Reference list for waterrelated coal seam gas and coal mining research

4.6Hydraulic fracturing

Though many projects were identified relating to hydraulic fracturing, only five projects were identified with the primary theme of the water impacts of hydraulic fracturing from coal seam gas. Projects regarding hydraulic fracturing for shale gas developments were considered to be out of the scope of this project; however, it is acknowledged that much of the research regarding shale gas may be relevant.

4.6.1Australia

Table 4. Project : Environmental regulation of hydraulic fracturing in Queensland

Project characteristics	Details
Project title	Environmental regulation of hydraulic fracturing in Queensland
Project location	Australia
Principal investigator	Campin, David
Lead institution	Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Australia
Project budget	Unknown
Source of funding	Unavailable
Project duration	Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status	Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary	Since the late 1990s, coalbed methane (CBM) has grown to be a significant part of the Queensland economy, building alongside the world-scale coal export operations. Environmental regulation in Queensland, over the same period, has become highly integrated with petroleum activities following a unified mineral rights/land tenure and environmental permitting process. Development of environmental regulation of CBM evolved with the sector as industry-specific issues became evident. Following the announcement around 2008 of a number of multi-billion dollar LNG export projects with upwards of 40 000 wells, attention by interest groups and the public at large, gave rise to increased scrutiny by regulators of the scope of prevailing rules. Environmental regulation in Australia is largely state-based with nationally agreed guidelines adopted for various media (air quality, receiving water, drinking water, etc). In respect to the environmental aspects of CBM development, a National Framework has been recently agreed to, identifying performance principles including hydraulic fracturing, however the details will be developed and regulated by the states. This paper presents information supporting the chain evidence leading to a revision of the Queensland regulations that is expected to be completed and approved in the middle of 2014 following industry and public consultation and peer review. © 2013, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Outputs	Campin. (2013). Environmental regulation of hydraulic fracturing in Queensland. SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, ATCE 2013, September 30, 2013 - October 2, 2013. New Orleans, LA, United states: Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
Key personnel	Campin, David
Contact	Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Australia
Research themes	Hydraulic fracturing
Project information source	Literature

4.6.2Canada

Table 4. Project : Link between rocks, hydraulic fracturing, economics, environment, and the global gas portfolio

Project characteristics	Details
Project title	Link between rocks, hydraulic fracturing, economics, environment, and the global gas portfolio
Project location	Canada
Principal investigator	Aguilera, Roberto F.; Ripple, Ronald D.; Aguilera, Roberto
Lead institution	Centre for Research in Energy and Mineral Economics (CREME), Curtin University, Canada
Project budget	Unknown
Source of funding	Unavailable
Project duration	Unknown- literature output 2012
Current status	Unknown- literature output 2012
Project summary	This paper presents a methodology for connecting geology, hydraulic fracturing, economics, environment and the global natural gas endowment in conventional, tight, shale and coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs. The volumetric estimates are generated by a variable shape distribution model (VSD). The VSD has been shown in the past to be useful for the evaluation of conventional and tight gas reservoirs. However, this is the first paper in which the method is used to also include shale gas and CBM formations. Results indicate a total gas endowment of 70 000 tcf, split between 15 000 tcf in conventional reservoirs, 15 000 tcf in tight gas, 30 000 tcf in shale gas and 10 000 tcf in CBM reservoirs. Thus, natural gas formations have potential to provide a significant contribution to global energy demand estimated at approximately 790 quads by 2035. A common thread between unconventional formations is that nearly all of them must be hydraulically fractured to attain commercial production. A significant volume of data indicates that the probabilities of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids and/or methane contaminating ground water through the hydraulically-created fractures are very low. Since fracking has also raised questions about the economic viability of producing unconventional gas in some parts of the world, supply cost curves are estimated in this paper for the global gas portfolio. The curves show that, in some cases, the costs of producing gas from unconventional reservoirs are comparable to those of conventional gas. The conclusion is that there is enough natural gas to supply the energy market for nearly 400 years at current rates of consumption and 110 years with a growth rate in production of 2% per year. With appropriate regulation, this may be done safely, commercially, and in a manner that is more benign to the environment as compared with other fossil fuels. © 2012, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Outputs	Aguilera et al. (2012). Link between rocks, hydraulic fracturing, economics, environment, and the global gas portfolio. SPE Canadian Unconventional Resources Conference 2012, CURC 2012, October 30, 2012 - November 1, 2012. Calgary, AB, Canada: Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Key personnel	Aguilera, Roberto F.; Ripple, Ronald D.; Aguilera, Roberto
Contact	Centre for Research in Energy and Mineral Economics (CREME), Curtin University, Canada
Research themes	Hydraulic fracturing
Project information source	Literature

4.6.3China

Table 4. Project : Effect of interface defects on shear strength and fluid channeling at cement-interlayer interface

Project characteristics	Details
Project title	Effect of interface defects on shear strength and fluid channeling at cement-interlayer interface
Project location	China
Principal investigator	Gu, J.; Zhong, P.; Shao, C.; Bai, S.H.; Zhang, H.; Li, K.
Lead institution	China University of Geoscience, Faculty of Earth Resources, Wuhan
Project budget	Unknown
Source of funding	Unavailable
Project duration	Unknown- literature output 2012
Current status	Unknown- literature output 2012
Project summary	The fluid channeling during hydraulic fracturing has been seriously restricting the efficient development of low permeability oilfield and CBM Field. The occurrence of fluid channeling after hydraulic fracturing is hinged on shear strength at cement-interlayer interface (CII) and hydraulic fracturing pressure. Interface defects are key factors that influence the shear strength at CII. In view of this, the influence of interface defects on shear strength at CII and fluid channeling is discussed in this paper. The formation reasons of interface defects are analyzed firstly. Based on analysis of the essence of shear strength at CII, it is concluded that all interface defects amount to the missing amount of mud cake ring. Then a mathematical model between missing amount of mud cake ring and shear strength at CII is developed. In order to verify the accuracy of the model, a simulated experimental system is built. Based on the model and fluid channeling coefficient equation, a modified version of the fluid channeling coefficient is derived and the influence of interface defects on interlayer fluid channeling during hydraulic fracturing is evaluated quantitatively. The results revealed that the shear strength at CII decreases linearly with the increase of interface defects, and verification results show that the relative errors between calculated values by the model and experimental values are less than 10%. From the modified equation of the fluid channeling coefficient, this paper established a typical exponential relationship between missing amount of mud cake ring and fluid channeling coefficient, which indicates that interface defects drastically affect fluid channeling at CII. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Outputs	Gu et al. (2012). Effect of interface defects on shear strength and fluid channeling at cement-interlayer interface. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering.
Key personnel	Gu, J.; Zhong, P.; Shao, C.; Bai, S.H.; Zhang, H.; Li, K.
Contact	[Gu, Jun; Zhong, Pei; Shao, Chun; Bai, Shaohui; Zhang, Hui; Li, Ke] China Univ Geosci, Fac Earth Resources, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, Peoples R China.
Research themes	Hydraulic fracturing
Project information source	Literature

4.6.4United States

Table 4. Project : Community-based risk assessment of water contamination from high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing

Project characteristics	Details
Project title	Community-based risk assessment of water contamination from high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing
Project location		US
Principal investigator		Penningroth, Stephen M.; Yarrow, Matthew M.; Figueroa, Abner X.; Bowen, Rebecca J.; Delgado, Soraya
Lead institution		Community Science Institute, Great Wilderness, Department of Neurology (UT Southwestern Medical Center)
Project budget		Unknown
Source of funding		Unavailable
Project duration		Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status		Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary		The nonprofit Community Science Institute (CSI) partners with community volunteers who perform regular sampling of more than 50 streams in the Marcellus and Utica Shale regions of upstate New York; samples are analysed for parameters associated with HVHHF. Similar baseline data on regional groundwater comes from CSI's testing of private drinking water wells. Analytic results for groundwater (with permission) and surface water are made publicly available in an interactive, searchable database.
Outputs		Penningroth et al. (2013). Community-based risk assessment of water contamination from high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing. Community Science Institute, Great Wilderness, Department of Neurology (UT Southwestern Medical Center). http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?id=d78247089265226j
Key personnel		Penningroth, Stephen M.; Yarrow, Matthew M.; Figueroa, Abner X.; Bowen, Rebecca J.; Delgado, Soraya
Research themes		Co-produced/mine water, water supplies, water dependent ecosystems
Project information source		Literature

Table 4.: Project : History and development of effective regulation of hydraulic fracturing; the genesis of Colorado Rule 205A

Project characteristics	Details
Project title	History and development of effective regulation of hydraulic fracturing; the genesis of Colorado Rule 205A
Project location	US
Principal investigator	Peiserich, John F.
Lead institution	Perkins Trotter
Project budget	Unknown
Source of funding	Unavailable
Project duration	Unknown- literature output 2012
Current status	Unknown- literature output 2012
Project summary	Hydraulic fracturing (HF) was first conducted in the late 1940's--the first experimental well in the Hugoton gas field in Grant County, KS (1947) and the first two commercial fracturing treatments--one in Stephens County, OK and the other in Archer County, TX both on March 17, 1949. Since that time it is estimated that more than 1 000 000 HF treatments have been performed. It has been estimated that HF has increased US recoverable reserves of oil by at least 30% and of gas by 90%. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (1974) and its amendments (1986 and 1996) never addressed HF. In between, the Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation (LEAF) petitioned EPA to withdraw approval of the Alabama UIC program. The EPA declined to do so stating that EPA does not and never has regulated HF. In 1997 the 11 (super th) Circuit Court of Appeals requires EPA to regulate HF (re: coalbed methane (CBM)) based on LEAF petition. In 2001, the Court approved the Alabama UIC program as complying with SDWA and, thus, allowed HF to continue. The court activity resulted in legislation--the Inhofe-Sessions Bill and the 2003 Energy Bill--neither of which passed. In 2004 EPA conducted an extensive study of HF. Based on the study, EPA concluded that the injection of HF fluids into CBM wells poses little threat to United States Drinking Water. Finally, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 amended the SDWA changing the definition of underground injection to exclude HF as long as diesel fuel isn't used as the carrier fluid. Since 2005, regulation of HF has been left to the states. The state regulation of HF began with the development of resource plays. Since that time several states including Arkansas-January 2011, Wyoming-September 2010, and Colorado-December 2011 have developed regulations related to HF. The Colorado rule, the latest, is comprehensive and effectively provides information to the agency and the public while limiting the burden on industry and should serve a model for future regulation in other states. Colorado Rule 205A requires all operators to utilize a disclosure registry to disclose information about the well and well treatments performed including the chemicals used. The rule provides for trade secret protection with provisions for disclosure to health professionals. Other rules require notice to the landowner (Rule 305.E.(1) A) and to the Commission (Rule 316C).
Outputs	Peiserich. (2012). History and development of effective regulation of hydraulic fracturing; the genesis of Colorado Rule 205A. Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America. Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, United States.
Key personnel	Peiserich, John F.
Contact	Perkins Trotter, Little Rock, AR, United States
Research themes	Hydraulic fracturing
Project information source	Literature

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