--> An Overview of Trends Within Hydraulic Fracturing in Haynesville Shale Gas Play, Louisiana

AAPG ACE 2018

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An Overview of Trends Within Hydraulic Fracturing in Haynesville Shale Gas Play, Louisiana

Abstract

For 70 years, hydraulic fracturing has occurred but has come to public attentions due the massive amounts of water used for development of unconventional hydrocarbon deposits with long horizontal holes in the last decade. A few general studies considered volumes of water used and chemistry of fracturing water throughout the United States. For these studies, periods considered are broad, decades. For this study, hydraulic fracturing trends are considered on a year-by-year manner and for within Haynesville Shale Gas Play (HSGP).

Data from two sources was analyzed. Louisiana Department of Natural Resources data of volumes of water used, source type and source location. Frac Focus has data for the chemistry of water used within the fracturing solution. Their chemical data, maximum concentrations, is split up by components of fracking by reason of use, such as: acid, acid/corrosion inhibitor, biocide, base carrier fluid (water), breaker, clay and shale stabilization control, crosslinker, friction reducer, gel, iron control, non-emulsifier, pH adjusting agent/buffer, propping agent, scale inhibitor, and surfactant. Often 10 to 20 different chemicals were used in addition to water and sand for each hydraulic fracturing job. Many of these are not identified for economic reasons. Within the HSGP there are over 100 different compounds used with fracking in solutions. However, for this study focus is on the thirty most commonly used compounds.

Throughout the past decade, the median volume of water used for hydraulic fracturing has increased. The source of that water is nearly always surface waters. Usually a natural or artificial pond is nearby. However, an increasing share of sources are larger water bodies, example Red River. This is contractor response to general agreements between LDNR and frackers to use more regional surface water sources moving frack water demand from groundwater to local small ponds, indirect withdrawals of local groundwater, and ultimately to regional water bodies supplied by distant groundwater baseflow.

In the past six years chemistry the fracture solutions are changing. Concentrations of hazard compounds methanol, naphthalene, or light/heavy petroleum distillates are decreasing. By contrast, concentrations of more benign compounds such as sand/quartz/silicon dioxide for propend or guar gum are increasing.