Fracking Presentation
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Transcript of Fracking Presentation
Dr. Sanjoy BanerjeeDirector, CUNY Energy [email protected] 8, 2011
Natural gas supplies 22% of US energy demand and 40% of electricity production
US has 1744 tcf recoverable natural gas, enough for 100 years
Lower 48 states have gas reserves in clay-like rock formations
Horizontal drilling allows 1 well-pad to access the same reservoir volume as 16 vertical wells
Hydro fracking involves pumping of high pressure liquid into shale to generate cracks in the rock formation and release natural gas
Fracking liquids contain sand, water, and unknown chemicals
Cement and casing are installed to protect groundwater supplies
Natural gas in the Marcellus Shale provides opportunity for huge economic development
Lack of appropriate safeguards and regulation led to environmental damage and erosion of public trust
Research is needed to develop risk-balanced regulations
Fracking liquids are reported to be 98% water and sand, but their composition is unregulated and unknown to the public
Up to 65-80% of fracking liquids are not recovered from drilling operations and are unaccounted for in current simulations
Ability of cement and casings to prevent seepage is unknown
It is unknown whether fracking liquids contaminate groundwater supplies decades after wells are abandoned
There is currently no model that aggregates gas emissions from multiple sites, and companies are not required to report the totals
NOx and SO2 and organic content of natural gas varies by location, creating different air quality management needs.
The composition of waste water is currently unknown, which makes treatment difficult
Waste water contamination by organic compounds and radioactive materials is neither tracked nor regulated
Above-ground methods for water storage must be tested to prevent runoff and leaking
Small-scale sampling at multiple drill sites to learn specific geology and improve simulations
Advanced computer simulations of waste water and fracking liquid motion over time
Assessment of total airborne emissionsMaterials testing of cement, casing, fracking
liquids, and recovered waste waterAnalysis and development of fracking liquids
that can be easily and economically treated
Risk assessment research will help guide future regulations and appropriate severance
taxes for the shale gas industry.