Environmental considerations of modern shale gas development

Abstract

The Barnett Shale play of the Ft. Worth Basin has sparked considerable investment in the Woodford, Fayetteville, Haynesville, and Marcellus Shales, as well as in other shale plays. Key to developing these unconventional natural gas resources is the management of water and other environmental issues facing the developers active in these plays including water availability, water handling/transport, hydraulic fracturing and management of fracturing fluids, water disposal, urban drilling, NORM, and other environmental considerations. This paper will discuss these environmental considerations and challenges related to modern shale gas development in several major plays within the United States, as well as the potential impacts of the expanding public concern regarding shale gas development, and practices and solutions implemented to facilitate ongoing development. Copyright 2009. Society of Petroleum Engineers.