Smart-Monitoring to Address Risks of UCOG Development
Thursday, November 13, 2014: 4:15 p.m.
Jon Fennell, M.Sc., Ph.D., P.Geo.
,
Integrated Sustainability Consultants Ltd., Calgary, AB, Canada
Canada is well placed to take North America forward in the unconventional oil and gas (UCOG) sector. Given the trillions of cubic feet of shale gas and associated liquids, development of these resources will generate significant economic benefit for the country and provide a clean energy source for end users. On the other hand, concern is mounting regarding the potential impacts of UCOG development and associated hydraulic fracturing activities on non-saline groundwater resources and connected systems. The Government of Alberta has recognized this concern, and responded in kind by working to enhance the provincial groundwater observation well network in active and future development areas. This presentation will showcase the multi-attribute risk analysis approach designed to map subsurface risk and surface access opportunity, and identify optimal monitoring locations to define baseline groundwater conditions and detect changes due to hydraulic fracturing activities.
Jon Fennell, M.Sc., Ph.D., P.Geo., Integrated Sustainability Consultants Ltd., Calgary, AB, Canada
Jon Fennell is Vice President of Geosciences and Water Security at Integrated Sustainability Consultants Ltd. (a water, waste, and energy management firm based in Calgary). He has more than 27 years of consulting experience in the natural resource sector, with 23 years directly related to water management in the conventional and unconventional oil and gas sector. Fennell received his B.Sc. degree in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan in 1985, an M.Sc. in Hydrogeology from the University of Calgary in 1994, and a Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the University of Calgary in 2008. His areas of specialization include physical and chemical hydrogeology, groundwater-surface water interactions, environmental forensics, water supply and waste disposal, and risk assessment. His skills also extend to assessing the effects of climate change and land use on basin hydrology, and developing effective management strategies to ensure water security and basin sustainability.
