ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF A HYDRAULICLY FRACTURED FIELD SITE

The most environmentally friendly well, is the well that is not drilled. This is the central dogma to the Gas Technology Institute’s Hydraulically Fractured Test Site (HFTS), where new fracturing techniques and technologies are being tested to optimize well spacing for the most efficient extraction of mineral resources. An important aspect of this research is the monitoring of environmental receptors during the hydraulic fracturing, flowback, and completions phases of the oil and gas extraction life cycle. At this field site in West Texas, 5 sentinel ground water wells within a 2 mile radius of the fracturing of 11 horizontal wells have been monitored before, during, and after activities to assess their impact on the underlying aquifer. Produced water and water stored on site as impoundment water has been characterized geochemically and monitored for microbial growth. Corrosive microorganisms can play an important role in wellhead and casing integrity as well as have an impact on the character of the reservoir itself. Air quality was monitored on site for methane, BTEX, NOx, and VOCs before activities began, during hydraulic fracturing, during flowback, and after completions. This data provides an understanding of air quality for residential areas near oil and gas fields.