May 2014

Submitted to 

Water Management for Shale 

Plays – West 2014
• Hydraulic Fracturing

– 1-12 Million Gallons of water required to complete hydraulic fracture

• Equivalent to 2-20 Olympic Size Pools

• Equivalent to 11-130 average households annual water use (indoor and outdoor)

• Distance of 83,181 miles – 998,283 miles at average stream of 6mm diameter 

(moon is 252,000 miles away)

– Flowback

• 30% within first 30-180 days

• Includes frac fluids, hydrocarbon residuals, minerals, etc.

– Produced Water

• Long term development with hydrocarbon production

• Variable over time
• Short/Medium/Long term storage 

options required for storage of 

water

• Engineered for reliability, safety, 

purpose, and ecology.

• Allow restoration of tank site to 

previous conditions after use is 

discontinued

• Storage that is acceptable to the 

public and regulators

• Duration of operation

• Speed of operation

• Type of water

• Characteristics of water

• Destination for water

• Site characteristics

• Regulatory environment

– Air Quality – Capture of potential 

emissions

– Impoundment and dam regulations

– Transportation restrictions
Fresh 

Water

Reclaimed 

Water

Produced 

Water

Frac

Flowback

Treatment 

Brines Sludges

Less Restrictive/More Clean More Restrictive/Less Clean
• Emissions from uncovered 

tankage and impoundments may 

result in pollution charges

• Construction in non-attainment 

areas may result in the need to 

apply BACT/MACT for 

capture/treatment of VOC 

emissions

• Fresh water not subject to air 

quality regulations
• Tried and true

• Easily transportable

• Rapid depolyment

• Common

• Many configurations

• Easy to fit to any site

• Completely enclosed

• Cheap for short term deployment
• Small capacity requires many 

tanks

• Plumbing becomes cumbersome

• Likely not be the smallest footprint 

for a site

• Carefully consider material 

compatibility
Advantages

• Bolt up construction for long term 

storage solution

• Can be completely enclosed to 

prevent fugitive emissions

• High capacity tankage

• Many suppliers

• Many materials

• Simplified plumbing
Disadvantages

• Material compatibility

• Corrosion/maintenance

• Fixed in place, difficult to relocate

• Site concerns – compaction, 

clearance, containment, etc.

• Diameter does not allow 

adaptability to unique site shapes
• Rapid field erection (2-5 days)

• Structurally very strong

• Use of liners eliminates most 

corrosion concerns

• More efficient than Frac Tanks

• Reusable/redeployable at different 

sites

• Simplified plumbing
• Still limited to circular 

configurations, fixed sizes

• Need level site with adequate 

compaction

• Limited ability to capture emissions
Advantages

• Can be configured to a variety of 

sites with variable shapes and 

topography

• Easily erected

• Use of liners eliminates most 

corrosion concerns

• Most efficient use of site space
Disadvantages

• Difficult to cover if necessary

• Not as structurally sound as 

circular configurations

• Limited height for the system
• Greatest site flexibility

• Greatest potential water storage

• Long-term permanent solution for 

sites, resulting in lowest cost when 

long-term storage is required

• Lowest risk of failure

• Ability to capture emissions

• High process flexiblity

• May be desirable facility for 

repurposing in subsequent 

operations
• Greatest likelihood of regulation as 

a dam/impoundment.

• Highest initial cost

• No flexibility to move to different 

sites

• Longest installation time

• Most difficult site restoration
• Likely all alternatives!

– Frac Tanks for short term storage where

limited water will be used or returned

– Portable enclosures for total storage of

frac water supply

– Combination of above ground tankage and 

ponds/impoundments at treatment sites

• Careful study required to

make the appropriate

choice...

• Pipelines may allow

major reduction in storage

requirements.
Thank you,