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Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources (External Review Draft)
Federal Register Notices
Notice
This assessment provides a review and synthesis of available information concerning the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas on drinking water resources in the United States. This is a draft report that has been made available for public comment and shared with the EPA Science Advisory Board for expert peer review. [Press Release Jun 4, 2015]Abstract
This assessment provides a review and synthesis of available scientific literature and data to assess the potential for hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas to impact the quality or quantity of drinking water resources, and identifies factors affecting the frequency or severity of any potential impacts. The scope of this assessment is defined by the hydraulic fracturing water cycle which includes five main activities:
- Water acquisition – the withdrawal of ground or surface water needed for hydraulic fracturing fluids;
- Chemical mixing – the mixing of water, chemicals, and proppant on the well pad to create the hydraulic fracturing fluid;
- Well injection – the injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids into the well to fracture the geologic formation;
- Flowback and Produced water – the return of injected fluid and water produced from the formation to the surface, and subsequent transport for reuse, treatment, or disposal; and
- Wastewater treatment and waste disposal – the reuse, treatment and release, or disposal of wastewater generated at the well pad, including produced water.
Contact
Citation
U.S. EPA. Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources (External Review Draft). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-15/047, 2015.
Hydraulic fracturing in combination with advanced directional drilling techniques has made it possible to economically extract oil and gas from unconventional resources, such as shale, tight formations, and coalbeds. The growth in domestic oil and gas exploration and production made possible by the expanded use of hydraulic fracturing, has raised concerns about its potential for impacts to human health and the environment. Specific concerns have been raised by the public about the effects of hydraulic fracturing on the quality and quantity of drinking water resources.
The U.S. Congress urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. In 2011, the EPA published its Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources. The research described in the Study Plan began the same year and has resulted in 12 EPA reports and several journal publications. This assessment uses the results from EPA-led research projects and the results of hundreds of other publications to provide a synthesis of the science related to hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources.
The U.S. Congress urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. In 2011, the EPA published its Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources. The research described in the Study Plan began the same year and has resulted in 12 EPA reports and several journal publications. This assessment uses the results from EPA-led research projects and the results of hundreds of other publications to provide a synthesis of the science related to hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources.
History/Chronology
| Jun 2015 | EPA released the draft report to the Science Advisory Board (SAB) for public comment and peer review. [SAB FR Notice Jun 4, 2015] |
This download(s) is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.
- Peer Review Plan (PDF) (1 pp, 34 KB, about PDF)
- Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources (External Review Draft) - EPA/600/R-15/047 (PDF) (998 pp, 27 MB, about PDF)
- Executive Summary of the Draft Report, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources (PDF) (28 pp, 1 MB, about PDF)
- Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources - Main Report Only (PDF) (599 pp, 22 MB, about PDF)
- Front Matter (PDF) (24 pp, 390 KB, about PDF)
- Chapter 1. Introduction (PDF) (13 pp, 739 KB, about PDF)
- Chapter 2. Hydraulic Fracturing, Oil and Gas Production, and the U.S. Energy Sector (PDF) (40 pp, 5 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 3. Drinking Water Resources in the United States (PDF) (15 pp, 1 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 4. Water Acquisition (PDF) (62 pp, 2 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 5. Chemical Mixing (PDF) (85 pp, 6 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 6. Well Injection (PDF) (69 pp, 3 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 7. Flowback and Produced Water (PDF) (60 pp, 2 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 8. Wastewater Treatment and Waste Disposal (PDF) (86 pp, 2 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 9. Identification and Hazard Evaluation of Chemicals Across the Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle (PDF) (45 pp, 1 MB, about PDF)
- Chapter 10. Synthesis (PDF) (24 pp, 525 KB, about PDF)
- References for All Chapters (PDF) (48 pp, 761 KB, about PDF)
- Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources - Appendices Only (PDF) (401 pp, 6 MB, about PDF)
- Appendix A: Chemicals Identified in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids and/or Flowback and Produced Water (PDF) (65 pp, 883 KB, about PDF)
- Appendix B: Water Acquisition Tables (PDF) (54 pp, 842 KB, about PDF)
- Appendix C: Chemical Mixing Supplemental Tables and Information (PDF) (81 pp, 1 MB, about PDF)
- Appendix D: Designing, Constructing, and Testing Wells for Integrity (PDF) (16 pp, 524 KB, about PDF)
- Appendix E: Flowback and Produced Water Supplemental Tables and Information (PDF) (48 pp, 866 KB, about PDF)
- Appendix F: Wastewater Treatment and Waste Disposal Supplemental Information (PDF) (34 pp, 1 MB, about PDF)
- Appendix G: Identification and Hazard Evaluation of Chemicals Across the Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle Supplemental Tables and Information (PDF) (38 pp, 735 KB, about PDF)
- Appendix H: Description of EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Publications Cited in This Assessment (PDF) (7 pp, 244 KB, about PDF)
- Appendix I: Unit Conversions (PDF) (5 pp, 282 KB, about PDF)
- Appendix J: Glossary (PDF) (20 pp, 370 KB, about PDF)
- References: All Appendices (PDF) (24 pp, 424 KB, about PDF)
- Charge Questions (PDF) (5 pp, 103 KB, about PDF)
Related Link(s)
- EPA's Hydraulic Fracturing Study Website
- Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources, EPA/600/R-11/122, Nov 2011
- Hydraulic Fracturing Study Fact Sheets
- SAB Hydraulic Fracturing Drinking Water Assessment
- Compilation of Physicochemical and Toxicological Information About Hydraulic Fracturing-Related Chemicals (Draft Database)
Status
This draft assessment is available for public comment and peer review by the EPA’s Science Advisory Board. A revised assessment will be published in response to comments received on a timetable yet to be developed by the Agency.
Comments on the draft assessment may be submitted and reviewed using the e-Government Regulations.gov Web site. From the site, select “Environmental Protection Agency” and the keyword “EPA-HQ-OA-2015-0245 (for the docket ID) to comment on this report.