Temporal Changes in Microbial Ecology and Geochemistry in Produced Water from Hydraulically Fractured Marcellus Shale Gas Wells

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 6508-6517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam A. Cluff ◽  
Angela Hartsock ◽  
Jean D. MacRae ◽  
Kimberly Carter ◽  
Paula J. Mouser
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Ecology ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Temporal Changes ◽  
Gas Wells

An Evaluation of Zonal Isolation After Hydraulic Fracturing; Results From Horizontal Marcellus Shale Gas Wells at NETL's Greene County Test Site in Southwestern Pennsylvania

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Hammack ◽  
Shikha Sharma ◽  
Rosemary Capo ◽  
Erich Zorn ◽  
Hema Siriwardane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Zonal Isolation ◽  
Southwestern Pennsylvania ◽  
Greene County

scholarly journals Methane in groundwater before, during, and after hydraulic fracturing of the Marcellus Shale

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (27) ◽  
pp. 6970-6975 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Barth-Naftilan ◽  
J. Sohng ◽  
J. E. Saiers
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Quality ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Local Flow ◽  
Gas Well ◽  
Monitoring Wells ◽  
Regional Flow ◽  
Flow Systems ◽  
Methane Concentrations

Concern persists over the potential for unconventional oil and gas development to contaminate groundwater with methane and other chemicals. These concerns motivated our 2-year prospective study of groundwater quality within the Marcellus Shale. We installed eight multilevel monitoring wells within bedrock aquifers of a 25-km2 area targeted for shale gas development (SGD). Twenty-four isolated intervals within these wells were sampled monthly over 2 years and groundwater pressures were recorded before, during, and after seven shale gas wells were drilled, hydraulically fractured, and placed into production. Perturbations in groundwater pressures were detected at hilltop monitoring wells during drilling of nearby gas wells and during a gas well casing breach. In both instances, pressure changes were ephemeral (<24 hours) and no lasting impact on groundwater quality was observed. Overall, methane concentrations ([CH4]) ranged from detection limit to 70 mg/L, increased with aquifer depth, and, at several sites, exhibited considerable temporal variability. Methane concentrations in valley monitoring wells located above gas well laterals increased in conjunction with SGD, but CH4 isotopic composition and hydrocarbon composition (CH4/C2H6) are inconsistent with Marcellus origins for this gas. Further, salinity increased concurrently with [CH4], which rules out contamination by gas phase migration of fugitive methane from structurally compromised gas wells. Collectively, our observations suggest that SGD was an unlikely source of methane in our valley wells, and that naturally occurring methane in valley settings, where regional flow systems interact with local flow systems, is more variable in concentration and composition both temporally and spatially than previously understood.

Geochemical and isotopic evolution of water produced from Middle Devonian Marcellus shale gas wells, Appalachian basin, Pennsylvania

AAPG Bulletin ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 99 (02) ◽  
pp. 181-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth L. Rowen ◽  
Mark A. Engle ◽  
Thomas F. Kraemer ◽  
Karl T. Schroeder ◽  
Richard W. Hammack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Middle Devonian ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Appalachian Basin ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Isotopic Evolution

scholarly journals GEL DIFFUSION STUDIES ON FACTORS AFFECTING BARITE SCALING IN MARCELLUS SHALE GAS WELLS

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.M. Edenborn ◽  
◽  
J. Alexandra Hakala ◽  
Amelia Paukert
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Diffusion Studies ◽  
Gel Diffusion

scholarly journals Predominance and Metabolic Potential of Halanaerobium spp. in Produced Water from Hydraulically Fractured Marcellus Shale Wells

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Lipus ◽  
Amit Vikram ◽  
Daniel Ross ◽  
Daniel Bain ◽  
Djuna Gulliver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Microbial Activity ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Draft Genome ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Metabolic Potential ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTMicrobial activity in the produced water from hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells may potentially interfere with hydrocarbon production and cause damage to the well and surface infrastructure via corrosion, sulfide release, and fouling. In this study, we surveyed the microbial abundance and community structure of produced water sampled from 42 Marcellus Shale wells in southwestern Pennsylvania (well age ranged from 150 to 1,846 days) to better understand the microbial diversity of produced water. We sequenced the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene to assess taxonomy and utilized quantitative PCR (qPCR) to evaluate the microbial abundance across all 42 produced water samples. Bacteria of the orderHalanaerobialeswere found to be the most abundant organisms in the majority of the produced water samples, emphasizing their previously suggested role in hydraulic fracturing-related microbial activity. Statistical analyses identified correlations between well age and biocide formulation and the microbial community, in particular, the relative abundance ofHalanaerobiales. We further investigated the role of members of the orderHalanaerobialesin produced water by reconstructing and annotating aHalanaerobiumdraft genome (named MDAL1), using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and metagenomic binning. The recovered draft genome was found to be closely related to the speciesH. congolense, an oil field isolate, andHalanaerobiumsp. strain T82-1, also recovered from hydraulic fracturing produced water. Reconstruction of metabolic pathways revealedHalanaerobiumsp. strain MDAL1 to have the potential for acid production, thiosulfate reduction, and biofilm formation, suggesting it to have the ability to contribute to corrosion, souring, and biofouling events in the hydraulic fracturing infrastructure.IMPORTANCEThere are an estimated 15,000 unconventional gas wells in the Marcellus Shale region, each generating up to 8,000 liters of hypersaline produced water per day throughout its lifetime (K. Gregory, R. Vidic, and D. Dzombak, Elements 7:181–186, 2011,https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.7.3.181; J. Arthur, B. Bohm, and M. Layne, Gulf Coast Assoc Geol Soc Trans 59:49–59, 2009;https://www.marcellusgas.org/index.php). Microbial activity in produced waters could lead to issues with corrosion, fouling, and souring, potentially interfering with hydraulic fracturing operations. Previous studies have found microorganisms contributing to corrosion, fouling, and souring to be abundant across produced water samples from hydraulically fractured wells; however, these findings were based on a limited number of samples and well sites. In this study, we investigated the microbial community structure in produced water samples from 42 unconventional Marcellus Shale wells, confirming the dominance of the genusHalanaerobiumin produced water and its metabolic potential for acid and sulfide production and biofilm formation.

Microbial distribution and variation in produced water from separators to storage tanks of shale gas wells in Sichuan Basin, China

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 340-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yimeng Zhang ◽  
Zhisheng Yu ◽  
Hongxun Zhang ◽  
Ian P. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Sichuan Basin ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Microbial Control ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Microbial Distribution ◽  
Production Facilities

Production facilities harbor diverse microorganisms including sulfidogenic bacteria, acid producers and fermenters, showing the potential need for effective microbial control during the production of shale gas.

Barium Isotopes Track the Source of Dissolved Solids in Produced Water from the Unconventional Marcellus Shale Gas Play

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 4275-4285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary G. Tieman ◽  
Brian W. Stewart ◽  
Rosemary C. Capo ◽  
Thai T. Phan ◽  
Christina L. Lopano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Dissolved Solids

scholarly journals Evaluating a groundwater supply contamination incident attributed to Marcellus Shale gas development

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (20) ◽  
pp. 6325-6330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garth T. Llewellyn ◽  
Frank Dorman ◽  
J. L. Westland ◽  
D. Yoxtheimer ◽  
Paul Grieve ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Complex Mixture ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Gas Drilling ◽  
Groundwater Supply

High-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) has revolutionized the oil and gas industry worldwide but has been accompanied by highly controversial incidents of reported water contamination. For example, groundwater contamination by stray natural gas and spillage of brine and other gas drilling-related fluids is known to occur. However, contamination of shallow potable aquifers by HVHF at depth has never been fully documented. We investigated a case where Marcellus Shale gas wells in Pennsylvania caused inundation of natural gas and foam in initially potable groundwater used by several households. With comprehensive 2D gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOFMS), an unresolved complex mixture of organic compounds was identified in the aquifer. Similar signatures were also observed in flowback from Marcellus Shale gas wells. A compound identified in flowback, 2-n-Butoxyethanol, was also positively identified in one of the foaming drinking water wells at nanogram-per-liter concentrations. The most likely explanation of the incident is that stray natural gas and drilling or HF compounds were driven ∼1–3 km along shallow to intermediate depth fractures to the aquifer used as a potable water source. Part of the problem may have been wastewaters from a pit leak reported at the nearest gas well pad—the only nearby pad where wells were hydraulically fractured before the contamination incident. If samples of drilling, pit, and HVHF fluids had been available, GCxGC-TOFMS might have fingerprinted the contamination source. Such evaluations would contribute significantly to better management practices as the shale gas industry expands worldwide.

scholarly journals Detecting and explaining why aquifers occasionally become degraded near hydraulically fractured shale gas wells

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (49) ◽  
pp. 12349-12358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh Woda ◽  
Tao Wen ◽  
David Oakley ◽  
David Yoxtheimer ◽  
Terry Engelder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Noble Gas ◽  
Marcellus Shale ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Upward Migration ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Marcellus Formation

Extensive development of shale gas has generated some concerns about environmental impacts such as the migration of natural gas into water resources. We studied high gas concentrations in waters at a site near Marcellus Shale gas wells to determine the geological explanations and geochemical implications. The local geology may explain why methane has discharged for 7 years into groundwater, a stream, and the atmosphere. Gas may migrate easily near the gas wells in this location where the Marcellus Shale dips significantly, is shallow (∼1 km), and is more fractured. Methane and ethane concentrations in local water wells increased after gas development compared with predrilling concentrations reported in the region. Noble gas and isotopic evidence are consistent with the upward migration of gas from the Marcellus Formation in a free-gas phase. This upflow results in microbially mediated oxidation near the surface. Iron concentrations also increased following the increase of natural gas concentrations in domestic water wells. After several months, both iron and SO42− concentrations dropped. These observations are attributed to iron and SO42− reduction associated with newly elevated concentrations of methane. These temporal trends, as well as data from other areas with reported leaks, document a way to distinguish newly migrated methane from preexisting sources of gas. This study thus documents both geologically risky areas and geochemical signatures of iron and SO42− that could distinguish newly leaked methane from older methane sources in aquifers.

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