Office of Research and Development National Energy Technology Laboratory September, 2012

EPAct Complementary Program Unconventional Resources Supporting science-based decision making for safe & environmentally prudent energy resource development

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NETL’s Complementary Program focuses on R&D to support decision-based science & reduce risks associated with hydrocarbon development in extreme systems

Risk Assessment

Data Science Base

Platforms/Tools/Diagnostics

Risk = probability X consequence

site performance

impact of event

• Field Data to establish baselines and impacts of processes • Laboratory Data for simulations and confirmation of field data • Computational Tools to characterize and predict system baselines and behavior

Draws on DOE Core Capabilities • Wellbore integrity

• Science based predictions

• Engineered-natural system assessments

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Current Appropriated Program Drivers: Secretary of Energy Advisory Board -

Recommendations for Federal Agencies

• Enhance the quality and quantity of public information

• Developing benchmark air emissions and monitoring related to gas operations

• Evaluate subsurface methane migration issues

• Water Quality Protection

• Fracturing Fluid Composition Disclosure

• Support the development of industry “best practices”

• Reducing safety risk and risk of environmental damage for shale gas operations

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3-Agency Collaboration Focus on Environmental, Safety, and Health

Reservoir characterization

Technology

Development

Resource Assessment Hydrology and Ecology

Human Health

Air and Water Quality

Environmental Protection

Agency

Dept. of Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Dept. of Energy Fossil Energy

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Maximizing Benefits 9 Projects Resource

Characterization

12 Projects Production Optimization

Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy

Industry Consortium

RPSEA

Complementary Research

Appropriated Funded Program

(Extramural) @ NETL

Minimizing Impacts 10 Projects Water Treatment

4 Projects Water Resources Mgmt

2 Projects Impact Mitigation and Decision-making

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UFR Portfolio: Safety and the Environment for Responsible and Prudent Shale Gas Development

Deliver Integrated Assessments for improved science-based assessments of: • Fugitive Air Emissions and GHG • Produced Water Management • Subsurface Migration of Gas and Fluids • Induced Seismicity

Research Plan Organization • Science Base to Support Assessments • Tools for Data Management and Model Baselines • Development of Integrated Assessments

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Developing Integrated Assessments for Shale Gas

•Characterizing Baseline Environmental Signals •Fugitive Air Emissions

•Composition and Fate of Solid and Liquid Wastes •Biogeochemical Factors

•Developing Predictive Capabilities for Induced Seismicity and Fluid Migration

•Natural Geochemical Tracers •Effect of Shallow Gas on Wellbore Cement

•Hydrologic Factors that Lead to Shallow Gas Migration

•Spatio-Analysis Toolset

•Induced Seismicity and Fluid Migration •Produced Water and GHG Emissions

Data Maps Models

Spatio-Analytical Resources for

Results New Models

Rapid response for

science-based

decision making

Tools for data management,

input, and baseline models =

Development of integrated assessments

based on field, laboratory & numerical studies +

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Applying field measurements of fugitive methane to reduce uncertainty in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of unconventional natural gas

Source: Skone, et al. 2011

Integrated assessments for improving emissions life cycle estimates

Air Quality Monitoring Trailer: CH4, Ozone, NOx, SO2, NH3, VOCs, PM10, PM2.5 Leak-Detection System (mobile): CH4, CO2, bulk (C1-C15) hydrocarbons Infrared Cameras and Toxic Vapor Analyzers for point-source measurements

Deliver Integrated Assessments for improved science-based assessments of: • Fugitive Air Emissions and GHG • Produced Water Management • Subsurface Migration of Gas and Fluids • Induced Seismicity

Uncertainties in LCA inform UFR

sampling locations and

necessary measurements

Processed and QA/QC-ed data used to improve

values AND associated

uncertainties

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Develop capability to predict the volume and composition of flowback water as a function of reservoir, stimulation, and fluid properties

Flowback Volume

Flowback Composition

Rock Geochemistry/Mineralogy

Fracture Network Properties

Formation-Scale Geospatial Data from Energy Data Exchange

Well Stimulation Details and Configurations

Integrated assessments for predicting variations in produced water composition for planning

Deliver Integrated Assessments for improved science-based assessments of: • Fugitive Air Emissions and GHG • Produced Water Management • Subsurface Migration of Gas and Fluids • Induced Seismicity

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Deliver Integrated Assessments for improved science-based assessments of: • Fugitive Air Emissions and GHG • Produced Water Management • Subsurface Migration of Gas and Fluids • Induced Seismicity

Natural (e.g. faults and fractures) and manmade (e.g., wellbores) pathways to the surface may be affected by unconventional oil and gas (UOG) activities

If activities in the target reservoir result in out-of-zone effects, we need to understand the science base that would allow undesired fluid and gas flow from deeper geologic units into shallow groundwater systems

Previous work relied on analytical models for fracture growth

Developing science base to build confidence that vertical fluid (and gas) migration does not pose a risk to USDW.

Hydraulic Fracture Propagation

SHALE L hf w

Industry standard fracture growth models assume fractures stay within the Marcellus, but recent data has shown that associated microseismic events occur above the Marcellus (UFR-1 results)

NETL developing unbiased assessments of individual relationships related to fracture flow models and associated reduced order models to predict vertical migration of fluids within a fracture network (NETL work)

• Predictive models

• Baseline data

• Novel monitoring

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If UOG-related operations (either due to hydraulic fracturing or injecting waste water) induce felt seismicity (M>2) or damaging seismicity (M>4+), it has the potential to affect public safety and resource recovery operations

Developing predictive capabilities to support science-based decision making & evaluate how UOG activities can result in induced seismic events

From NRC Report on Induced Seismicity (2012)

Deliver Integrated Assessments for improved science-based assessments of: • Fugitive Air Emissions and GHG • Produced Water Management • Subsurface Migration of Gas and Fluids • Induced Seismicity

Induced Seismicity from hydraulic fracturing is believed to be low, but multiple examples exist worldwide and we still need to understand the science base

Induced Seismicity from water disposal operations of much greater concern

Currently generating database (literature and measurement) of Marcellus and surrounding rock properties

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Unconventional Efforts Center Around Access to & Release of Data

•Characterizing Baseline Environmental Signals •Fugitive Air Emissions

•Composition and Fate of Solid and Liquid Wastes •Biogeochemical Factors

•Developing Predictive Capabilities for Induced Seismicity and Fluid Migration

•Natural Geochemical Tracers •Effect of Shallow Gas on Wellbore Cement

•Hydrologic Factors that Lead to Shallow Gas Migration

•Spatio-Analysis Toolset

•Induced Seismicity and Fluid Migration •Produced Water and GHG Emissions

Data Maps Models

Spatio-Analytical Resources for

Rapid response for

science-based

decision making

Tools for data management,

input, and baseline models =

Development of integrated assessments

based on field, laboratory & numerical studies +

Resource Assessment Hydrology and Ecology

Human Health Air and Water Quality

Reservoir characterization

Technology Development

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Data Exchange for Energy Solutions

• R&D coordination & collaboration tool • Share information across networks

• Rapid access through one site • Online access for historical data

• Venue for newly released datasets • Security, database design, and structure

leverage DHS system • Built to accommodate both open access

and restricted access data • Role-based security allows for groups

or “communities” within the system • Future FY13 roll outs will incorporate

spatial/mapping tools, displays and other opportunities

Now available at: https://edx.netl.doe.gov

More information on EDX: http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/factsheets/rd/R%26D184%20.pdf

Designed for: • Fossil & renewable energy researchers

• Policy makers • General public

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EDXview

• Simple visualization tool within EDX

• User-defined, custom “viewer” for spatially referenced data in EDX

https://edx1.netl.doe.gov

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EDXinsight

• Under development in partnership with GWPC

• EDXinsights are a series of custom datasets assembled as themes of high interest to outside audiences

– Natcarb viewer may become a future EDXinsight, it already functions as one

– However, non-spatial data can also be assembled in custom EDXinsights (e.g. CT image data, EOS data for offshore systems, etc…

• EDXinsights are standard, static, frameworks, however the data presented within them may update and change with time (e.g. think of a finished map, ready for publication and release, only in EDXinsight the data within the map can be continuously updated through WMS or other live feeds. The view is prescribed, but the data remains current/fresh.)

Multiple EDX Data Sets

EDXinsight On specific topic

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Stand Alone Tools/Sites, EDX moves beyond

http://www.natcarbviewer.com/

Gas shales viewer is under development…

Natcarb viewer and tools have been part of the NETL-RUA portfolio for years. These tools and databases will underpin the initial EDX roll out

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Thank you! kelly.rose@netl.doe.gov

NETL TRS available at: http://www.netl.doe.gov/onsite_research/index.html

EDX available at: https://edx.netl.doe.gov