Comprehensive & Collaborative Plan to Assess the Environmental Effects of Marcellus Shale Gas Exploration & Production

Transcription

1 Comprehensive & Collaborative Plan to Assess the Environmental Effects of Marcellus Shale Gas Exploration & Production David P. Russ, Regional Executive, Northeast Area U.S. Geological Survey Stray Gas Incidence and Response Forum July 24, 2012 Cleveland, OH U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

2 Marcellus Shale A Regional Resource 2

3 Marcellus Shale Gas 2011 Assessment Total Mean = 84.2 TCFG BBL NGL = TCFe USGS Fact Sheet

4 Activities Leading to Comprehensive Plan Federal Program Priorities and Concerns Delaware River Basin Commission Congressional Interest and Concerns June 2010 PA Geological Survey Workshop 50 Federal & State Participants Form a Federal Shale Gas Working Group Forum for Coordinating Federal Activities with States, NGOs, Industry, and Academia USGS Authors Workshop January 9-11, 2012 Federal Partners Workshop, June 5-6,

5 Marcellus Shale Comprehensive Plan Opportunity for Collaboration An integrated study of the effects of Marcellus Shale gas production on the environment Not NEPA based Plan to cover 3 River basins: Delaware, Ohio, and Susquehanna Considers observed / potential environmental effects on key thematic science issues Leverages other major Federal programs eg. CBP, LCCs, Coal and conventional oil and gas, CO2 sequestration, Forest Inventory and Analyses (FIA), Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) 5

6 Multi-Disciplinary Federal Research Supports new hydraulic fracturing program; improves consistency of interactions with States and River Basin Commissions. Maintain separation of research and regulatory functions Explore linkage of monitoring networks, e.g. USGS streamflow and CUAHSI Collaborative science with EPA, DOE, and USGS at research well sites e.g. EPA Prospective Sites 6

7 Marcellus Shale Comprehensive Plan Key Thematic Science Issues Hydrogeologic Framework Water Availability Water Quality Air Quality Induced Seismicity Landscape Changes Biological Resources 7

8 Comprehensive Plan Purpose & Scope Strategy to address each Key Science Issue: Background Science questions and associated research/assessment strategies Data needs Anticipated work products Includes partnerships and input of collaborators 8

9 9

10 Environmental Concerns Water Availability Small total use compared to other uses U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

11 Timing of Withdrawals 11

12 Water Quality Shale-gas development may result in water quality degradation through introduction and/or release of*: Brines from produced waters Naturally occurring radionuclide materials (NORM) Stray gas (methane) Toxic contaminants in flowback waters Sediment from landscape disturbance *Each treated as separate issues in plan 12

13 Baseline Water Quality Assessments USGS Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory Lycoming County Blair County National Parks Units 13

14 USGS Northern Appalachian Research Lab Monitoring and Modeling Baseline water-quality and level monitoring of groundwater supply wells Modeling of source of water to lab s supply wells 14

15 Developing a water-quality baseline for major ions, nutrients, trace metals, NORM, and dissolved gases. Lycoming Creek Baseline Surface and GW Monitoring Sources of water supply for Williamsport, PA. Gas Wells 15

16 National Park Service Baseline Monitoring Baseline study of groundwater quality from 16 supply wells in 9 NPS sites 16

17 USGS Research Origin of Stray Gas in Groundwater Origin of combustible stray gas in groundwater was determined using isotopic evidence at Tioga Junction, PA. Revesz, and Others, 2010 in Applied Geochemistry Vol. 25, p

18 Concluding Remarks Direct and indirect impacts result from hydraulic fracturing- need to clearly differentiate between them. Few baseline studies currently available Monitoring data and science can inform decision making Coordination through partnerships are absolutely critical! 18

19 19

20 Air Quality Rig and pump motors Trucking Stray gas Visibility and ozone Ken Skipper, USGS 20

21 Air Quality Shale-gas development may result in airquality degradation through introduction and/or release of methane, radon-222, NOX, particle emissions, and dust. Fugitive gas Consideration of both episodic releases during well development and operation, and long-term release from leaking wells 21

22 Induced Seismicity Deep-well injection of waste fluids have the potential to trigger seismic activity and triggered earthquakes that can cause serious property damage Expecting significant collaborator input Primary focus on injection wells Science plan based on existing proposals from USGS and partner scientists Forecasting tools and vulnerability assessments 22

23 23

24 Landscapes Shale-gas development results in substantial disturbance on the landscape, including forest and habitat fragmentation and loss of connectivity, that affect ecological systems and socio-economic factors. Maps of Land-use/Land cover changes and effects on ecosystem services. Maps of current/anticipated energy development Map/model of measureable indicators across the landscape allowing landscape fragmentation to be assessed. 24

25 Biologic Resources Potential large scale and long-term adverse impacts on terrestrial and aquatic fauna, flora, and ecosystems, resulting from changes in water availability, water quality, landscapes, invasive and non-native species, and light and noises pollution. Maps/model of current/predicted ecological change 25

26 Where are the High Quality Brook Trout Streams? Chesapeake Watershed Class A streams >30 kg/hectare brook trout 26

27 Salinity effects on freshwater taxa: molecular markers of stress Brook trout & American eel Freshwater mussels 27

28 28

29 Future Directions Finalize a reviewed first draft of proposed Comprehensive Plan by February 4, 2012 (USGS) Present Plan summary to Federal Partners (January 25) Discuss Plan at Federal Partners Feb 2012 workshop Begin integration of collaborator recommendations and roles 29

30 What is the most useful role the academic community can and should play in pursuing research on Marcellus Shale? Controls of hydrocarbon composition and character Study of sedimentologic and diagenetic processes controlling organic composition, richness, and variability. Isotopic fingerprinting of gas composition to assist in stray gas analyses. 30

31 Issue 1: Effect on Water Availability Surface water and groundwater withdrawals for Marcellus Shale extraction activities may have an impact on human and ecological needs. Compilation of water-use information Application of Water Analysis Screening Tool (WAST) for describing/predicting water use Redesigned stream-gaging network in the Marcellus. Geospatial dataset of ecological flow needs 31

32 Stimulation treatments from the IHS database plotted by HUC IHS is a proprietary database to which USGS has access (through a contract with IHS) Data analysis by Tanya Gallegos and Brian Varela, USGS CERSC, Denver

33 Chloride in Surface Water 33

34 Marcellus Shale Comprehensive Plan Research Issues Human health working with CDC, NIH, NIEHS, community-based foundations, State public health organizations, etc. 34

35 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

36 USGS Research Characterization of Gas and Produced Waters Characterizing the composition of produced and flow back waters. A report on radium and TDS is in review. Characterizing the isotopic composition of Marcellus and other gases. 36

37 Marcellus Shale Research con t Structural framework of Marcellus Shale to better understand potential fluid migration pathways Seismic reflection sections and geologic mapping. Hyperspectral imaging to detect potential structures. 37

38 Groundwater Quality Loss of control during hydraulic fracturing Loss of control of flow back from well release to surface Migration of contaminated formation water through fractures over time into groundwater Photo Courtesy of Damian M. Zampogna, The Susquehanna River Basin Commission 38

39 Environmental Concerns Air Quality Large volume diesel vehicles Large diesel engines for fracking NO x, SO 2, VOCs, Particulates, methane Site Identification Site Prep./Infrast. Drilling Hydraulic Fracturing Gas Production U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Long-term

40 Infrastructure Footprint Roads and Pads (images from GoogleEarth, 2009) (from Coleman and others, 2009) 40

41 41

42 42

43 Marcellus Shale Comprehensive Plan Opportunity for Collaboration Plan concepts: Compilation of existing scientific information Monitoring of baseline conditions Regional vs focused Establish a monitoring council? Assessment of conditions Landscape scale Application of landscape indexing tool Scientific studies Multiagency coordination SRBC Research Forum 43

44 44

45 Water-Quality Station Network MONITORS 31 real-time water-quality monitors SAMPLING SITES 112 standard sites 26 reference sites 45

46 Analyses of Radium Activity in Produced Waters Marcellus data PA DEP (Prof. C. Kirby, 2010) NY DEC (2009) Non-Marcellus data NY DEC (1999) PA DEP (1992) Dresel + Rose (2010) 46