State oil and gas regulatory programs place great emphasis on protecting groundwater. Current well construction requirements consist of installing 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 the exploration and production of deep shale gas formations have been very effective in protecting drinking water aquifers from contamination attributable to hydraulic fracturing, or fracing. Based on reviews of state oil and gas agencies, there is not a documented case of drinking water contamination related to the fracing of a deep shale gas well.
Furthermore, the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) issued a report in April of 2009 stating that the potential for fracing deep shale gas wells to impact groundwater is extremely remote, as low as one in 200 million.
Chesapeake’s Efforts
Regardless of the source, water used in Chesapeake's drilling and fracturing process is purchased and properly permitted according to existing requirements. This permitting ensures that water used for drilling and fracing 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 deep shale gas development is consistent with water use plans and does not adversely affect other users.
In some areas, regional river authorities have jurisdiction in multiple states. The federally established river authorities have been created 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 operators seeking to withdraw water for consumptive use in this basin must first receive a permit from the DRBC.
Chesapeake’s deep shale gas development, with its comparatively small water use per unit of energy, 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. Chesapeake’s deep shale gas has the potential to supply decades of natural gas 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.