title: Point source attribution of ambient contamination events near unconventional oil and gas development.
abstract: We present an analysis of ambient benzene, toluene, and xylene isomers in the Eagle Ford shale region of southern Texas. In situ air quality measurements using membrane inlet mobile mass spectrometry revealed ambient benzene and toluene concentrations as high as 1000 and 5000 parts-per-billion, respectively, originating from specific sub-processes on unconventional oil and gas well pad sites. The detection of highly variant contamination events attributable to natural gas flaring units, condensate tanks, compressor units, and hydrogen sulfide scavengers indicates that mechanical inefficiencies, and not necessarily the inherent nature of the extraction process as a whole, result in the release of these compounds into the environment. This awareness of ongoing contamination events contributes to an enhanced knowledge of ambient volatile organic compounds on a regional scale. While these reconnaissance measurements on their own do not fully characterize the fluctuations of ambient BTEX concentrations that likely exist in the atmosphere of the Eagle Ford Shale region, they do suggest that contamination events from unconventional oil and gas development can be monitored, controlled, and reduced.
authors: Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States; Inform Environmental, LLC, Dallas, TX 75206, United States.
authors: Zacariah L
authors: ZL
authors: Hildenbrand
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, United States.
authors: Phillip M
authors: PM
authors: Mach
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, United States.
authors: Ethan M
authors: EM
authors: McBride
authors: Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, United States.
authors: M Navid
authors: MN
authors: Dorreyatim
authors: Inform Environmental, LLC, Dallas, TX 75206, United States.
authors: Josh T
authors: JT
authors: Taylor
authors: Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States.
authors: Doug D
authors: DD
authors: Carlton
authors: Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX 76401, United States.
authors: Jesse M
authors: JM
authors: Meik
authors: Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States.
authors: Brian E
authors: BE
authors: Fontenot
authors: Inficon, Syracuse, NY 13057, United States.
authors: Kenneth C
authors: KC
authors: Wright
authors: Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States. Electronic address: kschug@uta.edu.
authors: Kevin A
authors: KA
authors: Schug
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, United States. Electronic address: gverbeck@unt.edu.
authors: Guido F
authors: GF
authors: Verbeck
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D000066388:Oil and Gas Industry; D013781:Texas; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene
keywords: Air quality; BTEX; Eagle Ford; Mobile mass spectrometry