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A Critical Review of the Risks to Water Resources from Unconventional Shale Gas Development and Hydraulic Fracturing in the United States
The rapid rise of
shale gas development through horizontal drilling
and high volume hydraulic fracturing has expanded the extraction of
hydrocarbon resources in the U.S. The rise of shale gas development
has triggered an intense public debate regarding the potential environmental
and human health effects from hydraulic fracturing. This paper provides
a critical review of the potential risks that shale gas operations
pose to water resources, with an emphasis on case studies mostly from
the U.S. Four potential risks for water resources are identified:
(1) the contamination of shallow aquifers with fugitive hydrocarbon
gases (i.e., stray gas contamination), which can also potentially
lead to the salinization of shallow groundwater through leaking natural
gas wells and subsurface flow; (2) the contamination of surface water
and shallow groundwater from spills, leaks, and/or the disposal of
inadequately treated shale gas wastewater; (3) the accumulation of
toxic and radioactive elements in soil or stream sediments near disposal
or spill sites; and (4) the overextraction of water resources for
high-volume hydraulic fracturing that could induce water shortages
or conflicts with other water users, particularly in water-scarce
areas. Analysis of published data (through January 2014) reveals evidence
for stray gas contamination, surface water impacts in areas of intensive
shale gas development, and the accumulation of radium isotopes in
some disposal and spill sites. The direct contamination of shallow
groundwater from hydraulic fracturing fluids and deep formation waters
by hydraulic fracturing itself, however, remains controversial