Identification and Evaluation of Brackish Groundwater Resources and Alternate Water Sources for Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water Sources

Perspectives of Unconventional Water Sources Implementation in Hydraulic Fracturing (Russian)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Vernigora ◽  
Artem Laptev ◽  
Alexey Borisenko ◽  
Mikhail Demkovich ◽  
Olesya Olennikova
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Water Sources

scholarly journals Water Taxation and Subsidy Analysis Based on Consumer Water Use Behavior and Water Sources Inside the Kathmandu Valley

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajit Ojha ◽  
Bhesh Thapa ◽  
Sadhana Shrestha ◽  
Junko Shindo ◽  
Hiroshi Ishidaira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Water Price ◽  
Kathmandu Valley ◽  
Total Expenditure ◽  
Groundwater Exploitation

Groundwater is a major alternative water source used to cover the deficit of water supplied by Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), the authority responsible for water supply inside Kathmandu Valley. The groundwater price relative to that of KUKL affects priority of usage, and hence, groundwater resources sustainability. Therefore, taxation or subsidies on water sources become necessary based on their implication on environment. In this study, we evaluate volumetric water price, including initial investment, operation and maintenance (O&M) cost for different water sources, and compare it with the water price of KUKL, Kathmandu. The results show that shallow groundwater is cheaper than KUKL’s water. For groundwater sustainability, taxation on shallow groundwater seems necessary. For the recent water use of 97 LPCD (liters per capita per day) the taxation requirement is Nepalese Rupee (NRs.) 320/month (0.35% of total expenditure) if the initial investment for well construction and O&M cost are considered, and NRs. 626 (0.7% of total expenditure) if only O&M cost is considered. On the other hand, rainwater harvesting and recharging, the measures to cope with groundwater exploitation, might need 40% to 50% subsidy for their initial investment.

scholarly journals Relationship between vertical depth of the kickoff point of a fracking operation and methane concentrations in groundwater resources

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haley Dillon Acosta ◽  
J. Mike Courage ◽  
Serge Danielson-Francois
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Vertical Wells ◽  
Wastewater Disposal ◽  
Water Handling ◽  
Inadequate Information ◽  
Chemical Mixing ◽  
Methane Concentrations ◽  
Thermogenic Methane

There is a problem with hydraulic fracturing and water contamination. Despite Safe Drinking Water Act regulations, risk to water resources remains in areas of water acquisition, chemical mixing, well injection, produced water handling, and wastewater disposal and reuse. This problem has negatively impacted some relying on groundwater resources surrounding hydraulic fracturing operations because of inadequate information (e.g. unmapped faults, abandoned/unfilled wells, unknown mechanisms of risk, etc.). Perhaps a study which investigates the correlation between the vertical depth of the kickoff point (point at which fracking fluids are dispersed underground in vertical wells) and thermogenic methane concentrations in groundwater resources could remedy this situation by filling a gap in the research and identifying a potential risk to groundwater resources. The question: to what extent does the vertical depth of the kickoff point in a fracking operation correlate to thermogenic methane concentrations in groundwater resources?

scholarly journals Assessment of disposable groundwater resources for hydraulic fracturing of gas shales in the Lublin Basin (eastern Poland)

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 79-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Duda
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Gas Shales

Streszczenie W pracy dokonano prognozy zasobów wód podziemnych do wykorzystania w celu szczelinowania łupków gazonośnych w obszarze Basenu Lubelskiego w 2030 r. Jest to przydatne właścicielom koncesji na eksploatację gazu do planowania wielkości i harmonogramu wydobycia. W celu określe- nia dyspozycyjnych zasobów wód opracowano model bilansu wodno-gospodarczego, do którego jako podstawowe dane wejściowe wykorzystano dane z bilansu i prognozy zasobów wód podziemnych dla 2030 r. w dorzeczu Wisły. W modelu uwzględniono specyficzne czynniki determinujące wielkość zasobów wody na obszarach perspektywicznej eksploatacji gazu: zmniejszenie zasilania wód pod- ziemnych w wyniku zmian klimatu, nierejestrowany pobór wody w gospodarstwach indywidualnych, zapotrzebowanie na wodę związane z rozwojem górnictwa gazu łupkowego i stopnień zwrotu do obiegu hydrologicznego wody, wykorzystanej do szczelinowania. W celu uwzględnienia niepewności stopnia oddziaływania tych czynników w 2030 r., model wykonano dla dwóch scenariuszy: umiar- kowanie rygorystycznego ekologicznie i rygorystycznego ekologicznie, zakładającego duże skutki zmian klimatu i radykalne zwiększenie zapotrzebowania na wodę. Zasoby dyspozycyjne wód okreś- lono dla wydzielonych 12 stref bilansowych, zgodnych obszarowo z Jednolitymi Częściami Wód Podziemnych lub ich fragmentami znajdującymi się w obszarze badań. Prognoza dotyczy zasobów wód podziemnych bez stratygraficznego rozdziału na poziomy wodonośne. Zasoby wyniosą dla scenariusza I od 1 072 735 do 79 458 310 m3/rok w zależności od strefy. Dla scenariusza II odpo- wiednio od 733 285 do 49 103 085 m3/rok. Dla właścicieli koncesji na eksploatację gazu istotne są względne wartości zasobów wyrażone na jednostkę powierzchni, które wyniosą dla scenariusza I od 10 132 do 32 300 m3/(rok-km2) w zależności od strefy i dla scenariusza II od 5 212 do 24 200 m3/(rok-km2). Model bilansowy pozwala stwierdzić, że prognozowane na 2030 r. zasoby dyspozycyjne wód podziemnych w strefach bilansowych Basenu Lubelskiego są duże, więc rozwój górnictwa gazu łupkowego nie powinien wpłynąć negatywnie na stan ilościowy wód w tym obszarze.

Feasibility of Wind Power for Brackish Groundwater Desalination: A Case Study of the Energy-Water Nexus in Texas

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashlynn S. Stillwell ◽  
Michael E. Webber
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
West Texas ◽  
Membrane Treatment

With dwindling water supplies and the impacts of climate change, many cities are turning to water sources previously considered unusable. One such source for inland cities is brackish groundwater. With prolonged drought throughout Texas, cities such as El Paso, Lubbock, and San Antonio are desalinating brackish groundwater to supplement existing water sources. Similar projects are under consideration elsewhere in Texas. While brackish groundwater contains fewer total dissolved solids than seawater, desalination of brackish groundwater is still an energy-intensive process. Brackish water desalination using reverse osmosis, the most common desalination membrane treatment process, consumes 20 to 40 times more energy than traditional surface water treatment using local water sources. This additional energy consumption leads to increased carbon emissions when using fossil fuel-generated electricity. As a result of concern over greenhouse gas emissions from additional energy consumption, some desalination plants are powered by wind-generated electricity. West Texas is a prime area for desalination of brackish groundwater using wind power, since both wind and brackish groundwater resources are abundant in the area. Most of the Texas Panhandle and Plains region has wind resource potential classified as Class 3 or higher. Additionally, brackish groundwater is found at depths less than 150 m in most of west Texas. This combination of wind and brackish groundwater resources presents opportunities for the production of alternative drinking water supplies without severe carbon emissions. Additionally, since membrane treatment is not required to operate continuously, desalination matches well with variable wind power. Implementing a brackish groundwater desalination project using wind-generated electricity requires economic feasibility, in addition to the geographic availability of the two resources. Using capital and operating cost data for wind turbines and desalination membranes, we conducted a thermoeconomic analysis for three parameters: 1) transmission and transport, 2) geographic proximity, and 3) aquifer volume. Our first parameter analyzes the cost effectiveness of tradeoffs between building infrastructure to transmit wind-generated electricity to the desalination facility versus pipelines to transport brackish groundwater to the wind turbines. Secondly, we estimate the maximum distance between the wind turbines and brackish groundwater at which desalination using wind power remains economically feasible. Finally, we estimate the minimum available brackish aquifer volume necessary to make such a project profitable. Our analysis illustrates a potential drinking water option for Texas (and other parts of the world with similar conditions) using renewable energy to treat previously unusable water. Harnessing these two resources in an economically efficient manner may help reduce future strain on the energy-water nexus.

Perspectives of Unconventional Water Sources Implementation in Hydraulic Fracturing

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Vernigora ◽  
Artem Laptev ◽  
Alexey Borisenko ◽  
Mikhail Demkovich ◽  
Olesya Olennikova
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Water Sources

scholarly journals Irrigation water quality in smooth lettuce cultivation

2019 ◽  
pp. 407
Author(s):  
Fabrício Thiago Moura Oliveira ◽  
Lucas Guilherme Moura Oliveira ◽  
Thiago Magalhães do Nascimento
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Electrical Conductance ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
A Value ◽  
Butterhead Lettuce

Qualitative characteristics of surface and groundwater resources have been poorly verified by agricultural producers, who often irrigate their crops with contaminated water. This work aimed to analyze the quality parameters of two water sources (cistern and Brejão Lagoon) used by vegetable producers around the Brejão Lagoon in Sete Lagoas (MG) and to evaluate the influence of water quality on the growth of butterhead lettuce. Physico-chemical and microbiological analyses of the water sources used for irrigation were carried out, in addition to evaluating the height of the plants. The results of the physical-chemical analyses showed that the water studied is contaminated with fecal coliforms, 16.0 NMP (most likely number) in both samples, but at levels acceptable for Conama. For the electrical conductance, the water from the Brejão Lagoon presented a value of 119.7 mg L-1what is about 6 x greater than that observed in the water from the cistern, which presented a value of 18.89 mg L-1. The quality of the irrigation water did not influence the growth of butterhead lettuce. The pH of the two irrigation water sources used, fit in the values established by Conama. The vegetables’ irrigation sources are contaminated with microorganisms of fecal origin, but that contamination is still within the levels acceptable by Conama. Leafy vegetables can be used as a vehicle of infection for producers and consumers. According to the value determined for the electrical conductivity by Cetesb, the water from the Brejão Lagoon is not within the determined standards.

scholarly journals Impacts of hydraulic fracturing on surface and groundwater water resources: A case study from Louisiana, USA.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanz Gunter Unruh ◽  
Emad Hosny Habib ◽  
David Borrok
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Watershed Scale ◽  
Surface Water Resources ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Surface And Groundwater

Abstract Background: Unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, frequently referred to as shale plays , have been gaining more attention in recent years. Hydraulic fracturing is performed to extract fossil fuels from unconventional reservoirs. Besides possible environmental implications, a better understanding of the potential stress that fracking may cause to water resources at the local or regional scale is still needed. The goal of this study is to assess the impact of current and projected future water demands for fracking on water resources in two main shale plays in Louisiana, USA. Methods: The analysis is performed in Louisiana’s two main shale plays, the Haynesville Shale and the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, using the Water Supply Stress Index (WaSSI) framework. WaSSI is used to evaluate the stress at a fine watershed scale (HUC12) for annual-average conditions. The study analyzes different scenarios of historical and two future projected fracking conditions that simulate different extraction rates. In each fracking scenario, stresses on both surface and groundwater are evaluated separately. The study is based on a multitude of water supply and withdrawals datasets assembled and disaggregated to the watershed scale. Results: Under existing conditions, the impact of fracking water demands on surface water resources is within the low stress category in most watersheds in both shale plays. This impact remains low under more aggressive future fracking scenarios. In contrast, groundwater resources appear to be highly vulnerable under both the historical and projected fracking scenarios, especially in the Haynesville Shale where 20 out of the 94 watersheds become medium or highly stressed. If groundwater resources remained as a main source for fracking water, the number of stressed watersheds increased to 39 and 86 under the two projected future fracking scenarios. The least exploited Tuscaloosa Marine Shale remains mostly under low stress, except in the most aggressive future fracking scenario. Conclusions: Surface water resources in Louisiana’s shale plays seem abundant enough for fracking activities to rely on this source instead of groundwater whenever possible. Groundwater resources in Louisiana are clearly vulnerable to fracking activities, especially for the Haynesville shale play, under current and future projected fracking conditions.

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