Challenges and Opportunities of Shale Gas Extraction via Hydraulic Fracturing

Mongelli, Guy Francis

doi:10.4172/2321-6212.1000223

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Between 2008 and 2018, a total of 15 939 shale gas wells were developed at 5674 sites across the Marcellus‐Utica shale basin (Jacquet et al 2018), with 3175 wells developed in West Virginia (WVDEP 2019). The hydraulic fracturing process used to extract natural gas (Mongelli 2018) presents environmental challenges to wildlife (Brittingham et al 2014) and watersheds (Latta et al 2015), especially as implementation of fracturing is outpacing the ability to implement best management practices that avoid risks to aquatic and terrestrial wildlife communities and their habitat (Brittingham et al 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

Epigenetic response of Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla to shale gas development

Frantz

Wood

Latta³

et al. 2020

Ibis

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Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation may vary in response to environmental stressors and introduce adaptive or maladaptive gene expression within and among wild bird populations. We examined the association between DNA methylation and demographic characteristics of the Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla in territories with and without disturbance from shale gas development in a Central Appalachian watershed during 2013–2015. We also evaluated the degree to which an individual’s methylated state was subject to change across years in individuals that returned over the course of more than one breeding season (i.e. recaptures). Overall, population methylation differed between adult male and female Waterthrush where adult males generally had fewer methylated restriction sites. Methylation also differed between adult females and nestlings. Age influenced methylation in both adult males and females with a decrease in methylation with age, although adult female recaptures had increased methylation with age. Adult males were variably methylated between shale gas undisturbed and disturbed areas at a population and restriction site (i.e. loci) level, where restriction sites were predominately less methylated in shale gas‐disturbed areas. Barium (Ba) and strontium (Sr) data from 2013 feather samples showed adult males had fewer methylated sites at higher concentrations of Ba and Sr, whereas nestlings displayed no correlation of methylation to Ba and Sr concentrations. Adult females displayed increased methylation with increased Sr, a trend also seen year to year in adult female recaptures. Overall, results of our study suggest sex‐specific influences of shale gas development on gene expression that may affect long‐term population survival and fitness.

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confidence: 99%

Epigenetic response of Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla to shale gas development

Frantz

Wood

Latta³

et al. 2020

Ibis

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“…(Jacquet et al 2018), with 2,528 wells developed in West Virginia (WVDEP 2018). The hydraulic fracturing process used to extract natural gas (Mongelli 2018) presents environmental challenges to wildlife and watersheds , especially as it outpaces the ability to implement best management practices that avoid risks to aquatic and terrestrial wildlife communities and their habitat .…”

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confidence: 99%

Demographic, Spatial, and Epigenetic Response of the Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia Motacilla) to Shale Gas Development

Frantz¹

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My study centered on a bioindicator songbird, the Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), hereafter waterthrush, an organism that co-occurs in both forested and aquatic habitat across the aquatic-terrestrial interface. This enabled the opportunity to quantify demographic, spatial, and epigenetic (i.e., DNA methylation) responses in a highly forested watershed of the Central Appalachians, the areas that have undergone the most rapid transformations over the last decade from unconventional shale gas development and activities. I organized my dissertation into 4 parts (Part 1: Introduction, Part 2: Louisiana Waterthrush Demography, Part 3: Spatial Assessment of Louisiana Waterthrush Foraging, Part 4: Louisiana Waterthrush Molecular Ecology) including 6 chapters that indicate multiple biotic and abiotic factors interacted with or were altered by shale gas development resulting in atypical, negative disturbances that drove a steep decline in a waterthrush population in West Virginia. Part 1 includes Chapter 1 and is an introduction to my dissertation. I introduce the reader to the rationale for my study, the focal species, research objectives, and the study area. I also mention some limitations to my study that can be considered in any future research endeavors. Part 2 comprises Chapters 2-3 which are a comprehensive examination of demographic parameters over a six-year period (2009-2011, 2013-2015). In Chapter 2, I examined demographic response to shale gas development for nest abandonment, nest survival, nest productivity, a source-sink threshold, riparian habitat quality, and territory density and length. Nest productivity was lower in areas disturbed by shale gas where a source-sink threshold suggested these areas were more at risk of being sink habitat. Overall results suggest a decline in waterthrush site quality as shale gas development increased. In Chapter 3, I focused on first-year return rates (site fidelity), site fidelity factors, and apparent survival. I related natal fidelity and pairing rates to territory density, and also compared # of breeding attempts between return and non-returning females with and without territory shale gas disturbance. The study identified potential conflicts between factors that influence adult survival and site fidelity that may affect long-term population persistence. Part 3 includes Chapters 4-5 and focuses on utilizing and accounting for spatial properties intrinsic to stream ecosystems to make informed decisions regarding waterthrush foraging. Chapter 4 was a follow-up to a waterthrush aquatic prey study at our site in 2011 that suggested shale gas development negatively affected waterthrush demography from alterations in their aquatic prey at a watershed scale. During 2013-2014, I quantified waterthrush demographic response and nest survival in relation to potential changes in its aquatic prey due to shale gas development. I utilized spatial generalized linear mixed models that accounted for both spatial and non-spatial sources of variability. I found waterthrush aqu...

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Effects of Drilling Number and Distribution on Fracture Using the Pulse Plasma on Tight Sand Reservoir

Li,

Wang,

Pan

et al. 2024

SPE Journal

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Summary The permeability of unconventional reservoirs is extremely low, resulting in their drainage area being limited to tens of feet. Therefore, researchers have developed an effective stimulation technology that can be used in combination with conventional hydraulic fracturing, namely, pulsed plasma fracturing technology. Pulsed plasma fracturing technology is an efficient and environmentally friendly auxiliary hydraulic fracturing stimulation technology. However, most existing studies have focused only on the effect of pulsed plasma fracturing on single wells, ignoring the effect of the number and distribution of wells drilled on pulsed plasma fracturing. In this paper, pulsed plasma fracturing is studied by a self-built pulsed plasma experimental platform and nonlinear finite element software. First, the generation and propagation mechanism of shock wave, fracture type, and stress field analysis of rock mass in pulsed plasma fracturing technology are discussed. The double-well experiment was carried out by using the experimental platform, and the fracture law of fractures under different wellhead distribution conditions was obtained. In addition, a multiwell mathematical model is established by using the combination of the Euler method and Lagrange method to simulate the interaction between fluid and solid, that is, arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) multimaterial fluid-solid coupling method and the influence of drilling times and wellhead distribution on pulsed plasma fracturing is discussed. Stress analysis shows that the rock is mainly affected by ground stress, liquid column pressure, and shock wave pressure. The experimental results show that the discharge voltage is positively correlated with the shock wave pressure on the rock. The distribution of different wellheads affects the distribution and length of fractures. The double-well experiment makes the fractures easier to fracture. The simulation results show that the fracture length in the connection direction of the two wells is longer, and the fracture length in the vertical direction is shorter. This shows that the number and distribution of drilling affect the initiation and propagation of fractures.

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Challenges and Opportunities of Shale Gas Extraction via Hydraulic Fracturing

Cited by 4 publications

References 10 publications

Epigenetic response of Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla to shale gas development

Epigenetic response of Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla to shale gas development

Demographic, Spatial, and Epigenetic Response of the Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia Motacilla) to Shale Gas Development

Effects of Drilling Number and Distribution on Fracture Using the Pulse Plasma on Tight Sand Reservoir

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