater, 1999—2011

Yesterday the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report, titled Dissolved Methane in New York Groundwater, 1999—2011, Open-File Report 2012-1162. In the brief six page report available here, and authored in conjunction with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the survey was designed to monitor naturally occurring instances of methane in drinking water in "low-permeability bedrock such as the Marcellus and Utica Shales."  The justification for this report stems from,

newly developed techniques involving horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing [which] have made it possible to extract previously inaccessible natural gas . . . The use of hydraulic fracturing to release natural gas from these shale formations has raised concerns with water-well owners and water-resource managers across the Marcellus and Utica Shale region (West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and parts of several other adjoining States).  In order to manage water resources in areas of gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing in New York, the natural occurrence of methane in the State’s aquifers needs to be documented.

The information contained in this report was compiled from information available from the
USGS's National Water Information System (NWIS). In particular the link for information on Groundwater should be helpful.

Related Resources

New York, Hydraulic Fracturing (Hydrofracking), Pace L. Libr. LibGuides (Sept. 5, 2012), http://libraryguides.law.pace.edu/aecontent.php?pid=227170&sid=2082504.

In the News: Guar Gum in Hydraulic Fracking Fluid

Recently, the New York Times and other news outlets have reported that many poverty stricken areas in India have been the unwitting beneficiaries of a much needed financial boom from a very unlikely source -- guar beans, a small hard legume. The reason for this recent demand for the bean (or more specifically for the powder or concentrate produced from milling the bean) is similarly to its use as a thickening additive in ice cream, guar has become an essential ingredient in most hydraulic fracturing fluids by increasing viscosity. Below please find additional resources discussing the role of guar in fracking fluids.

Recent News Stories:

Gardiner Harris, In Tiny Bean, India’s Dirt-Poor Farmers Strike Gas-Drilling Gold, NY Times (July 16, 2012).

Christopher Helman, Fracking Boom Means Good Times For India's Guar Farmers, Forbes (July 17, 2012).

Meenakshi Sharma & Selam Gebrekidan, Shale Energy Triggers bean Rush in India, Reuters (May 28, 2012).

Scientific Resources:

Chemicals Use in Hydraulic Fracturing, Hearing Before the H. Comm. on Energy and Commerce, 112th Cong. (2011) (use Ctrl F to search for "guar").

EPA, Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of Drinking Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane Reservoirs (2004) (see sec. 4.2.1 Linear Gels) full report.

Ahmad Bahamdan & William H. Daly, Poly(oxyalkylene) Grafts to Guar Gum with Applications in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids, Proceeding of the 8th Polymers for Advanced Technologies International Symposium Budapest, Hungary (Sept. 13-16, 2005).

Aung Kyaw et al., Fracturing Fluid (Guar Polymer Gel) Degradation Study by using Oxidative and Enzyme Breaker, 4 Res. J. of Applied Sci. Engineering & Tech. 1667 (2012).

Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States: A Primer -- EIA

Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States: A Primer from the Energy Information Administration explains how "natural gas production from hydrocarbon rich shale formations, known as “shale gas,” is one of the most rapidly expanding trends in onshore domestic oil and gas exploration and production today.

In some areas, this has included bringing drilling and production to regions of the country that have seen little or no activity in the past. New oil and gas developments bring change to the environmental and socio-economic landscape, particularly in those areas where gas development is a new activity. With these changes have come questions about the nature of shale gas development, the potential environmental impacts, and the ability of the current regulatory structure to deal with this development. Regulators, policy makers, and the public need an objective source of information on which to base answers to these questions and decisions about how to manage the challenges that may accompany shale gas development.