State natural gas and oil regulatory programs place a great emphasis on protecting groundwater. Current well construction requirements call for the installation of multiple layers of protective steel casing surrounded by cement. These elements are specifically designed and installed to protect freshwater aquifers.
The measures required by state regulatory agencies in exploration and production activities have been very effective in protecting drinking water aquifers from contamination attributable to hydraulic fracturing.
Furthermore, the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) issued a report in April 2009 stating that the potential for hydraulic fracturing deep shale natural gas and oil wells to impact groundwater is extremely remote, as low as one in 200 million.
Chesapeake’s Efforts
Regardless of the source, water used in the drilling and fracturing process by Chesapeake is purchased and properly permitted. This permitting ensures that water used for drilling and fracturing does not interfere with the available supply for other users. It also assures that its use does not adversely affect stream flows, aquatic life, recreational resources or sensitive environments. Chesapeake works collaboratively with federal, state and local agencies to ensure that water used for its operations is consistent with water use plans and does not adversely affect other users.
In some areas, regional river authorities have jurisdiction in multiple states to protect the water quality of the entire river basin and to regulate uses of the water. Additional approvals and permits may be required for operations in these river basins. For example, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) covers parts of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Natural gas and oil operators seeking to withdraw water for consumptive use in this basin must first receive a permit from the DRBC.
With its comparatively small water use per unit of energy, Chesapeake’s usage is consistent with the nation’s energy/water strategy because it makes a positive energy and economic contribution at a relatively low cost to the overall water supply. The company’s operations have the potential to supply decades of natural gas and oil for the U.S., while using less water than other currently available viable energy sources.
See what government regulators have to say about hydraulic fracturing and groundwater.