The Marcellus Shale water treatment activities have raised many questions that are causing much concern amongst environmentalists. This gas resource stretches from West Virginia to the State of New York covering some six hundred and fifty miles. The large amount of moisture used in the mining process is what has raised these controversial issues.
In order to crack the rock holding the gas moisture is used. It is mixed with polymer to reduce the viscosity, a special grade of sand and a gel to help the flow. This is known as fracturing. Up to four million gallons are used initially although the process could have to be repeated. Upon returning to the surface it has now also picked up other contaminants.
Traces of many heavy metals, oil, soap and radiation have been found present. The most prominent being salt which could be as high as forty thousand parts per million. If untreated this results in severe corrosion to machinery and also detrimentally effects land and living organisms with which it comes into contact.
Initially it was considered the best option to transport it to another site where it could be disposed of untreated or restored to a potable state. Approximately three hundred tanker trucks do many trips per day to achieve this. The impact on the surrounding roads, the emissions from the trucks, the time consumed and high costs are enormous.
A deep injection process has been employed by some mines which they consider to be the most viable. The waste is forced back into the earth. This leaves its own problems as to possible leaching of contaminants into the drinking water reserves. However at this mine it was found not to be a viable option.
A possible greener solution has been found to be portable units for returning the consumable product to a usable state. Seventy to eighty percent of it can be restored and possibly reused in the mining process for other purposes in the area. The remaining contaminated residue could then be moved at a far lower cost or even be treated and further reduced.
Whether or not this treatment is the friendliest to our earth is still debatable. Possible further solutions could be considered but who is going to foot the bill. Water remains a limited resource and the contamination of this vital need for the sustenance of life could later prove to be beyond the cost of mere research. If we leave this issue until a crisis arises or become proactive is the question. Read more about: marcellus shale water treatment
In order to crack the rock holding the gas moisture is used. It is mixed with polymer to reduce the viscosity, a special grade of sand and a gel to help the flow. This is known as fracturing. Up to four million gallons are used initially although the process could have to be repeated. Upon returning to the surface it has now also picked up other contaminants.
Traces of many heavy metals, oil, soap and radiation have been found present. The most prominent being salt which could be as high as forty thousand parts per million. If untreated this results in severe corrosion to machinery and also detrimentally effects land and living organisms with which it comes into contact.
Initially it was considered the best option to transport it to another site where it could be disposed of untreated or restored to a potable state. Approximately three hundred tanker trucks do many trips per day to achieve this. The impact on the surrounding roads, the emissions from the trucks, the time consumed and high costs are enormous.
A deep injection process has been employed by some mines which they consider to be the most viable. The waste is forced back into the earth. This leaves its own problems as to possible leaching of contaminants into the drinking water reserves. However at this mine it was found not to be a viable option.
A possible greener solution has been found to be portable units for returning the consumable product to a usable state. Seventy to eighty percent of it can be restored and possibly reused in the mining process for other purposes in the area. The remaining contaminated residue could then be moved at a far lower cost or even be treated and further reduced.
Whether or not this treatment is the friendliest to our earth is still debatable. Possible further solutions could be considered but who is going to foot the bill. Water remains a limited resource and the contamination of this vital need for the sustenance of life could later prove to be beyond the cost of mere research. If we leave this issue until a crisis arises or become proactive is the question. Read more about: marcellus shale water treatment
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