Groundwater-quality and quality-control data for two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, April and May 2012

Wright, Peter; McMahon, Peter B.; Mueller, David K.; Clark, Melanie L.

doi:10.3133/ds718

Cited by 23 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…The culprit is believed to be an improperly cemented well [ Mordick , ]. In 2008, home owners living near Pavillion, WY complained to the U.S. EPA about the taste and odor of their well water [ DiGiulio et al ., ]. The EPA's initial study found many chemicals associated with HF fluids in the aquifer and claimed that they were likely due to HF [ DiGiulio et al ., ], but questions about the methodology arose [ Wright et al ., ; Vidic et al ., ]. The U.S. EPA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality have all studied this site, and the investigation is ongoing [ DiGiulio et al ., ; Wright et al ., ].The geology and drilling depths make the Pavillion, WY case somewhat unique from many shale gas plays.…”

Section: Discussion Suggestions For Future Modeling and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The EPA's initial study found many chemicals associated with HF fluids in the aquifer and claimed that they were likely due to HF [ DiGiulio et al ., ], but questions about the methodology arose [ Wright et al ., ; Vidic et al ., ]. The U.S. EPA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality have all studied this site, and the investigation is ongoing [ DiGiulio et al ., ; Wright et al ., ].The geology and drilling depths make the Pavillion, WY case somewhat unique from many shale gas plays. First of all, the target formation, the Lower Wind River formation, is a sandstone rather than a shale [ Wright et al ., ], and would therefore have a higher permeability associated with it.…”

Section: Discussion Suggestions For Future Modeling and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussion Suggestions For Future Modeling and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hydraulic fracturing fluid migration in the subsurface: A review and expanded modeling results

et al. 2015

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Understanding the transport of hydraulic fracturing (HF) fluid that is injected into the deep subsurface for shale gas extraction is important to ensure that shallow drinking water aquifers are not contaminated. Topographically driven flow, overpressured shale reservoirs, permeable pathways such as faults or leaky wellbores, the increased formation pressure due to HF fluid injection, and the density contrast of the HF fluid to the surrounding brine can encourage upward HF fluid migration. In contrast, the very low shale permeability and capillary imbibition of water into partially saturated shale may sequester much of the HF fluid, and well production will remove HF fluid from the subsurface. We review the literature on important aspects of HF fluid migration. Single-phase flow and transport simulations are performed to quantify how much HF fluid is removed via the wellbore with flowback and produced water, how much reaches overlying aquifers, and how much is permanently sequestered by capillary imbibition, which is treated as a sink term based on a semianalytical, one-dimensional solution for two-phase flow. These simulations include all of the important aspects of HF fluid migration identified in the literature review and are performed in five stages to faithfully represent the typical operation of a hydraulically fractured well. No fracturing fluid reaches the aquifer without a permeable pathway. In the presence of a permeable pathway, 10 times more fracturing fluid reaches the aquifer if well production and capillary imbibition are not included in the model.

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Section: Discussion Suggestions For Future Modeling and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussion Suggestions For Future Modeling and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussion Suggestions For Future Modeling and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Hydraulic fracturing fluid migration in the subsurface: A review and expanded modeling results

et al. 2015

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“…Case studies of isolated groundwater contamination incidents suggest links with shale gas activity. For example, in Pavilion, Wyoming, studies by two federal agencies found contamination in groundwater wells from shale gas activities [52,53]. In Alberta, an energy developer inadvertently fractured a shale gas well above its intended subsurface target, contaminating groundwater in the process [54].…”

Section: Groundwater Quality Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Quality and Quantity Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing

Kuwayama

Olmstead

Krupnick

2015

Curr Sustainable Renewable Energy Rep

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The academic literature has lagged both industry and public opinion in measuring and characterizing potential water quantity and quality concerns related to hydraulic fracturing (fracking). However, the science behind fracking's water impacts experienced its own boom during the 2010s. In this paper, we address this critical emerging environmental and energy issue, providing an overview of the current state of knowledge, with a particular focus on academic journal articles that have been published in the past five years. These studies have generally found that the water quantity impacts of shale gas and tight oil development are, on average, not significantly worse than for their conventional counterparts, though the specific location and timing of withdrawals for energy development matter. On the other hand, recent findings also suggest that the water quality concerns associated with fracking may be more serious than water quantity concerns.

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“…The Pavillion gas field is in the western portion of the Wind River Basin in Fremont County near the town of Pavillion, population 231, in west central Wyoming within the Wind River Indian Reservation (Wright et al ) (Figure S1, Supporting information). The basin is flanked by the Wind River Range, the Absaroka Range, and the Owl Creek Mountains.…”

Section: Site Description and Groundwater Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the Groundwater Monitoring Controversy at the Pavillion, Wyoming Natural Gas Field

Stephens

2014

Groundwater

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was contacted by citizens of Pavillion, Wyoming 6 years ago regarding taste and odor in their water wells in an area where hydraulic fracturing operations were occurring. EPA conducted a field investigation, including drilling two deep monitor wells, and concluded in a draft report that constituents associated with hydraulic fracturing had impacted the drinking water aquifer. Following extensive media coverage, pressure from state and other federal agencies, and extensive technical criticism from industry, EPA stated the draft report would not undergo peer review, that it would not rely on the conclusions, and that it had relinquished its lead role in the investigation to the State of Wyoming for further investigation without resolving the source of the taste and odor problem. Review of the events leading up to EPA's decision suggests that much of the criticism could have been avoided through improved preproject planning with clear objectives. Such planning would have identified the high national significance and potential implications of the proposed work. Expanded stakeholder involvement and technical input could have eliminated some of the difficulties that plagued the investigation. However, collecting baseline groundwater quality data prior to initiating hydraulic fracturing likely would have been an effective way to evaluate potential impacts. The Pavillion groundwater investigation provides an excellent opportunity for improving field methods, report transparency, clarity of communication, and the peer review process in future investigations of the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater.

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Groundwater-quality and quality-control data for two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, April and May 2012

Abstract: Appendix 1. Monitoring Well MW01 field notes-Field instrument calibration notes, general project notes, groundwater-quality notes for samples 1 and 2, alkalinity/acid neutralizing capacity titration field notes and results (figures 1.1.1-1.3.2

Cited by 23 publications

References 1 publication

Hydraulic fracturing fluid migration in the subsurface: A review and expanded modeling results

Hydraulic fracturing fluid migration in the subsurface: A review and expanded modeling results

Water Quality and Quantity Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing

Analysis of the Groundwater Monitoring Controversy at the Pavillion, Wyoming Natural Gas Field

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