Water use for unconventional energy development in the South Platte River Basin of Colorado

Abstract

The “boom” in advanced hydraulic fracturing techniques in 2010 caused many concerns and questions among environmental activists, politicians and state and local governments due to the speed and force at which operations began in certain communities. Issues of water contamination from hydraulic fracturing fluids through faulty wells, water consumption, and noise and air pollution quickly manifested in the form of movies (Gasland, FrackNation, TruthLand)) and claimed a role in many political discussions. Although hydraulic fracturing has been around for decades, it was the magnitude of the operations that stemmed concerns among the public. Although natural gas is considered a cleaner fuel source compared to coal and petroleum, this did not stop the pushback it received from environmental activists groups. A range of research on various aspects of hydraulic fracturing has been undertaken to assess the impacts hydraulic fracturing has on the environment in regions across the United States. The current study explores water consumption for hydraulic fracturing in Colorado. This thesis provides a detailed analysis of water used for hydraulic fracturing across a range of scales, including, the state of Colorado, the South Platte basin (which encompasses the Niobrara shale play) and for a county and city experiencing heavy drilling (Weld County and Greeley, CO, respectively). We utilize both the IHS Energy and FracFocus databases and a range of statistical approaches to analyze water consumption for regional wells. In addition, produced water is quantified in order to explore re-use scenarios. This study found that water used for hydraulic fracturing accounted for .24% of the state of Colorado’s total 2014 demand, .73% of the basin demand, 2.4% of the county demand and 7% of the city demand. Water used for hydraulic fracturing in 2014 was enough to supply 35% of the population in Weld County. Greeley, CO sold 1,600 AF of water to oil and gas companies for up to $3,500/AF, while farmers typically pay around $35/AF. Water use for agriculture is 85% of the state and county water budget. Produced water totaled 7590 acre-feet in the South Platte, enough to hydraulically fracture 42% of wells drilled within the basin and approximately 1% of the population in 2014 if properly treated. Overall, water use for hydraulic fracturing becomes more significant in the water balance as the scale becomes more local. Additionally, produced water, once properly handled and treated, could be a potential source for water supply to help close the gap in water supply and demand in future years in the basin.