Shale gas development impacts on surface water quality in Pennsylvania

Abstract

Concern has been raised in the scientific literature about the environmental implications of extracting natural gas from deep shale formations, and published studies suggest that shale gas development may affect local groundwater quality. The potential for surface water quality degradation has been discussed in prior work, although no empirical analysis of this issue has been published. The potential for large-scale surface water quality degradation has affected regulatory approaches to shale gas development in some US states, despite the dearth of evidence. This paper conducts a large-scale examination of the extent to which shale gas development activities affect surface water quality. Focusing on the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, we estimate the effect of shale gas wells and the release of treated shale gas waste by permitted treatment facilities on observed downstream concentrations of chloride (Cl − ) and total suspended solids (TSS), controlling for other factors. Results suggest that (i) the treatment of shale gas waste by treatment plants in a watershed raises downstream Cl − concentrations but not TSS concentrations, and (ii) the presence of shale gas wells in a watershed raises downstream TSS concentrations but not Cl − concentrations. These results can inform future voluntary measures taken by shale gas operators and policy approaches taken by regulators to protect surface water quality as the scale of this economically important activity increases.unconventional gas | water pollution | econometric analysis | panel data

Impacts of Shale Gas Wastewater Disposal on Water Quality in Western Pennsylvania

“…10 Ferrar et al (2013) 11 showed that treatment of wastewater by three of these facilities releases elevated concentrations of Cl, Br, Sr, and Ba to streams at concentrations above U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant levels, secondary maximum contaminant levels, criterion maximum concentrations, or criterion chronic concentrations. 11 The disposal of Marcellus wastewater through treatment facilities was also suggested to be linked to an overall increase of 5% in chloride concentrations at downstream surface water monitoring sites in western Pennsylvania 12 and likely increased the salt intake at downstream water treatment facilities. 6,13 Veil (2010) 10 and Ferrar et al (2013) 11 described in detail the treatment process of a brine treatment facility in western Pennsylvania, the Josephine Brine Treatment Facility, that exclusively treats oil and gas wastewater.…”

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