Petroleum industry confronts water use

[white cloud]

*** When big oil wants to start talks it means there is already a big problem coming and they want to head it off.



SAN ANGELO, Texas — The same week oil and gas industry representatives convened in Midland to discuss the best ways to lessen their dependence on freshwater aquifers in the Permian Basin, NASA told The Associated Press that satellites have found the state's aquifers to be at "lows rarely seen since 1948."

This provided confirmation of fears that it is not just surface water supplies that have taken a serious beating during the most intense drought in recorded state history.

Earlier last week, climate experts said at a conference in Fort Worth that the dry spell will almost certainly persist through the early part of next summer — and possibly beyond, as reported by the Texas Tribune.

Long story short, it doesn't matter if water use for oil and gas mining makes up only 2 percent of overall statewide water use. The terrifying fact remains that the state's overall water supply is dwindling, and if you are consuming any amount that could be considered substantial in localized areas, you are going to be placed under a microscope.
http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/dec/03/petroleum-industry-confronts-water-use/

[sonias]

1. 7 to 9 barrels of water to produce 1 of oil

"We are going to be needing more and more water," said Steve Monroe, a water management and treatment expert who works for Houston-based oil field services company Baker Hughes, noting that it takes seven to nine barrels of water to produce one barrel of oil in the U.S.

:wow:

I'd like to see the similar equivalent for gas fracking. I know it doesn't use barrels, but cubic feet or whatever way they measure it.

[plumbob]

2. My friends in the field tell me it takes about 5 million gallons of water

to drill a gas well.

[white cloud]

3. Drilling and fracking 2 different birds.

Drilling and fracking 2 different birds.

fracking uses 5 to 12 million depending on strata and how many steps they take some go a mile horizontal and take 5 steps.

Fresh water used is ruined because it come back up contaminated, heavy brine, and soemtime radio active. never to been used again except in injection wells.

[sonias]

4. Yep it's that waste of good drinking water that really sucks

They had better get with the program and clean up, carry over the water to the new sites and re-use it.

Such a freaking waste of water in a thirsty water state! :mad:

[white cloud]

5. Heavy Brine

They don't want to use the back flow because it is contaminated and dangerous. Harmfull to their equipement....they want the EPA to clean it up or bury it on the land owner land.

[sonias]

6. I see Arlington and San Antonio both trying to wrap their heads around this

Arlington seems to be tightening more of the cosmetic impact rather than the water issue though. San Antonio hopefully doing better advanced planning. I sincerely hope so.

Fort Worth Star Telegram 12/6/11
Arlington tightens gas drilling ordinance

ARLINGTON -- The City Council approved revisions to the natural gas drilling ordinance Tuesday that more strictly regulate well site security, aesthetics and equipment while simplifying the permit process.

Arlington officials have been working for more than a year on the ordinance, last revised in 2007, to minimize the long-term impact of gas drilling on infrastructure, the environment and a property's redevelopment potential.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/local/article/Shale-linked-to-10-000-S-A-jobs-2352036.php">San Antonio Express 12/6/11
Shale linked to 10,000 S.A. jobs
(snip)

“We must guard against irrational exuberance. When you have a windfall, it's not wise to blow it,” said Cisneros, chairman of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, who spoke at a panel discussion sponsored by the San Antonio Clean Technology Forum.

“We could do real damage if we don't do this in a balanced, serious way, because when the boom mentality takes over, there can be a tendency to rush past the safeguards,” he said.

Shale development “can be damaging to the environment, to the land, the water or to the community in the long run,” he said. “We don't want everyone to get in that mode of irrational exuberance where the momentum overrides good judgment.”

The seven other panelists at Tuesday's event agreed with Cisneros that development of Eagle Ford must be done responsibly.

:kick: