American Gas - August 2012 - (Page 7)

news HYDRAULIC FRACTURING earthquake risk, although “there have been induced events with a very limited number of wells.” The report, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, said that projects that inject or extract large net volumes of fluids over long periods of time, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), “may have the potential for larger induced seismic events, though insufficient information exists to understand this potential because no large-scale CCS projects are yet in operation.” The potential for geothermal projects to create earthquakes appears to vary, the report said. High-pressure hydraulic fracturing undertaken in some geothermal projects and temperature changes associated with geothermal development of hydrothermal resources have caused seismic events that are large enough to be felt, the NRC said. The NRC report noted that the factor most directly correlated with induced earthquakes is the total balance of fluid introduced or removed underground. Because oil and gas development, carbon capture and storage, and geothermal-energy production each involve net fluid injection or withdrawal, all have the potential to induce earthquakes. But most geothermal and conventional oil and gas development is designed to maintain a balance between the amounts of fluid being injected and withdrawn, and therefore appears to produce fewer seismic events than technologies that do not maintain fluid balance, the report said. www.anga.us/media-room/press-releases/ 2012/06/methane-emissions-from-hydraulicfracturing-of-unconventional-natural-gas-wellsare-half-what-epa-estimated www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13355 Think METHANE EMISSION ESTIMATES SOURCE CATEGORY EPA NATIONAL INVENTORY Metric tons of CH4 EPA NATIONAL INVENTORY % of EPA production total EPA Compared to API/ANGA API/ANGA SURVEY % of revised production total IMPACT ON SOURCE CATEGORY EMISSIONS API + ANGA – EPA/EPA % di erence in emissions -86% -72% API/ANGA SURVEY Metric tons of CH4 Liquids unloading 4,501,465 51% 8% 637,766 197,311 14% 4% Unconventional 712,605 well refracture rates Other production sector emissions Total production sector emissions Sources: EPA, API, ANGA 3,585.600 41% 3,585,600 81% as the Path to AMI CHARTS: ALEX REARDON 8,799,670 4,420,677 -50% INDUCED SEISMICITY POTENTIAL: HYDRAULIC FRACTURING Energy technology Hydraulic fracturing for shale gas production Number of projects 35,000 (wells) Number of felt induced events 1 Maximum magnitude of felt events 2.8 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 AMERICAN GAS Sensus AGA August 12-DRAFT1.indd 1 7/11/2012 2:19:38 PM 7 http://www.anga.us/media-room/press-releases/2012/06/methane-emissions-from-hydraulic-fracturing-of-unconventional-natural-gas-wells-are-half-what-epa-estimated http://www.anga.us/media-room/press-releases/2012/06/methane-emissions-from-hydraulic-fracturing-of-unconventional-natural-gas-wells-are-half-what-epa-estimated http://www.anga.us/media-room/press-releases/2012/06/methane-emissions-from-hydraulic-fracturing-of-unconventional-natural-gas-wells-are-half-what-epa-estimated http://www.anga.us/media-room/press-releases/2012/06/methane-emissions-from-hydraulic-fracturing-of-unconventional-natural-gas-wells-are-half-what-epa-estimated http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13355

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - August 2012

American Gas - August 2012
Contents
President’s Message
Industry News
In the Know
Safety First
Tech Talk
Taming the Talent Pipeline
Decision Time
Places to Be
Vendor News
Noteworthies
Advertisers’ Index
Jobline
Marketplace
Facts on Gas

American Gas - August 2012