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INTRODUCTION: The Technology and Policy of Hydraulic Fracturing and Potential Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2013

Corrie E. Clark ,
Andrew J. Burnham ,
Christopher B. Harto  and
Robert M. Horner
Corrie E. Clark*
Affiliation:
Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Washington, DC
Andrew J. Burnham
Affiliation:
Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois
Christopher B. Harto
Affiliation:
Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Washington, DC
Robert M. Horner
Affiliation:
Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Washington, DC
*
Corrie E. Clark, 955 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 6000, Washington, DC 20024; (phone) 202-488-2419; (fax) 202-488-2413; (e-mail) ceclark@anl.gov
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Abstract

The development of large-scale shale gas production has been described as a game-changer for the US energy market and has generated interest in expanding the use of natural gas in sectors such as electricity generation and transportation. This development has been made possible by improvements in drilling technologies—specifically utilizing hydraulic fracturing in conjunction with horizontal drilling—that have enabled the production of natural gas from unconventional formations. However, the environmental implications of natural gas production and its use have been called into question. Environmental impacts associated with shale gas development can occur at the global and local levels and include impacts to climate, local air quality, water availability, water quality, seismic events, and the local community. A variety of technologies and practices are available to operators to reduce these impacts. Policies are currently under development at the federal, state, and local level to mitigate environmental impacts. In this document, we discuss the technologies involved in shale gas production, the potential abiotic impacts of shale gas production with an emphasis on air and water issues, and the practices and policies currently being developed and implemented to mitigate these impacts.

Environmental Practice 14:249–261 (2012)

Type
Features
Information
Environmental Practice , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , December 2012 , pp. 249 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © National Association of Environmental Professionals 2012

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