title: Managing the Increasing Water Footprint of Hydraulic Fracturing in the Bakken Play, United States.
abstract: The water footprint of oil production, including water used for hydraulic fracturing (HF) and flowback-produced (FP) water, is increasingly important in terms of HF water sourcing and FP water management. Here, we evaluate trends in HF water use relative to supplies and FP water relative to disposal using well by well analysis in the Bakken Play. HF water use per well increased by ∼6 times from 2005-2014, totaling 24.5 × 10(9) gal (93 × 10(9) L) for ∼10 140 wells. Water supplies expanded to meet increased demand, including access of up to ∼33 × 10(9) gal/year (125 × 10(9) L/year) from Lake Sakakawea, expanding pipeline infrastructure by hundreds of miles and allowing water transfers from irrigation. The projected inventory of ∼60 000 future wells should require an additional ∼11 times more HF water. Cumulative FP water has been managed by disposal into an increasing number (277 to 479) of salt water disposal wells. FP water is projected to increase by ∼10 times during the play lifetime (∼40 years). Disposal of FP water into deeper geologic units should be considered because of reported overpressuring of parts of the Dakota Group. The long time series shows how policies have increased water supplies for HF and highlights potential issues related to FP water management.
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas , Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
authors.forename: Bridget R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Scanlon
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas , Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Reedy
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas , Austin, Texas 78758, United States.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Male
authors.affiliation: North Dakota State Water Commission , Bismarck, North Dakota 58505, United States.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hove
mesh_terms: D000067071:Hydraulic Fracking; D014481:United States; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014881:Water Supply; D060986:Water Wells
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water