# An Overview of Current and Projected Shale and Tight Gas Water Use in Texas: Implications for Local Water Resources Jean - Philippe ‘JP’ Nicot Bureau of Economic Geology Jackson School of Geosciences The University of Texas at Austin Technical Workshop #4 for the Hydraulic Fracturing Study:

Water Resources Management Arlington, VA – March 29 -30, 20112 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# A few numbers.... Mining = ~200 MAF Total = ~18,300 MAF 

## 1 MAF = 1,000 AF = 326 million Gal.3 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# A few numbers.... Mining = ~200 MAF Total = ~18,300 MAF 2010 Mining Water Use: Oil and Gas = ~60 MAF Coal/Lignite = ~25 MAF Aggregates = >50 MAF Others= ~10 MAF 

## 1 MAF = 1,000 AF = 326 million Gal.4 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# A few numbers.... Mining = 270 MAF (?) Total = ~18,300 MAF Mining: Oil and Gas Coal/Lignite Aggregates Others Current FRESH -WATER USE5 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# A few numbers.... Current FRESH -WATER USE
FRESH -WATER USE 20 years ago6 Bureau of Economic Geology 

### >30,000 wells fraced in the past 5 years Nicot et al., 20117 Bureau of Economic Geology
Nicot et al., 2011 

### >30,000 wells fraced in the past 5 years BARNETT SHALE HAYNESVILLE SHALE SHALES BOSSIER SHALE WOODFORD SHALE BARNETT SHALE

EAGLE FORD SHALE PEARSALL SHALE8 Bureau of Economic Geology 

### >30,000 wells fraced in the past 5 years BARNETT SHALE HAYNESVILLE SHALE SHALES TIGHT GAS Granite wash, Cleveland, Marmaton BOSSIER SHALE Cotton Valley, Travis Peak Wolfberry Canyon Sands Vicksburg, Wilcox Olmos WOODFORD SHALE BARNETT SHALE Nicot et al., 2011

EAGLE FORD SHALE PEARSALL SHALE9 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# 2008 = ~36,000 AF10 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# 2010 = ~45,000 AF11 Bureau of Economic Geology 

### In 2010 Barnett Shale: ~50% of water use Permian Basin ~16% Eagle Ford ~14.5% Haynesville Shale: ~6.5% of water use East Texas TG: ~4.5% of water use Anadarko Bas. TG: ~6% of water use12 Bureau of Economic Geology 

### From Devon Energy, 2006

BARNETT VERTICAL - STATISTICS Raw data from IHS13 Bureau of Economic Geology 

### From Devon Energy, 2006

BARNETT HORIZONTAL - STATISTICS Raw data from IHS14 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# A few numbers.... PRELIMINARY RESULTS 

## WORK IN PROGRESS

Nicot et al., 201115 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# A few numbers.... PRELIMINARY RESULTS 

## WORK IN PROGRESS

Nicot et al., 201116 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# Barnett Shale17 Bureau of Economic Geology 

### Barnett Shale GW use 

## 2005 -2007: ~50% GW - ~50% SW Accurate figures are very hard to come by Bene et al, 200718 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# Eagle Ford wells Carrizo -Wilcox footprint

Data from IHS19 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# Carrizo -Wilcox: Historical drawdown to 1980 (irrigation)
Kelley et al., Intera, 200420 Bureau of Economic Geology
Wade and Jigmond, TWDB, 2010 

## Carrizo -Wilcox, drawdown and recovery projections to 2060 - no shale gas water supply wells (exempt use) included21 Bureau of Economic Geology 

# • Recompletions:
– not clear if happening at a large scale 

# • Reuse / Recycling:
– Not all plays have large flow back – It is the trend, but economics? 

# • Standard sources: groundwater, lakes and rivers, municipal water • Alternative sources:
– Rain water collected in stock ponds – WWTP reclaimed water (municipal and industrial) 

# • Develop additives effective at higher salinity • Develop less water- intensive techniques 

# The Future