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SourceEPA2004Thereareanumberowaysinwhichwaterimpactsenergyandwhereimprovementsareneeded.TheseincludebutarenotlimitedtoacidminedrainagemanagementpowerplantcoolingandMarcellusshale.ThissectionexplorestheinnovationopportunitiesrelatedtoMarcellusshaleandnototheraspectsothewater-energynexusbecausethisisanemergingareawherethereareewianyestablishedsolutions.DevelopinginnovativesolutionsorextractinggasromtheMarcellusshalewhileprotectingandpreservingwatercouldenabletheregiontocaptureasignifcantearlyleadinthisindustrybecausethereareewianyestablishedcompetitors.Ourregioncannotaordtobeonthewrongsideohistoryagaininthewayweaddressourpreciouswaterresource.Wecanill-aordtotradewaterornaturalgasorothernon-renewableresources.Theeconomicopportunityorwater-basedbusinessesrelatedtoMarcellusshaleexplorationisnotinthedirectemploymentromoilandgasdrilling.AccordingtotheBureauoLaborStatisticsoilandgasdrillingandsupportoperationsemployedanestimated835workersinthePittsburghmetropolitanareain2009.Thelargeropportunityisrelatedtotheneedorwaterasaninputtothedrillingandhydro-racturingprocessaswellasmanagingandtreatingtheoutputowaterromthewell.Drillingcompaniesarealwayslookingormoreecientwaystousewateraswellasstoretreatordisposeothewastewater.Advancesthatreducethewaterusedinthehydro-racturingprocessorwhichincreasetheproductivityothewaterusedarehighlydesiredandcriticaltoourregionssustainabledevelopment.Theseinnovationscanalsoprovidesomesavingsontreatingwastewateralthoughitshouldbenotedthatinsomecasesusinglesswaterproducesmoreconcentratedcontaminationthatcanbemoredicultandmoreexpensivetotreatsuchaswithhighsalinityproducedwater.TheMarcellusindustryalsoneedseectivewastewatertreatmentbecauseaccidentsspillsandcontaminationareathreattopublichealthandecologyandcanrequirelong-termtreatmentandremediationthatcanbeveryexpensiveorevencausethesuspensionopermits.TheDepartmentoEnvironmentalProtectionhasfnedTalismanEnergyUSAInc.oraspillohydraulicracturingowbackuid.Thisisthesubstancethatreturnstothesuraceaterpressurizeduidisinjectedundergroundtoractureorrackageologicormationandextractnaturalgas.ThespilloccurredattheKleingaswellpadinArmeniaTownshipBradordCounty.Anestimated4200to6300gallonsorackingowbackuidsweredischargedintoanunnamedtributarytoWebierCreekpartotheTiogaRiverbasinwhenapumpailedandsandcollectedinavalve.InanotherrecentincidentCabotOilandGasisprovidingtemporarywaterservicestolocalresidentsuntilapermanentsolutionorwhole-housewatertreatmentsystemscanbeinstalledinthe14aectedhomesinDimockTownship.26Theseexpensesandnegativeimpactscanbeavoidedwithimprovedtechnology.AccordingtotheUniversityoPittsburghCenterorHealthyEnvironmentsandCommunitiestherehavebeen675Marcelluswellsdrilledrom2007toAugust2010.27TwotofvemilliongallonsowaterarerequiredtoractureonehorizontalMarcellusshalewellsothetotalwatertoracturethese675wellsrangesrom1.4to3.4billiongallons.Waterusedorracturinguidsisacquiredromsuracewaterorgroundwaterinthelocalarea.28Fracturinguidscanbeupto99percentwaterwhichmeansthateachwellproduces20000to50000gallonsocontaminants.Throughtheracturingandrecoveryprocessessomeotheuidsremaintrappedundergroundwithanestimated1580percentotheinjectedvolumebeingrecovered.Wastewatersromthehydraulicracturingprocessmaybere-injectedintothegrounddischargedtosuracewatersaterdecontaminationordispersedontolandtoevaporateorflterintothegroundFigure12.29Thereisanopportunityormoresophisticatedandeectivemanagementothiswastewaterthatcanprovideenvironmentalandeconomicbenefts.Wedontullyunderstandhowmuchriskexistsromtheracturingprocessbuttheriskisgreatenoughorcaution.TestingodomesticwellsintheFruitlandFormationinNewMexicoandColoradooundthatgasinadomesticwellhadthesamegascompositionandcarbon-13isotoperatioasgasromanearbygaswellalsointheFruitlandFormation.TheBureauoLandManagementoundthatC13isotopicsignaturesoindividualnear-suracegassamplescorrelatedwithproductiongasromdiscreteormationsbeneaththestudyarea.Onewellcontained680ppmTDSprimarilysodiumbicarbonatethesameasproducedwaterromtheFruitlandwell.Boththegasandthewateranalysesindicatethattheshallowaquierinthearearomwhichthemethane-contaminateddomesticwellsdrawdrinkingwaterisinhydrauliccommunicationwiththedeeperFruitlandFormationcoalbeds.23SpecialSectionMarcellusShaleandWaterIssuesHowmuchriskshouldwetakewithcontamination