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Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas: Impacts from the Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle on Drinking Water Resources in the United States

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Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas: Impacts from the Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle on Drinking Water Resources in the United States EPA-600-R-16-236ES December 2016 www.epa.gov/hfstudy Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas: Impacts from the Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle on Drinking Water Resources in the United States Executive Summary Office of Research and Development Washington, DC Aerial photograph of hydraulic fracturing well sites near Williston, North Dakota. Dakota. Image ©J Henry Fair / Flights provided by LightHawk Executive Summary eople rely on clean and plentiful water re­ nation of the EPA’s study of the potential impacts Psources to meet their basic needs, includ­ of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas on drinking ing drinking, bathing, and cooking. In the early water resources. 2000s, members of the public began to raise con­ The hydraulic fracturing water cycle de­ cerns about potential impacts on their drinking scribes the use of water in hydraulic fractur­ water from hydraulic fracturing at nearby oil and ing, from water withdrawals to make hydraulic gas production wells. In response to these con­ ­ cerns, Congress urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study the relation­ productionfracturing fluids, wells, throughto the collection the mixing and and disposal injec ship between hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas ortion reuse of hydraulic of produced fracturing water. fluidsThese inactivities oil and cangas and drinking water in the United States. impact drinking water resources under some The goals of the study were to assess the po­ circumstances. Impacts can range in frequency tential for activities in the hydraulic fracturing and severity, depending on the combination of water cycle to impact the quality or quantity of hydraulic fracturing water cycle activities and lo­ drinking water resources and to identify factors cal- or regional-scale factors. The following com­ that affect the frequency or severity of those im­ binations of activities and factors are more likely pacts. To achieve these goals, the EPA conducted than others to result in more frequent or more independent research, engaged stakeholders severe impacts: through technical workshops and roundtables, and reviewed approximately 1,200 cited sources y Water withdrawals for hydraulic fracturing of data and information. The data and informa­ in times or areas of low water availability, tion gathered through these efforts served as the particularly in areas with limited or declin­ basis for this report, which represents the culmi- ing groundwater resources; 1 y Spills during the management of hydraulic frac­ duction wells and ranged in severity, from temporary changes in water quality to contamination that made that result in large volumes or high concentra­ private drinking water wells unusable. tionsturing offluids chemicals and chemicals reaching or groundwater produced water re­ The available data and information allowed us to sources; qualitatively describe factors that affect the frequen­ y cy or severity of impacts at the local level. However, wells with inadequate mechanical integrity, ­ allowingInjection gasesof hydraulic or liquids tofracturing move to groundwaterfluids into able data prevented us from calculating or estimat­ resources; ingsignificant the national data gaps frequency and uncertainties of impacts inon thedrinking avail y water resources from activities in the hydraulic frac­ into groundwater resources; turing water cycle. The data gaps and uncertainties y DischargeInjection of of hydraulicinadequately fracturing treated hydraulicfluids directly frac­ described in this report also precluded a full charac­ turing wastewater to surface water resources; terization of the severity of impacts. and y Disposal or storage of hydraulic fracturing waste­ inform decisions by federal, state, tribal, and local water in unlined pits, resulting in contamination The scientific information in this report can help of groundwater resources. term, attention could be focused on the combina­ tionsofficials; of activities industry; and and factors communities. outlined Inabove. the short-In the The above conclusions are based on cases of longer-term, attention could be focused on reducing ­ analyses presented in this report. Cases of impacts port. Through these efforts, current and future drink­ identified impacts and other data, information, and­ ingthe waterdata gaps resources and uncertainties can be better identified protected in in this areas re ­ where hydraulic fracturing is occurring or being con­ curredwere identified near hydraulically for all stages fractured of the oil hydraulic and gas fracpro­ sidered. turing water cycle. Identified impacts generally oc Drinking Water Resources in the United States 2010, and approximately 14% of the population Ias any water that now serves, or in the future obtained drinking water from non-public water couldn this serve, report, as drinkinga source ofwater drinking resources water are for defined public supplies. Non-public water supplies are often or private use. This includes both surface water private water wells that supply drinking water to a resources and groundwater resources (Text Box ES­ residence. 1). In 2010, approximately 58% of the total volume Future access to high-quality drinking water in of water withdrawn for public and non-public the United States will likely be affected by changes water supplies came from surface water resources in climate and water use. Since 2000, about 30% and approximately 42% came from groundwater of the total area of the contiguous United States resources (Maupin et al., 2014).1 Most people (86% has experienced moderate drought conditions of the population) in the United States relied on and about 20% has experienced severe drought public water supplies for their drinking water in conditions. Declines in surface water resources have 1 Public water systems provide water for human consumption from surface or groundwater through pipes or other infrastructure to at least 15 service connections or serve an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year. Non­ public water systems have fewer than 15 service connections and serve fewer than 25 individuals. 2 Text Box ES-1: Drinking Water Resources In this report, drinking water resources are considered to be any water that now serves, or in the future could serve, as a source of drinking water for public or private use. This includes both surface water bodies and underground rock formations that contain water. Surface water resources include water bodies located on the surface of the Earth. Rivers, springs, lakes, and reservoirs are examples of surface water resources. Water quality and quantity are often considered when determining whether a surface water resource could be used as a drinking water resource. Groundwater resources are underground rock formations that contain water. Groundwater resources are found at different depths nearly everywhere in the United States. Resource depth, water quality, and water yield are often considered when determining whether a groundwater resource could be used as a drinking water resource. led to increased withdrawals and net depletions of Natural processes and human activities can groundwater in some areas. As a result, non-fresh affect the quality and quantity of current and future water resources (e.g., wastewater from sewage drinking water resources. This report focuses on the treatment plants, brackish groundwater and surface potential for activities in the hydraulic fracturing water, and seawater) are increasingly treated and water cycle to impact drinking water resources; used to meet drinking water demand. other processes or activities are not discussed. Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas in the United States ydraulic fracturing is frequently used to enhance (Figure ES-1). During hydraulic fracturing, hydraulic Hoil and gas production from underground rock ­ formations and is one of many activities that oc- tion well and into the targeted rock formation under cur during the life of an oil and gas production well pressuresfracturing fluidgreat is enough injected to down fracture an oil the or oil- gas and produc gas­ 3 Figure ES-1. General timeline and summary of activities at a hydraulically fractured oil or gas production well. bearing rock.1 rock (e.g., sandstone, carbonate, and coal). carries proppant (typically sand) into the newly- Approximately 1 million wells have been hydrau­ created fractures The tohydraulic keep the fracturing fractures fluid “propped” usually ­ open. After hydraulic fracturing, oil, gas, and other oped in the late 1940s (Gallegos and Varela, 2015; ­ IOGCC,lically fractured 2002). Roughly since the one technique third of those was firstwells devel were tion well to the surface, where they are collected and hydraulically fractured between 2000 and approxi­ managed.fluids flow through the fractures and up the produc mately 2014. Wells hydraulically fractured between Hydraulically fractured oil and gas production 2000 and 2013 were located in pockets of activity across the United States (Figure ES-2). Based on sev­ in domestic oil and gas production, accounting for eral different data compilations, we estimate that slightlywells have more significantly than 50% of contributed oil production to andthe nearlysurge 25,000 to 30,000 new wells were drilled and hy­ 70% of gas production in 2015 (EIA, 2016a, b). The draulically fractured in the United States each year surge occurred when hydraulic fracturing was com­ between 2011 and 2014, in addition to existing wells bined with directional drilling technologies around that were hydraulically
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