Marcellus Shale

Amy Bergdale

US EPA, Region 3,Environmental Assessment & Innovation Division, Office of Monitoring & Assessment, Freshwater Biology Team

Who is Marcellus??•Brief History of Natural Gas

•Sources of Natural Gas

•Exploring the Marcellus Shale

•Waste Characteristics of the Marcellus Shale, including TENORM

•Reasonable Potential of the pollutants of concern: both aquatic and human health

•Reality of the Issue

Discovery of Natural Gas

1815 –

Charleston, WV The first Natural Gas well discovered by accident

Discovered in Appalachia•World’s 1st

commercial oil well in 1859, Titusville, PA.

•Natural gas was an accidental and underestimated by-product of the oil rush of 1850s.

•Large scale practice of natural gas was introduced in late 1800s by Joseph Pews and George Westinghouse for steel and glass industries in Pittsburgh.

•Local gas companies evolved from individual wells to an interstate supply acquired by Rockefeller’s Standard Oil.

•1950s shifted supply from Appalachia to new discoveries of natural gas in Southwest and Gulf of Mexico.

Energy Consumption in the UNITED STATES, 2007

Energy Consumption

Source: Energy Information Administration

OIL

World Coal Consumption

0.0

500.0

1,000.0

1,500.0

2,000.0

1980198219841986198819901992199419961998200020022004

P2006M

illio

n S

ho

rt T

on

s

UnitedStatesAll ofEuropeEurasia

China

India

p://www.eia.doe.gov/basics/naturalgas_basics.htm

2008: 23.2 TCF

United States Gas Fields

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/P1-AP715A_NATGA_NS_20090429185625.gif

Source TCF

Barnett Shale - TX 2.1 - 30

Anadarko Basin – TX to KS 100

Haynesville Shale – Gulf Coast 250

Prudhoe Bay – North AK 28

Marcellus 168 - 516

SOURCES of GAS

Asalouyeh, South Pars Gas Field- Iran 500

Urengoy gas field- Russia 385

Iolotan gas field - Turkmenis tan 264

Marcellus Shale

www.geoexpro.com

What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?

VERTICAL VS HORIZONTAL

Marcellus Fracturing

http://geology.com/articles/marcellus-shale.shtml

Water-

Groundwater

Municipal

Surface

Proppant

–

30% of Water volume

Shale & Overburden

Additives

Additives•

Over 300 proprietary additives, including surfactants, biocides, wetting agents, scale inhibitors, organic compounds (benzene, toluene) etc

Wetting agent nonionic surfactants 5-9 lbs/ 1000 gal

Friction reducer anionic polyacrylamide polymer 3-5 lbs / 1000 gal

Biocidesdibromo nitrilopropionamide, glutaraldehyde, or n,n dibromosulfamate

1-5 lbs / 1000 gal

Scale inhibitors

Either a Polyacrylate or a Phosphonate, such as aminotri methylenephosphonate or phosphonobutane tricarboxylate

1-2 lbs / 1000 gal

Fracwater Chemistry

5lb/1000gal

5,000,000gal

25000 lbs

What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?

•Access Roads

•Well pads

•Transport vehicles

•Compression stations

•Cleaning stations

•Pipelines

LANDUSE ALTERATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

(National Park Service, December 2008)

•5,000,000 gal

•3000 gal/truck

•1667 trucks for water

•1.5 million lbs of proppant

•2000 lbs/truck

•750 trucks for proppant

•

Vertical vs

Horizontal

•

Infrastructure

•

Land Use 

Alteration

•

Process

water

proppants

additives

shale & 

overburden    

composition

•

Supporting 

Infrastructure

•

Treatment

www.geoexpro.com

What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?

Characterizing the Waste•

Surfactants

•

Organics•

TDS–

30,000 to 230,000+ mg/l •

Chlorides–

15,000 to 110,000+ mg/l•

Metals–

Barium, Strontium–

Selenium•

TENORM–

Radium 226, 228–

Gross alpha, beta–

Uranium–

Radon

TDS - 70,334mg/LCI - 37,460mg/L

TDS – N/ACI – 30,000 mg/L

TDS – 211,000 mg/LCI – 102,000 mg/L

Gross alpha – 960 pCi/L

TDS – 217,000 mg/LCI – 107,000 mg/L

Gross alpha – 3420 pCi/L

TDS – 132,000 mg/LCI – 121,000 mg/L

Gross alpha – 3330 pCi/L

Staged Flowback of Marcellus Well - WV

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

Day 1 Day 5 Day 10 Day 20 Day 30

mg

/L

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

mg

/L

Chloride Total Dissolved Solids Specific Conductivity

Characterizing the Waste

What is in the Waste?

waste treatment 

& disposal 

method

waste 

storage 

method

↑ frac

water

↑ produced 

water

↑ cuttings

↑

organics

↑

surfactants

↑ other 

toxic 

substances

↑metals↑ TDS

↑

Cl‐

↑

Na+

↑ K+

↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2

↑

TENORM

↑radon ↑ U ↑

Ra226

↑

Ra228

↑ other 

radionuclides

What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?

Treatment of Waste

Underground Injection

Thermal Evaporation

DilutionBrine Treatment

What is involved w/ Marcellus drilling?

How much waste?

Average Horizontal Well –

•5,000,000 gal H2O (not considering proppant

and/or additive volume)

•Flowback

~60% injected volume

•1,500,000 gal of waste

•Need 500+ trucks to transport

Underground Injection -

PA

County Injection Formation

Injection Pressu

reInjection Volume

(Bbls/Month) API

BeaverHuntersville/Oriskan

y 1300 21,00037-017-

20027

Clearfield Oriskany 3240 426037-033-

00053

Greene Mine Void 0 150,000

Erie Gatesburg 1570 45,00037-049-

24388

Indiana Balltown 1930 360037-063-

20246

Somerset Oriskany 3250 27,00037-111-

20059

Clearfield Oriskany 1450 420037-033-

22059

SomersetHuntersville/Oriskan

y 3218 30,00037-111-

20006

TOTAL 285,060

Brine Treatment

•VOCs

–

blown off

•Oil & Grease, removed

•Metals, removed

•Does NOT treat TDS

•TDS in = TDS out

Thermal Evaporation

•VOCs

–

blown off•Oil & Grease, removed•Metals, removed•TDS, removed•By-products

SaltWater

Dilution

Is Dilution the

Solution?

Marcellus gas drilling

Pollutants = i.e., Metals, TDS, etc.

Reasonable Potential

Is there Reasonable Potential to cause harm?

Reasonable Potential -

Limitations must be established in permits to control all pollutants or

pollutant parameters that are or may be discharged at a level that will causewill cause, have , have the the reasonable potentialreasonable potential to to cause, or cause, or contribute to an contribute to an excursion above any state excursion above any state water quality standardwater quality standard [40

CFR 122.44(d)(1)(i)].

Components of Water Quality Standard:

•Designated Uses•Water Quality Criteria•Antidegradation policy•General Policies

Water Quality Criteria:

Numeric criteriaChemical

Aquatic lifeHuman healthOthers (e.g., wildlife,

sediment)Whole Effluent ToxicityBiological

Narrative Criteria

Calculating Receiving Water Concentrations Under Critical

Conditions for Marcellus Waste

•

Criterion for protection of aquatic life from chronic effects from Pollutant X (in our case we are using Chloride as our pollutant of concern)

Upstream

(Qs, Cs)

Downstream

(Qr, Cr)

Discharge (Qd, Cd)

Current IssueWater leak from Washington County gas

well kills fishThursday, June 04, 2009

By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-GazetteA leaking waste water pipe from a Range Resources Marcellus Shale gas

well drilled in Washington County's Cross Creek Park has polluted an unnamed tributary of Cross Creek Lake, killing fish, salamanders,

crayfish and aquatic insect life in approximately three-quarters of a mile of the stream.

The state Department of Environmental Protection said Range Resources reported the May 26 waste water discharge from a coupling on a 6-inch pipe running from a recently drilled well to a waste water impoundment.

The DEP has taken water samples of the stream above and below the pollution release, said Helen Humphreys, a department spokeswoman,

and, after those are evaluated, will determine the appropriate enforcement action.

The Range Resources wastewater pipeline connects three Marcellus Shale deep gas wells drilled in the 3,000 acre county-owned park.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09155/975107- 113.stm#ixzz0HZotpuGY&C

"It's a gold rush, really. It's a boom," said Steve Rupert, an executive with Range Resources,

which is drilling aggressively in the rolling farmland southwest of Pittsburgh. (Washington Post Aug. 15, 2008)

Determining a Critical Value (Cr)

Upstream

(Qs, Cs)

Downstream

(Qr, Cr)

Discharge (Qd, Cd)

Criterion for protection of aquatic life from chronic effects:

Qs = Critical stream flow (7Q10) for chronic criterion

Qd = Critical effluent flow from discharge flow data

Qr = Sum of critical stream flow and critical effluent flow

Cs = Critical upstream pollutant concentration

Cd = Critical effluent pollutant concentration

Cr = QsCs + QdCd

Qr

Chloride Brine Data from Western PA

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

mg

/L Avg

65600 mg/L

Characterizing the Waste in PA

Determining a Critical Value (Cr)

Upstream

(Qs, Cs)

Downstream

(Qr, Cr)

Discharge (Qd, Cd)

•Ohio River, River Mile 40, U.S. Chester, WV

•Background chloride 100mg/L

•Large 100mgd (155cfs) Treatment Facility

•7Q10: 2,060cfs

•Max observed is 109000mg/L of 16 samples

•Cd = 109000 * 2.5 = 272,500mg/L (assuming 99th percentile, default CV of 0.6)

Cr = QsCs + QdCd

Qr

= 19162 mg/L >230 mg/L

Conclusion: The discharge would cause, have the reasonable potential to cause, or contribute to an excursion of the Chronic National Aquatic Life Criteria for Chloride

Determining a Critical Value (Cr)

Upstream

(Qs, Cs)

Downstream

(Qr, Cr)

Discharge (Qd, Cd)

•S.F. Tenmile

•Background chloride of 28.5mg/L

•Large 0.8mgd (1.23cfs) Treatment Facility

•7Q10: 3.75cfs

•Max observed is 109000mg/L of 16 samples

•Cd = 109000 * 2.5 = 272,500mg/L (assuming 99th percentile, default CV of 0.6)

Cr = QsCs + QdCd

Qr

= 67,326 mg/L >230 mg/L

Conclusion: The discharge would cause, have the reasonable potential to cause, or contribute to an excursion of the Chronic National Aquatic Life Criteria for Chloride

What if diluted?

VS.

Ohio River Receiving

Cr = 19162 mg/L > 230 mg/L Chronic Chloride National Aquatic Life Criteria

10% = 1916 mg/L

5% = 958 mg/L

1% = 192 mg/L

0.5% = 96 mg/L

S. F. Tenmile Receiving

Cr = 67,326 mg/L > 230 mg/L Chronic Chloride National Aquatic Life Criteria

10% = 6733 mg/L

5% = 3366 mg/L

1% = 673 mg/L

0.5% = 337 mg/L< 230 mg/L

Waste Disposal Methodswaste 

treatment & 

disposal 

method

↓ water 

availability

waste 

storage 

method

retention 

pondsstorage 

tanks

↑ oil & 

grease 

exposure

↑

leachate

& 

leakage

brine waste

↑ groundwater 

contamination

↑ surface 

water 

contamination ↑ soil  

contamination

underground 

injectionbrine 

treatmentdilution

thermal 

evaporation

blown 

off 

VOCs

↑

VOCs

removed 

metals

disposed as 

hazardous 

waste

disposed as 

landfill 

waste

removed 

surface oil & 

grease

other 

disposal 

methods

discharged 

to surface 

water

evaporated 

water

discharged 

to air

distilled

reuse

↑

VOCs

↑

NOx

salt cake

↑

SOx

↑

PM↑

N2

↓waste volume

brine waste

recycled initial fracwater

recycled initial fracwater

drilling processdrilling process

↑ frac water ↑ produced water

↑ cuttings↑ flow alteration ↓water 

availability

waterwater

land use alterationland use alteration

↑ sediment

↑ surface runoff

↑ surface runoff

↑weathering & erosion

↑weathering & erosion

↓ groundwater↓ groundwater ↓ surface water↓ surface water

↓municipal water supply↓municipal water supply

↓ vegetation↓ vegetation ↓ permeability↓ permeability

↓water uptake↓water uptake

pipelinespipelines

access roadsaccess roads

↑ habitat fragmentation

drill site infrastructure

drill site infrastructure

↑ noise ↑ VOCs ↑ NOx

↑ other air pollutants

transport vehiclestransport vehicles

compression stations

compression stations

well padswell pads

supporting infrastructuresupporting 

infrastructure

brine treatment plants

brine treatment plants

thermal evaporation plants

thermal evaporation plants

additive & proppantmanufacturing plantsadditive & proppantmanufacturing plants

↑ energy expenditure

vertical drillingvertical drilling horizontal drillinghorizontal drilling

water sourcewater source

proppants

silica sand

bauxite friction reducers

additives

biocides oxygen stabilizers

acidssurfactants

other additives

proppants

silica sand

bauxite

proppantsproppants

silica sandsilica sand

bauxitebauxite friction reducers

additives

biocides oxygen stabilizers

acidssurfactants

other additives

friction reducersfriction reducers

additivesadditives

biocidesbiocides oxygen stabilizersoxygen 

stabilizersacidsacidssurfactantssurfactants

other additivesother 

additives

wet vs. dry shale

wet vs. dry shale

waste treatment & disposal methodwaste treatment & disposal method

↑ organics↑ surfactants

↑ other toxic substances

↑ groundwater contamination

↑ surface water contamination ↑ soil  

contamination

underground injection

underground injection

brine treatmentbrine 

treatmentdilutiondilution

↓water availability removed 

metalsremoved metals

↑VOCs

↑ NOx

thermal evaporationthermal 

evaporation

evaporated water

evaporated water

discharged to air

discharged to air

distilleddistilled

reusereuse discharged to surface waterdischarged to surface water

salt cake

disposed as hazardous waste

disposed as hazardous waste

disposed as landfill wastedisposed as landfill waste

removed surface oil & 

grease

removed surface oil & 

grease

blown off VOCs

blown off VOCs

↑ VOCs

other disposal methods

other disposal methods

↑metals↑ TDS

↑ Cl‐ ↑ Na+ ↑ K+

↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2

↑ TENORM

↑radon ↑ U ↑ Ra226↑

Ra228↑ other 

radionuclides

waste storage method

waste storage method

retention ponds

retention ponds

storage tanksstorage tanks

↑ oil & grease 

exposure

↑leachate & leakage

↑leachate & leakage

sourcesource

stressor

additional step in causal pathwayadditional step in causal pathway

human activityhuman activity

modifying factormodifying factor

treatment methodtreatment method

end waste productend waste product

LEGEND

DRAFT – Drilling Conceptual Model

Amy Bergdale 06/2009For Internal Use Only, 

Do NOT share

shale & overburden composition

↑ SOx

cleaning stationscleaning stations

↑ particulate matter

↑PM

↑N2

↓waste volume

Source = Marcellus gas drilling

Stressor(s) = i.e., Metals, TDS, etc.

Biological Effect(s)

Visualize linkages b/n

sources, stressors, and biological effects

brine waste

recycled initial fracwater

recycled initial fracwater

drilling processdrilling process

↑ frac water ↑ produced water

↑ cuttings↑ flow alteration ↓water 

availability

waterwater

land use alterationland use alteration

↑ sediment

↑ surface runoff

↑ surface runoff

↑weathering & erosion

↑weathering & erosion

↓ groundwater↓ groundwater ↓ surface water↓ surface water

↓municipal water supply↓municipal water supply

↓ vegetation↓ vegetation ↓ permeability↓ permeability

↓water uptake↓water uptake

pipelinespipelines

access roadsaccess roads

↑ habitat fragmentation

drill site infrastructure

drill site infrastructure

↑ noise ↑ VOCs ↑ NOx

↑ other air pollutants

transport vehiclestransport vehicles

compression stations

compression stations

well padswell pads

supporting infrastructuresupporting 

infrastructure

brine treatment plants

brine treatment plants

thermal evaporation plants

thermal evaporation plants

additive & proppantmanufacturing plantsadditive & proppantmanufacturing plants

↑ energy expenditure

vertical drillingvertical drilling horizontal drillinghorizontal drilling

water sourcewater source

proppants

silica sand

bauxite friction reducers

additives

biocides oxygen stabilizers

acidssurfactants

other additives

proppants

silica sand

bauxite

proppantsproppants

silica sandsilica sand

bauxitebauxite friction reducers

additives

biocides oxygen stabilizers

acidssurfactants

other additives

friction reducersfriction reducers

additivesadditives

biocidesbiocides oxygen stabilizersoxygen 

stabilizersacidsacidssurfactantssurfactants

other additivesother 

additives

wet vs. dry shale

wet vs. dry shale

waste treatment & disposal method

waste treatment & disposal method

↑ organics↑ surfactants

↑ other toxic substances

↑ groundwater contamination

↑ surface water contamination ↑ soil  

contamination

underground injection

underground injection

brine treatment

brine treatment

dilutiondilution

↓ water availability removed 

metalsremoved metals

↑VOCs

↑ NOx

thermal evaporationthermal 

evaporation

evaporated water

evaporated water

discharged to air

discharged to air

distilleddistilled

reusereuse discharged to surface waterdischarged to surface water

salt cake

disposed as hazardous waste

disposed as hazardous waste

disposed as landfill wastedisposed as landfill waste

removed surface oil & 

grease

removed surface oil & 

grease

blown off VOCs

blown off VOCs

↑ VOCs

other disposal methods

other disposal methods

↑metals↑ TDS

↑ Cl‐ ↑ Na+ ↑ K+

↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2

↑ TENORM

↑radon ↑ U ↑ Ra226↑

Ra228↑ other 

radionuclides

waste storage method

waste storage method

retention ponds

retention ponds

storage tanksstorage tanks

↑ oil & grease 

exposure

↑leachate & leakage

↑leachate & leakage

sourcesource

stressor

additional step in causal pathwayadditional step in causal pathway

human activityhuman activity

modifying factormodifying factor

treatment methodtreatment method

end waste productend waste product

LEGEND

DRAFT – Drilling Conceptual Model

Amy Bergdale 06/2009For Internal Use Only, 

Do NOT share

shale & overburden composition

↑ SOx

cleaning stationscleaning stations

↑ particulate matter

↑PM

↑N2

↓waste volume

↑ binding & uptake at gill epithelium

↑ bioaccumulation

↑ deformities

↑ mortality

↓ reproductive success

↓ metal-sensitive life stages

other stressors

pH, redox potential, abiotic ligandavailability, & microbial

transformation

↑ metals in discharged waters

↑ free metal ions

↑ membrane permeable organometallic compounds

↑ metals sorbed to particles & bound to abiotic ligands

↑ tissue concentration of metals

↑ membrane destabilization↑ protein damage

↑ smothering

↑ flocculate

landfills

geology & other natural sources

acid precipitationacid-forming soils

↓ uptake of nutrients

Detailed conceptual model diagram for METALSDeveloped 7/ 2007 by Kate Schofield & Pat Shaw-Allen

watershed land cover alteration

↑ channel incision

↓ permeability

riparian land cover alteration

channel alteration

↑ exposure of metal-enriched rock & soil

↓ vegetation

↑ surface runoff

↑ erosion

historical sources

other non-point sources

fire ash & smoke

metallic agrochemicals

mining wastes

septic systems

power plant releases

other combustion by-products

heating emissions

vehicle emissions

industrial emissions

stormwaterdrainage

WWTP effluent

industrial effluent

other point sources

↑ metals in subsurface waters

↑ metals in surface runoff

↑ metals in wet or dry deposition↑ metals in soil

↑ passive diffusion through gill epithelium

↑ metal ingestion & adsorption in gut

↑ impairment of blood ion regulation

↑ susceptibility to other stressors

Δ behavior

↓ condition

↓ metal-sensitive taxa

↑ metal-tolerant life stages

↑ metal-tolerant taxa

↑ mucous secretion in fish

↑ parasitism & disease

↑ delivery of metals to stream

biotic response

proximate stressor

source

additional step in causal pathway

LEGEND

interacting stressor

mode of action

contributing landscape change

contributing environmental condition

biologically impaired invertebrate assemblages

biologically impaired fish assemblages other biological impairments

agricultural practices

other mining practices

fossil fuel extraction & refinement practices

residential & commercial practices

industrial practices

↑ binding & uptake at gill epithelium

↑ binding & uptake at gill epithelium

↑ bioaccumulation↑ bioaccumulation

↑ deformities↑ deformities

↑ mortality↑ mortality

↓ reproductive success

↓ reproductive success

↓ metal-sensitive life stages

↓ metal-sensitive life stages

other stressors

pH, redox potential, abiotic ligandavailability, & microbial

transformation

pH, redox potential, abiotic ligandavailability, & microbial

transformation

↑ metals in discharged waters

↑ metals in discharged waters

↑ free metal ions

↑ membrane permeable organometallic compounds

↑ metals sorbed to particles & bound to abiotic ligands

↑ tissue concentration of metals↑ tissue concentration of metals↑ tissue concentration of metals

↑ membrane destabilization↑ membrane destabilization↑ protein damage↑ protein damage

↑ smothering ↑ smothering

↑ flocculate

landfillslandfills

geology & other natural sourcesgeology & other natural sources

acid precipitationacid precipitationacid-forming soilsacid-forming soils

↓ uptake of nutrients↓ uptake of nutrients

Detailed conceptual model diagram for METALSDeveloped 7/ 2007 by Kate Schofield & Pat Shaw-Allen

watershed land cover alterationwatershed land cover alteration

↑ channel incision↑ channel incision

↓ permeability↓ permeability

riparian land cover alteration

riparian land cover alteration

channel alterationchannel

alteration

↑ exposure of metal-enriched rock & soil↑ exposure of metal-enriched rock & soil

↓ vegetation↓ vegetation

↑ surface runoff↑ surface runoff

↑ erosion↑ erosion

historical sourceshistorical sources

other non-point sources

other non-point sources

fire ash & smoke

fire ash & smoke

metallic agrochemicals

metallic agrochemicals

mining wastesmining wastes

septic systemsseptic

systemspower plant

releasespower plant

releases

other combustion by-products

other combustion by-products

heating emissions

heating emissions

vehicle emissions

vehicle emissions

industrial emissionsindustrial emissions

stormwaterdrainage

WWTP effluent

industrial effluent

other point sources

stormwaterdrainage

stormwaterdrainage

WWTP effluentWWTP effluent

industrial effluent

industrial effluent

other point sources

other point sources

↑ metals in subsurface waters

↑ metals in subsurface waters

↑ metals in surface runoff↑ metals in

surface runoff

↑ metals in wet or dry deposition

↑ metals in wet or dry deposition↑ metals in soil↑ metals in soil

↑ passive diffusion through gill epithelium↑ passive diffusion

through gill epithelium↑ metal ingestion & adsorption in gut↑ metal ingestion & adsorption in gut

↑ impairment of blood ion regulation

↑ impairment of blood ion regulation

↑ susceptibility to other stressors↑ susceptibility to other stressors

Δ behaviorΔ behavior

↓ condition↓ condition

↓ metal-sensitive taxa

↓ metal-sensitive taxa

↑ metal-tolerant life stages

↑ metal-tolerant life stages

↑ metal-tolerant taxa↑ metal-tolerant taxa

↑ mucous secretion in fish

↑ mucous secretion in fish

↑ parasitism & disease

↑ parasitism & disease

↑ delivery of metals to stream↑ delivery of metals to stream

biotic response

proximate stressor

source

additional step in causal pathway

LEGEND

interacting stressor

mode of action

contributing landscape change

contributing environmental condition

biotic responsebiotic response

proximate stressor

sourcesource

additional step in causal pathway

additional step in causal pathway

LEGEND

interacting stressor

mode of actionmode of action

contributing landscape change

contributing landscape change

contributing environmental condition

contributing environmental condition

biologically impaired invertebrate assemblages

biologically impaired fish assemblages other biological impairments

biologically impaired invertebrate assemblagesbiologically impaired invertebrate assemblages

biologically impaired fish assemblagesbiologically impaired fish assemblages other biological impairmentsother biological impairments

agricultural practices

agricultural practices

other mining practices

other mining practices

fossil fuel extraction & refinement practices

fossil fuel extraction & refinement practices

residential & commercial practices

residential & commercial practices

industrial practicesindustrial practices

Waste Disposal Methodswaste 

treatment & 

disposal 

method

↓ water 

availability

waste 

storage 

method

retention 

pondsstorage 

tanks

↑ oil & 

grease 

exposure

↑

leachate

& 

leakage

brine waste

↑ groundwater 

contamination

↑ surface 

water 

contamination ↑ soil  

contamination

underground 

injectionbrine 

treatmentdilution

thermal 

evaporation

blown 

off 

VOCs

↑

VOCs

removed 

metals

disposed as 

hazardous 

waste

disposed as 

landfill 

waste

removed 

surface oil & 

grease

other 

disposal 

methods

discharged 

to surface 

water

evaporated 

water

discharged 

to air

distilled

reuse

↑

VOCs

↑

NOx

salt cake

↑

SOx

↑

PM↑

N2

↓waste volume

What is in the Waste?

waste treatment 

& disposal 

method

waste 

storage 

method

↑ frac

water

↑ produced 

water

↑ cuttings

↑

organics

↑

surfactants

↑ other 

toxic 

substances

↑metals↑ TDS

↑

Cl‐

↑

Na+

↑ K+

↑ other ions↑ SO4‐2

↑

TENORM

↑radon ↑ U ↑

Ra226

↑

Ra228

↑ other 

radionuclides

Stage Flowback from Marcellus well - WV

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

Day 1 Day 5 Day 10 Day 20

piC

/L

Gross Alpha Radioactivity Gross Beta Radioactivity

Radium 226 Radium 228

Characterizing the Waste

Defining Pollutant

•

Pollutant –

40 CFR 122.2–

Dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water

Contaminant MCL (year promulgated) Source Health Effect

Combined radium-226/-228 5 pCi/L (1976) Naturally occurs in some drinking water sources.

Some people who drink water containing radium –226 or -228 in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

(Adjusted) Gross Alpha 15 pCi/L (not including radon or uranium) (1976)

Naturally occurs in some drinking water sources.

Some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Beta Particle and Photon Radioactivity

4 mrem/year (look-up table) (1976)

May occur due to contamination from facilities using or producing radioactive materials.

Some people who drink water containing beta and photon emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Uranium 30 µg/L (2000) Naturally occurs in some drinking water sources.

Exposure to uranium in drinking water may result in toxic effects to the kidney. Some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years

Radionuclide MCLs

960, 3420, 12500 pCi/L

299, 1005, 12.49 pCI/L

Reasonable Potential for Radionuclides??

Radium 226+228•

Ohio River, 2060cfs

•

Max observed, 1005 pCi/L * 5.6 = 5628 pCi/L

•

= 398 pCi/L

Radium 226+228•

S.F. Tenmile, 3.75 cfs

•

= 1390 pCi/L

Gross alpha•

Ohio River, 2060cfs

•

Max observed, 12500 pCi/L * 5.6 = 70000 pCi/L

•

= 4898 pCi/L

Gross alpha•

S.F. Tenmile, 3.75cfs

•

= 17289 pCi/L

5 pCi/L

15 pCi/L

Waste Disposal Methodswaste 

treatment & 

disposal 

method

↓ water 

availability

waste 

storage 

method

retention 

pondsstorage 

tanks

↑ oil & 

grease 

exposure

↑

leachate

& 

leakage

brine waste

↑ groundwater 

contamination

↑ surface 

water 

contamination ↑ soil  

contamination

underground 

injectionbrine 

treatmentdilution

thermal 

evaporation

blown 

off 

VOCs

↑

VOCs

removed 

metals

disposed as 

hazardous 

waste

disposed as 

landfill 

waste

removed 

surface oil & 

grease

other 

disposal 

methods

discharged 

to surface 

water

evaporated 

water

discharged 

to air

distilled

reuse

↑

VOCs

↑

NOx

salt cake

↑

SOx

↑

PM↑

N2

↓waste volume

XX

Region 3 Treatment of Marcellus Waste, PA & WV

Underground Injection

COMING SOON-

Thermal Evaporation

DilutionBrine Treatment

2008 Events that Impacted Pittsburgh District Water Management

•

Summer/ Fall. Multiple requests for water withdrawals from Corps Reservoirs

•

August – December. Low stream flows. Monongahela 10% of normal

2008 Events that Impacted Pittsburgh District Water Management

•October 10. Hatfield Power Plant Failed air emissions requirements, businesses not meeting state mandated criteria, intake concentrations higher than criteria, etc•October 22. Start of Monongahela River high TDS Event. PA State Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Drinking Water Criteria of 500 mg/l exceeded.•October 22 -27. Special release from Stonewall and Tygart Reservoirs to mitigate elevated TDS in PA•November 7. W PA Drought Watch Declaration•December 10. Union Township issued a bottled water advisory, water supply of 850,000 affected•December 12. High Runoff, TDS began to decrease

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/887081_3bec7df264.jpg?v=0

Drinking water of 800,000+ peopleElizabeth Conductivity '03-'05, '08 & '09

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1-Jan15-Jan29-Jan12-Feb26-Feb11-Mar25-Mar8-Apr22-Apr6-M

ay20-May3-Jun17-Jun1-Jul15-Jul29-Jul12-Aug26-Aug9-Sep23-Sep7-Oct21-Oct4-Nov18-Nov2-Dec16-Dec30-De

Date/Time

UH

MO

S/C

M

2009

2008

2005

2004

2003

Region 3 Draft Permit Reviews – To Date

•

4 Proposed Treatment Facilities in PA–

Monongahela River Watershed (3)

•

TDS impaired –

applying 500 mg/l

–

W Br Susquehanna River (1)•

Applying PA TDS Strategy

•

TDS loads up to 522,245 lbs/day (equivalent to 156,548 mg/l)

•

3 Existing POTWs

accepting brine–

Wilkes-Barre proposed TDS load up to 1,194,399 lbs/day

Proposed TerrAqua

Facility•

W Branch Susquehanna River–

Protect Warm Water Fishes–

28.5 Stream Miles to Milton PWS•

TDS In-stream Analysis ––

Region 3 Objection

–

Analyzed in combination with Williamsport Central STP

–

“Far Field”

=> 500mg/l at Milton PWS•

Allocated to 10 facilities in watershed•

Loads as high as 522,245 lbs/day for TerrAqua

–

“Near Field”

=> 1800mg/l at Discharge•

Calculated load of 1,344,541 lbs/day for TerrAqua

–

Far Field more Stringent

http://s3.amazonaws.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5601198.jpg

Biological Assessment of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers

PADEP and EPA, 2 yr grant (’08-’09)

•Evaluate conditions via probabilistic survey.

•Fish, fish habitat, macroinvertebrate, mussels, water chemistry, plankton, and sediment.

•Data will assist in risk assessment from potential stressors.

•Aid in analyzing the potential seasonal and yearly variability.

•PADEP can develop, implement, and test bioassessment methods to produce an

unbiased estimate of the current ecological condition.

•PADEP can estimate or develop biological criteria, reference conditions, and water quality

conditions in support of the CWA.

RIVER ALERT INFORMATION NETWORK RIVER ALERT INFORMATION NETWORK (RAIN)(RAIN)

••Protection Protection measures form the measures form the first barrier to a first barrier to a multiplemultiple--barrier barrier approach to drinking approach to drinking water protectionwater protection

Water Water TreatmentTreatment

MonitoringMonitoring

Distribution Distribution System System

MaintenanceMaintenance

Source Water Source Water ProtectionProtection

Multiple Multiple Barrier Barrier

ApproachApproach

RAIN Goals•

Provide information and tools to aid water suppliers in making decisions

•

Improve communication between water suppliers about water quality events

•

Install monitoring equipment at appropriate locations and provide operational training

•

Develop a secure website to share information about water quality

•

Improve communication between water suppliers, USACE and emergency responders

Concept For RAINConcept For RAIN•

Coverage: Allegheny, Monongahela, Youghiogheny, and headwaters of Ohio Rivers

•

Communication System–

Spill Alert/Alarm notifications

–

Water supplier Roundtables•

Monitoring System–

On-line, continuous monitoring equipment

–

Operator training•

Website Development –

Water quality data –

historical/current

–

Links (USGS, NOAA, NWS, USACE)

RAIN’s Monongahela TDS Project Site Selection Rationale

East Dunkard -

Mon intake below Cheat RiverDunkard Valley -

Mon intake below Dunkard Creek

Carmichael -

Mon intake below Whiteley Creek

Brownsville -

Mon intake below Tenmile Creek

Washington Twp -

Mon intake below Redstone Creek

PAWC (A) -

Mon intake in USACE Dam 3PAWC (B) -

Mon intake in USACE Emsworth Pool

McKeesport -

Youghiogheny intake 1 mile from Mon

Pittsburgh -

Furthest downstream intake on Allegheny

West View -

First intake on Ohio River

RAIN’s Monongahela TDS Project Monitoring Effort

Ten RAIN FacilitiesHACHSC1000

•Conductivity•pH•Temperature

Four Remote Tributary SitesHydrolab

MS5Sonde

•Conductivity•pH•Temperature

RAIN’s Proposed Monitoring Effort

11-15 RAIN Member Facilities:HACH Source Water PanelNitrateAmmoniaDissolved OxygenUV OrganicsSuspended Solids-TurbidityORP

Waste Characterization Study •TDS

•Metals

•Organics

•TENORM

Phase I

Site specific, across Region

Phase II

Treatment of Waste, ‘cradle to grave’

Marcellus•Brief History of Natural Gas

•Sources of Natural Gas

•Exploring the Marcellus Shale

•Waste Characteristics of the Marcellus Shale, including TENORM

Reasonable Potential of the pollutants of concern: both aquatic and human health

•Reality of the Issue

Questions to ASKWhat are the characteristics of the

WASTE? How is the WASTE being treated?What are the characteristics

of the EFFLUENT?

What are the characteristics of your RECEIVING water?

Are we PROTECTING the AQUATIC LIFE USE?

Are we PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH?

Marcellus Shale