The Effects of Hydraulic Fracturing on Groundwater - Quantity and Quality
Presented on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Peter S. Cartwright, PE, Cartwright Consulting Co., Bloomington, MN
The practice of hydraulic fracturing to access hidden petroleum reserves in the U.S. offers the potential to reduce this country’s dependence on foreign oil. On the other hand, this practice may affect both the quantity and quality of groundwater supplies.
The initial fracking operation requires up to four million gallons of freshwater, and water is continuously injected into the well to facilitate the release of shale gas and oil. This water may contain many chemical additives, some of which are hazardous. As it returns to the surface, the “produced water” represents a disposal issue. Disposal wells are one option; however, they are not always available, and represent potential groundwater contamination, as well as seismic disturbances.
To conserve water, significant interest is being shown in treating produced water for reinjection.
This paper describes the classes of contaminants encountered in produced water and addresses the treatment technologies appropriate for their removal.
Peter S. Cartwright, PE
Cartwright Consulting Co., Bloomington, MN
Peter Cartwright entered the water purification and wastewater treatment industry in 1974, and has had his own consulting engineering firm since 1980. He has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota (1961) and is a registered Professional Engineer in that state. Cartwright has provided consulting services to more than 250 clients globally. He has authored approximately 200 articles, written several book chapters, presented over 200 lectures in conferences around the world, and is the recipient of several patents. He also provides extensive expert witness testimony and technology training courses.
