hydraulic fracturing operations: separating fact from fiction
DESCRIPTION
Presentation by Mark Boling, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Southwestern Energy for a hydrofracking forum hosted by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY on May 5, 2012.TRANSCRIPT
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING OPERATIONS:
SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Fracking Forum
May 5, 2012
Mark K. Boling
President
Regulatory Considerations
Surface Considerations
Subsurface Considerations
2
Regulatory Considerations
3
Air Emissions
Water SupplyWater HandlingWater Reuse & Disposal
Surface Considerations
Surface Impact• Drilling Locations• Truck Traffic & Road Damage• Infrastructure
Regulatory Considerations
Protecting Underground Water Resources
Frac Fluid Disclosure
Subsurface Considerations
4
5
Protecting Underground Water Resources
Well IntegrityIs the Key!
6
Well Integrity
Well Construction Standards2Evaluate Stratigraphic Confinement1
Evaluate Mechanical Integrity of Well3 Monitor Frac Job & Producing Well4
FRESH WATER AQUIFER ZONE
SHALLOW PRODUCING ZONE
CONDUCTOR PIPE
SURFACE CASING
PRODUCTION CASING
TARGET PRODUCING ZONE
GOOD MECHANICAL INTEGRITY
CEMENT CHANNELING
PRESSURE BUILDS UP
CONDUCTOR PIPE
SURFACE CASING
PRODUCTION CASING
FRESH WATER AQUIFER ZONE
SHALLOW PRODUCING ZONE
TARGET PRODUCING ZONE
CA
SIN
G
CE
ME
NT
FO
RM
AT
ION
FRESH WATER AQUIFER ZONE
SHALLOW PRODUCING ZONE
TARGET PRODUCING ZONE
INSUFFICIENT CEMENT COVERAGE
PRESSURE BUILDS UP
CONDUCTOR PIPE
SURFACE CASING
PRODUCTION CASING
Regulatory Considerations
10
Air Emissions
Water SupplyWater HandlingWater Reuse & Disposal
Surface Considerations
Surface Impact• Drilling Locations• Truck Traffic & Road Damage• Infrastructure
Regulating Air Emissions
11
Reduction Technology• Catalytic reduction• Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel• LNG and CNG fuels• Oxidation catalysts• Green completions, vapor recovery
units, low bleed/no bleed pneumatic devices, plunger lift systems, leak detection
Emission Type• NOx
• SO2
• CO• CH4
• VOCs (incl. BTEX)
Emission Levels• EPA• Industry• State regulators• Research groups
Fulfilling the Promise of Natural Gas
Natural Gas IndustryEnvironmental Groups
Natural Gas IndustryNatural Gas Industry Environmental Groups
Regulators/Legislators
12
Regulators/Legislators
Environmental GroupsNatural Gas Industry
Straight talk/open dialogue
Debate the real issues
Regulation without the politics
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING OPERATIONS:
SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Fracking Forum
May 5, 2012
Mark K. Boling
President