Open AccessRelationship between vertical depth of the kickoff point of a fracking operation and methane concentrations in groundwater resources
Author(s) -
Haley Dillon Acosta,
J. Mike Courage,
Serge Danielson-Francois
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of student research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2167-1907
DOI - 10.47611/jsrhs.v6i2.385
Subject(s) - groundwater , hydraulic fracturing , methane , environmental science , groundwater resources , water resources , safe drinking water act , wastewater , reuse , resource (disambiguation) , water resource management , environmental engineering , petroleum engineering , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , waste management , aquifer , water quality , engineering , geotechnical engineering , chemistry , ecology , computer network , organic chemistry , computer science , biology
There is a problem with hydraulic fracturing and water contamination. Despite Safe Drinking Water Act regulations, risk to water resources remains in areas of water acquisition, chemical mixing, well injection, produced water handling, and wastewater disposal and reuse. This problem has negatively impacted some relying on groundwater resources surrounding hydraulic fracturing operations because of inadequate information (e.g. unmapped faults, abandoned/unfilled wells, unknown mechanisms of risk, etc.). Perhaps a study which investigates the correlation between the vertical depth of the kickoff point (point at which fracking fluids are dispersed underground in vertical wells) and thermogenic methane concentrations in groundwater resources could remedy this situation by filling a gap in the research and identifying a potential risk to groundwater resources. The question: to what extent does the vertical depth of the kickoff point in a fracking operation correlate to thermogenic methane concentrations in groundwater resources?