Hydraulic Fracturing Gives Rise To New Water-Treatment Technologies
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
Innovative companies are developing better ways to clean and recycle drilling water on site, as well as manufacturing "greener" drilling solutions that have fewer harmful chemicals.
There is no doubt that hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas in shale deposits is a controversial technology — especially when it comes to impacts to water resources. Protecting water is the biggest environmental issue facing the hydraulic fracturing industry today.
"Fracking" consumes vast amounts of water — typically millions of gallons for every well drilled. This can have a huge impact on groundwater resources, especially in arid regions in the western United States, and heavily populated areas in the eastern half of the nation that are already dealing with water issues, including depleted aquifers.
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Taxonomy
- Chemical Analysis
- Fracking
- Oceanographic Survey
3 Comments
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Water sourcing and management is one of the main challenges facing operators in unconventional gas and oil development. The trend appears to be toward decreasing the water footprint through the reuse of returned water in other fracking operations, sourcing saline water for fracking operations, or use of gas liquids rather than water. As the article suggests, water treatment is also increasing. All steps in the right direction. See http://calwatchdog.com/2015/01/29/fracking-with-little-or-no-water-increasingly-common/
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Good share.
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A 2013 study related to this subject may be of interest (one of the first studies that investigated hydraulic fracturing from a water footprint point of view - please note that the authors also mention that more transparency regarding data is necessary): " Water Resource Reporting and Water Footprint from Marcellus Shale Development in West Virginia and Pennsylvania" All the information regarding this project can be accessed here: http://switzernetwork.org/blog/post/webinar-reporting-fracking-front-switzer-foundation-webinar-series