title: Potential water resource impacts of hydraulic fracturing from unconventional oil production in the Bakken shale.
abstract: Modern drilling techniques, notably horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, have enabled unconventional oil production (UOP) from the previously inaccessible Bakken Shale Formation located throughout Montana, North Dakota (ND) and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The majority of UOP from the Bakken shale occurs in ND, strengthening its oil industry and businesses, job market, and its gross domestic product. However, similar to UOP from other low-permeability shales, UOP from the Bakken shale can result in environmental and human health effects. For example, UOP from the ND Bakken shale generates a voluminous amount of saline wastewater including produced and flowback water that are characterized by unusual levels of total dissolved solids (350 g/L) and elevated levels of toxic and radioactive substances. Currently, 95% of the saline wastewater is piped or trucked onsite prior to disposal into Class II injection wells. Oil and gas wastewater (OGW) spills that occur during transport to injection sites can potentially result in drinking water resource contamination. This study presents a critical review of potential water resource impacts due to deterministic (freshwater withdrawals and produced water management) and probabilistic events (spills due to leaking pipelines and truck accidents) related to UOP from the Bakken shale in ND.
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E. St Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA.
authors.forename: Namita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E. St Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA.
authors.forename: Govinda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chilkoor
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E. St Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilder
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E. St Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA. Electronic address: Venkata.Gadhamshetty@sdsmt.edu.
authors.forename: Venkataramana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gadhamshetty
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E. St Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D006801:Humans; D000067071:Hydraulic Fracking; D059206:Natural Gas; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D062065:Wastewater; D014876:Water Pollution; D062066:Water Resources
chemical_list: D059206:Natural Gas; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Bakken; Corrosion; Energy use and resources; Horizontal drilling; Hydraulic fracturing