Getting The Waters Tested The Marcellus Shale Factor

Old Issues

New IssuesEnvironment

Water Resources

My Approach – Working as a Community

WayneCountyPA

Mr. Brian Oram, Professional Geologist (PG), Professional Mr. Brian Oram, Professional Geologist (PG), Professional Soil Scientist (PA and WV), Licensed Well Driller (PA)Soil Scientist (PA and WV), Licensed Well Driller (PA)

B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc.http://www.bfenvironmental.com

Water Research Centerhttp://www.water-research.net

Carbon County Groundwater Guardianshttp://www.carbonwaters.org

Presented by

Water-Research Center

Education and Outreach Program funded by Education and Outreach Program funded by B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc.

Outreach ProgramsOutreach Programs

Environmental and Professional Education and Training for CitizeEnvironmental and Professional Education and Training for Citizens and Local ns and Local MunicipalitiesMunicipalitiesWater Quality Help Guides Water Quality Help Guides –– Information LibraryInformation LibraryCommunity and Business Outreach ProgramsCommunity and Business Outreach ProgramsLow Cost Low Cost –– Informational Water Testing Program with National LaboratoryInformational Water Testing Program with National LaboratoryCitizen Monitoring ProgramsCitizen Monitoring Programs-- Developing Low Cost Water Quality SensorsDeveloping Low Cost Water Quality Sensors

Targets Young Adults, Watershed Organizations, Coalition, EnviroTargets Young Adults, Watershed Organizations, Coalition, Environmental Groups, nmental Groups, Professionals, and KidsProfessionals, and Kids

http://www.water-research.net

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians

The Carbon County Groundwater Guardians (CCGG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer, environmental education organization which provides homeowners with information on private wells, water quality and quantity, and septic systems

Not an Advocacy Group1. Education2. Fact Based Approach3. Scientific Method4. Target Education of Kids and Families5. Delivery Statewide

Please Support – http://www.carbonwaters.org

B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc.

Professional Consulting Services in the areas of water quality, soils, stormwater, geology, aquifer analysis, and land-development.Baseline – Chain-of-Custody- Sourcewater ProtectionExpert TestimonyOnline Training in Alternative EnergyProfessional and Educator TrainingWater Treatment Process/ Product Developmenthttp://www.bfenvironmental.com

Current Programs

Free Assistance in Reviewing Baseline Data for Private Well OwnersFree Website with Information on Water Quality Problems with Case StudiesEducational Materials and Educational PresentationsTraining Program for Baseline SamplersGo to http://www.water-research.net

LAKEASSOC.

LakeAssoc

All Permits LakeAssoc

Permits –1/2011 to 11/2011

LakeAssoc

Operating WellsLakeAssoc

Marcellus Shale

This is Causing all the Concern?

385 Million Years Ago

Source: http://www2.nau.edu/rcb7/nam.html

Barkley, 2009

Looking Back 400 million Years

Marcellus Shale or Other tight Black Shales

Appalachian Plateau ProvinceBroad to Narrow Broad to Narrow ValleysValleysRounded Hills and Rounded Hills and Valleys Associated Valleys Associated with with GlaciationGlaciationValleys filled by Valleys filled by glacial fluvial glacial fluvial material material

Younger(Y)

Older

Y

O

OY(O)

UnconsolidatedMaterial (Un)

Un

Un

Geological Sequence – Northeast PA

0 to 1.8 million years

Time

Quaternary –Glaciation

PeriodDeposit or Rock Type

sand, silt, clay, and gravel

1.8 to 290 million Tertiary to Permian Not present (eroded and weathered)

290 – 320 million Pennsylvanian

320 – 354 millionMississippian

354 - 417 million Devonian

417 – 443 million Silurian

Catskill FormationTrimmers Rock FormationMahantango FormationMarcellus Formation(Black Shale)- TargetOnondaga Formation(calcareous sandy shale)

OLDER

Not present (eroded and weathered)

Not present (eroded and weathered)

250 feet Thick

< 2000 feetProbably No Gas

12,000 feet

Thickness350 feet

Baseline Groundwater and Surfacewater Monitoring Related to Natural Gas

Development in Northeastern

Site Development

Production Processing

Hydraulic Fracturing Job

Baseline Testing Should Include ALL Likely Impacts

Your Well

http://emapp.dep.state.pa.us

Complaints

Fuel StorageLocations

ChemicalTreatment

Water AllocationOr Discharge

Image from Emapper Showing Location of

Known Hazards

Getting The Waters Tested Types of Water Testing

Citizen ScienceAnd Remote MonitoringBaseline Testing – Just the Facts

Step 1-Third-Party Samplerand Certified Testing

Screening Testsor Self-Monitoring Step 2- Screening

Step 3Follow-upCertified Testing

Step 3Follow-upCertified Testing

Shallow Releases

How Contaminants Can Get In to the Aquifer (Surface)

Ungrouted Well Pit Sanitary WellSurface Spills

FracturedRock

LeakyTanks

How Contaminants Can Up into a Shallow Aquifer

PSU Study -Migration and Disturbance During Drilling-losing circulation

Proper Construction Poor Construction

Key Points1. Proper Casing and Cement of Marcellus Shale Wells2. Knowing How Private Wells Are Constructed3. Isolation Distances will not Solve This Problem.4. Fixing Private Wells has to be part of the Solution.5. This may account for the data on bromide from PSU.6. The issue may not be well radial distance, but constructionand drilling issue.7. Recommend closed loop drilling with water withinfreshwater aquifer (no muds) or water-based muds.

up to

200

0 ft

Lined Pit

Could this explain the Bromide Issue or Discolored Water??

Tanks

AddString

Movement and Migration along Bedding Planes, Joints, and Fractures

80 feet from Ground surface

Movement of Soils and SedimentAlong Bedding, Joints, and FracturesOpen Fractures Tend to Decrease with Depth

Migration Concepts- Multiple Casements and Recreate Confining Layers- Need Good Cement Bonds- Cement up to Deepest Casement or Surface

Older

YoungerWater Table

Private Well

This is Drinking Water in PA?

Iron / Manganese

Bacteria

Sediment / Gases

Corrosion

50% Other50%

How do we know this?

Video Methane Migration

This can also be caused by a Bacteria .

Abandon Oil / GasWell Western PA

PADEP determined cause is related to Natural GasPADEP determined cause is NOT related to Natural Gas

Blue Dots - PADEP still evaluating

Common Problems Associated withNatural Gas Development and Private Wells

Dirty and Discolored Water – associated with the initial drilling of the well. Water has metallic taste.Increased Levels of iron, manganese, and aluminum and some other metals.Increased Levels of Dissolved Gases – Primarily Methane, but also ethane, propane, and radon.

Please Note – These Photos May Also Represent Baseline Conditions

Baseline Testing- It is Not Just About Collecting a Water Sample (published ONG Marketplace – 3/2013)

Link to Article athttp://www.bfenvironmental.com

What is Certified Baseline Testing?

Certified Baseline Testing is a process to establish the current condition of a system prior to some proposed change or action.This is the Greatest Level of Protection !Persons or Agents Directly Involved with this Process

Licensed Professional and Third-Party SamplerPrivate Well or Water Source Owner –“Witness the Process Only”Certified Testing Laboratory

Are Private Well Owners Required to Conduct Baseline Testing ?

To our knowledge, there is no requirement by a state or agency for the private owner to conduct baseline testing.Then why it is recommended?

You May Not be within the area the Permittee tests.You may be concerned about an adjoining lease.You May Not believe “Their” results.You May Want to Test for More Parameters.You want to have sufficient evidence if a problems does occur.The Company or “They” may not do any sampling and then there is no data.

PA Oil and Gas LawCertified mail notification during permit phase if water supply is within 3,000 feet of gas well.

At least 200 feet from a private well, 100 feet stream, wetland, or waterbody, and 1000 feet a public water supply.

Baseline Testing is Recommended Not Required, but they are presumed liable. Liability Provision – Within 2500 feet of a wellhead and within 1 year of completion or modification. Post-Drilling Testing is Not Required or Recommended.

PADEP may require Gas Companies to Respond to ComplaintsReportable Releases Brine - > 10,000 mg/L or 1 % contamination (5 gallons)Reportable Releases Brine - < 10,000 mg/L or < 1% (15 gallons).

Law Requires an Immediate Investigation when Methane Levels are > 7 mg/L.

Any time the level of methane is at or greater than 7 mg/L - Contact- PADEP and the Local Natural Gas Company in Your Area – Under Oil and Gas Law- Section 78.89 – “When an operator or owner is notified of or otherwise made aware of a POTENTIAL natural gas migration incident, the operator shall immediately conduct an investigation of the incident”.

Do Not End Up Here !Do Not Put the Burden of Proof on Yourself !

Water Issues1. Lake House that is not regularly used and in most cases the homeowners did not drink the water.2. No baseline testing other than some historic testing for coliform bacteria and nitrate.3. The water appeared to change and get a salty taste and there was some gas bubbles.4. Well - no drilling log- located in a river valley near a lake - over 400 feet deep.5. Methane Determined to be 15 mg/L with elevated Chloride, Hardness, and Barium

If Baseline Testing Was DoneWe Would Have Proof of the Impact

Now - This will have to be settled in Court Burden of Proof May be on the Well Owner !

Which Is the Before Sample?

Recent Work at Lake - 5 Wells Sampled Summary

1. Two wells in Pits – where minor improvements are advisable.2. One well was missing a plug.3. Three out of 5 wells had treated water –Water that was prefilterd or water softener.4. 1 Well had an elevated level of iron.5. Methane gas was not detected and LEL was 0 %

Samples Tested for pH, Conductivity, ORP, Total Dissolved Solids, Bacteria, Alkalinity, Chloride, Sulfate, Sodium, Iron, Manganese, T. Hardness, Potassium, Strontium, Barium, Bromide, Oil and Grease, Chloride, Arsenic, Aluminum, MBAS, Methane, Ethane, and Propane

< 500229100T. Dissolved Solids

0.050.0520Manganese

< 0.30.3780Iron

None1.2100Potassium

25092100Sulfate

None136100T. Hardness

None150100Alkalinity

None26100Sodium

None0.46100Strontium

20.1220Barium

Standard,mg/LHighest, mg/LOccurrence (%)Parameter

Lake

Sulfur Odor – 20%

11Present< 1Bacteria

01.20.001Strontium

073< 1Sodium

210.859< 0.004Manganese

110.009< 0.002Lead

71.58< 0.2Iron

00.66< 0.3Barium

00.006< 0.005Arsenic

019< 5Sulfate

024< 5Chloride

507.35.1pH

% ExceedHighestLowestValue

Another Lake Community in Wayne County to the East (28 wells)

Suggested Baseline- For CitizensPermit the Oil and Gas Company to Collect a Predrill or PrealterationSample. DO NOT Lose the Assumption of Responsibility Provision.

Testing Package # 1 Recommendations – Document Lower Explosion Limit (LEL) and Static and Dynamic Water LevelTotal Coliform with e. coli confirmation, Chloride, Sodium, Barium, pH, Total Dissolved Solids, MBAS, Conductivity, Iron, Manganese, ORP, T. Hardness, Alkalinity, and Methane/Ethane/Propane.

Testing Package # 2 Recommendations -Package # 1- plus Bromide, Strontium,, Nitrate, Total Suspended Solids, Arsenic, Turbidity, and Sulfate.

Testing Package # 3- Package #1 and # 2 - plus Arsenic, Aluminum, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Nickel, Zinc, Oil and Grease, 21-VOCs/MTBE, Potassium, Selenium, Sulfide, Nickel, Gross Alpha/Beta Activity, Lithium, Lead, and Uranium.

It may be advisable to add Glycols, Radon in water, and other organic and inorganic parameters. Depending on surrounding land-use, use of geothermal wells, personal history, local geology, and past history for the area.

Remember - Methane Gas Level –Change over Time- Time with Highest Levels

barometric pressure is low and soils are saturated;when snow cover is just beginning to melt; the ground is frozen or ice covered; orunder long-term pumping conditions for the well when the well is experiencing the lowest dynamic water level and greatest drawdown.

http://www.water-research.net/methanegas.htm

1 ft1 ft

250 ft

50 ft 200 ftSpecific Capacity = Gpm/ft of drawdown

gpm = 5 gpmStatic Water Level – 50 feetDynamic Level – 200 feetSc = (5 gpm/ (150 ft))=Sc = 0.03 gpm/ft drawdown

Estimating Specific CapacityMethane Levels and Pumping

Less head pressuremore methane will be released.

Methane

Static Water Level

Pump Off

DynamicWater LevelPump On

5 gpm

Air VentMeasureLEL

Working as a CommunityGetting the Community EducatedEncouraging Well Owners to Get their water tested as best as they can afford and sharing this data (data only) with the Citizen Database.Working with Local Water Authorities- Watershed GroupsUsing Source Water Protection As a Guide Developing a Program to Fix Private Wells – where baseline pre-drilling testing has identified a Problem –Remember we all live upstream.Permitting the gas company to conduct baseline testing and share this data (data only) as part of Community Meetings or Education Sessions – Citizens Database in PA.

This should include wells, springs, surface ponds, and major waterways in the area.

Tracking Change

Frac Focus – Chemical Registry - http://fracfocus.org(Natural Gas Horizontal Well Control Act – requires Submission of chemical data to Office of Oil and Gas with the WR-35 Reports on specific forms or a Frac Focus Format)

The Citizens Database for PA – http://www.water-research.net

Get Educated – Free Information on Water Quality and Oil / Natural Gas Development–

http://www.private-well-owner.orghttp://www.carbonwaters.org

Check Out Frac Tracker – YOUR Story Mattershttp://www.fractracker.org/projects/usmap/

Certificate of CompletionTraining Event

Getting The Waters Tested; The Black Shale Factor Pennsylvania Approach2 – hour PDHs or 0.2 CEUS

Presented byMr. Brian Oram, PG

B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc15 Hillcrest DriveDallas, PA 18612

More Online Training @http://www.bfenvironmental.com

Licensed Professionals - Official Certificate with Name and Dateis Available for $ 15.00- just email bfenviro@ptd.net

DO Not Forget the Citizens Database in Pennsylvania

Quote about the Program – “this program has been a ROCK to us... thank you, as always, thank you thank you!” (Dimock, PA) Free Evaluation of the Certified Testing Results by a ProfessionalWorking as a Community to Track ChangeInsights into Existing Problems to Properly Document Baseline ConditionsGreat Free Program

http://www.water-research.net

Our Latest Educational ResourceDescription of the following:a. Citizen Databaseb. Baseline Testingc. Drinking Water Standardsd. Specific Water Quality Standardse. Treatment Optionsf. How to Shock Disinfect a Wellg. How to Properly Construct a Wellh. General Guidelines on Baseline TestingParameters.And More. cost$ 5.00

Other Resources at http://www.water-research.netSupports a Local 501C3 – Carbonwaters.org

Document© 2013 by B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc.For permission – Contact Mr. Brian Oram, PGbfenviro@ptd.net570- 335-1947

http://www.water-research.nethttp://www.bfenvironmental.com

Presented by:Mr. Brian Oram, Professional Geologist (PG), Mr. Brian Oram, Professional Geologist (PG),

Soil Scientist, Licensed Well DrillerSoil Scientist, Licensed Well Driller

http://www.water-research.nethttp://www.bfenvironmental.com

http://www.carbonwaters.org

Pennsylvania Current ModelBaseline Testing is a Recommended Practice and Not a Required Practice.Oil and Gas Companies are Assumed Responsible if a problem occurs within 1 year of completing or modifying a well within a radial distance of 2500 feet- there are no provisions related to other infrastructure like pipelines, compression stations, storage ponds, or treatment areas.For Water Withdrawal Wells and other wells for Gas/Oil Operations – all surface owners or water purveyor within 3000 feet must be contacted.

Flow and Quality Tested- Predrilling Testing Required- if YOU requestThe Oil and Gas Company is assumed responsible for events occurring within 2500 feet of the wellhead and 1 year.

You can lose this protection if you do not permit the Oil and Gas Company to conduct predrilling baseline testing.

To our knowledge, there is no requirement for post-drilling testing unless it is part of a compliant.If you are outside 2500 foot radius, you may need to contact the oil/gas company or conduct this testing on your own.

If the Oil and Gas Company – Will Not Conduct Testing for YOU and they are Drilling within about 0.5 to 1 mile of you and driving on the roads near Your Home

Get Some Level of Baseline Testing Done NOW.