J . D A N I E L A R T H U R , P . E . , S P E C

P R E S I D E N T / P R O J E C T M A N A G E R

A L L C O N S U L T I N G

T U L S A , O K L A H O M A

P R E S E N T E D A T T H E

S O C I E T Y O F P E T R O L E U M E N G I N E E R S

E A G L E F O R D T E C H N I C A L W O R K S H O P

A U G U S T 2 4 -2 6 , 2 0 1 1

A U S T I N , T E X A S

Water Management Planning in 

the Eagle Ford Shale Play

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC
Understanding the Eagle Ford Shale Play

 Eagle Ford Shale 

development is 

growing quickly, but 

still in the early stages.

 Concerns regarding 

water sourcing are 

growing.

 Water disposal 

challenges are arising.

 Water management 

planning for the 

lifecycle is a critical 

development element.

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 2

Source: Texas RRC (August 2011)
Participants in the Eagle Ford is Growing

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 3

Source: Texas RRC (August 2011)
Water Issues in the News...

San Antonio Current 

―Final projections for the Eagle Ford have since been 

shifted up as high as 45,000 acre-feet (14.6 billion 

gallons) at peak production — now expected to hit 

seven years earlier in 2024. Last year, the formation 

required around 6,000 acre-feet of water. This year’s 

activity has been considerably more demanding that 

that, creating a market for water sales from the 

region’s ranches.‖

Texas Water Development Board

―A report released in July by the TWDB estimated 

that industry uses about 12 billion gallons of water 

annually for hydrofracking in Texas now, but that 

demand will grow to 39.1 billion gallons before 

2030.‖

Texas Oil & Gas 

Accountability Project

―Amid increasing scarcity of water 

supplies, the immense quantities of 

water required for hydraulic fracturing 

are not sustainable. Huge volumes of 

water are needed to extract shale gas. 

Estimates range from 1.5 million to five 

million gallons of water per well, and 

wells may be refracked several times 

over the life of each well. Recently, the 

oil and gas industry announced a new 

12-stage completion method that uses 

over 9 million gallons of water per 

well.‖

Standard-Examiner

―Amid the brutal drought, competing users and local groundwater conservation districts in 

this part of the state see the industry's unregulated, gluttonous use of fresh water as a huge 

problem. "I want them to quit using fresh water for fracking," said Slate Williams, general 

manager of the Crockett Groundwater Conservation District.‖

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 4
5

Water Management is Simple – Right?

Non-Saline Water

-Surface water

-Groundwater

-Alternative Sources

Seismic 

Operations

Road and Lease

Construction

Well Drilling

Well 

Completions

Gas Production &

Transportation

Brackish/Saline 

Groundwater

Produced

Water

Frac Fluid

Flowback

Disposal

Well

Reuse

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 5

Land Owner

Concerns

Evolving

Regulations

Economics

Droughts

Compliance

Timing

Risks
Lifecycle Water Management Planning

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC

6

 A lifecycle approach is 

needed to address the 

many issues important 

to industry:

 Regulatory timing & 

vulnerabilities

 Legislative changes

 Public opposition

 Historical Activities

 Competition for 

resources

 Flowback recovery

 Third-party options 

and risks

 Environmental risks

 Etc...

• Pre-Development Assessment

• Water Sourcing Availability & Issues

• Well Site Construction & Drilling

• Water Conditioning/Pre-Treatment

• Well Completion/Fracturing

• Flowback/Produced Water

• Reuse/Disposal/Beneficial Use

6
Pre-Development Assessment Considerations

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 7
Surface Water Sourcing Alternatives

Availability:

 Resource is well managed 

through system of reservoirs 

and water right permitting.

 Drought is increasing strain 

on supplies.

Sourcing Considerations:

 Little water is available for 

appropriation through TCEQ.

 Some river authorities are 

permitted to sell water for oil 

and gas use.

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 8

Source: www.trinity.edu
Groundwater Sourcing Alternatives

Availability:

 The Carrizo-Wilcox is the 

largest aquifer in the play.

 Minor aquifers are more 

susceptible to drawdown.

 The Gulf Coast Aquifer is a 

brackish water source in the 

eastern portion of the play.

Sourcing Considerations:

 Permits may be required 

depending on the depth and 

specific Groundwater 

Conservation District Rules.

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 9

Source: Various Sources (August 2011)
Water Sourcing Going Forward

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC

Fresh Water

 Percentage of fresh water utilization should decrease over time

Recycled Water

 Anticipate increased utilization of recycled water as technology 

develops

 Highly dependent on companies’ scale of development

Alternative Water Sourcing

 Anticipate increased use of lower-quality groundwater, where 

available and feasible

 Utilization of alternative sources could supplement water 

demand

10
HF Water Usage by Shale Play

Shale Basin/Play

Maximum Observed 

Water Usage

Minimum 

Observed Water 

Usage

Well 

Sample

Bakken 3,000,000 1,000,000 54

Barnett 8,250,000 1,000,000 103

Barnett-Woodford 3,600,000 500,000 60

Eagle Ford 13,700,000 2,000,000 199

Fayetteville 9,600,000 1,500,000 456

Haynesville 8,000,000 3,600,000 27

Hilliard-Baxter-Mancos 1,300,000 1,000,000 8

Marcellus/Utica 9,250,000 1,500,000 74

Woodford 16,300,000 2,000,000 71

Woodford-Caney 7,400,000 3,500,000 14

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 11

Source: Various Sources (August 2011)
HF Water Usage in the Eagle Ford

Operator

Maximum Observed 

Water Usage

Minimum Observed 

Water Usage

Well 

Sample

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation 9,500,000 3,500,000 27

Cabot Oil & Gas Corp 5,200,000 3,150,000 5

Chesapeake Operating, Inc. 8,500,000 2,650,000 61

ConocoPhillips Company 3,900,000 2,400,000 30

El Paso E&P Company 6,900,000 4,150,000 9

Forest Oil Corporation 5,250,000 2,700,000 5

Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation 5,400,000 4,000,000 6

Petrohawk Energy Corporation 6,850,000 2,700,000 24

Pioneer Natural Resources 3,900,000 2,000,000 3

Plains Exploration & Production 4,250,000 3,750,000 2

Rosetta Resources 6,100,000 5,500,000 6

Shell Exploration & Production 3,600,000 2,750,000 8

SM Energy 13,700,000 6,200,000 10

XTO Energy/ExxonMobil 4,250,000 3,600,000 3

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 12

Source: Various Sources (August 2011)
Well Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC

 Hydraulic fracturing uses more 

water than drilling. 

 Fracturing fluid is >99% water 

and sand.

 Understanding water 

requirements in relation to 

development pace is critical.

 Pre-treatment and water 

conditioning increasingly 

important.

 Chemical Screening a priority!

Image: EnergyinDepth.org 2009

Source: Compiled from Data 

collected at a Fayetteville Shale 

Fracture Stimulation by ALL 

Consulting 2008.

13
Eagle Ford (Gas) Eagle Ford (Oil)

 Water

 Proppant 

(Sand/Quartz)

 Aliphatic acids

 Aliphatic Alcohols, 

ethoyxylated #1

 Amine Derivative

 Carbohydrate polymer

 Citric Acid

 Ethane-1,2-diol

 Formic Acid

 Glutaraldehyde

 Hydrochloric Acid

 Methanol

 Water

 Proppant (Sand/Quartz)

 Ammonium Persulfate

 Citric Acid

 Ethylene Glycol

 Hydrochloric Acid

 Hydrotreated light petroleum distillate

 Isopropanol

 Methanol

 Polyethylene glycol

 Potassium Carbonate

 Potassium Chloride

 Potassium Hydroxide

 Sodium Chloride

 Sodium Hydroxide

Common Fracturing Additives

 Propargyl Alcohol

 Sodium bromate

 Sodium erythorbate

 Sodium Hydroxide

 Sodium tetraborate

 Sodium Thiosulphate

 Synthetic organic 

polymer

 Tetrakis (Hydroxymethyl) 

Phosphorium Sulfate

 Tetramethylammonium 

chloride

 Tetrasodium 

ethylenediaminetetraacet

ate

 Trisodium 

Nitrilotriacetate

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 14

Source: Various Sources (August 2011)
Planning for Disposal Alternatives

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 15

Source: Texas RRC (August 2011)
Beneficial Use Alternatives

 Beneficial uses in unconventional plays 

such as CBM have been common.

 Beneficial uses for water produced from 

shale gas wells has potential (similar to 

CBM).

 Expect beneficial uses of Eagle Ford water 

in the future (but not like CBM).

16

Stock Watering Tank (WY)

J.M. Huber Corporation

PW Irrigation (PRB)

Fidelity Exploration Spray Irrigation of CBM 

Produced Water

Trout Fishing in a CBM 

Produced Water Pond

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC
Issues to watch!

 As development in the Eagle Ford expands, all associated 

issues are likely to be increasingly scrutinized

 Threats of regulation of drilling waste and produced 

water under RCRA

 Increased stringency of UIC permits associated with 

disposal of water produced after fracturing

 Permitting, design and use of impoundments

 Increases regulation associated with water sourcing

 DOE & EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study

 NY DEC Supplemental GEIS

 Challenges pertaining to beneficial use

 Plus tons of other stuff...

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 17
Citation Information

Arthur, J. Daniel (ALL Consulting). ―WATER

MANAGEMENT PLANNING IN THE EAGLE FORD SHALE

PLAY”, Society of Petroleum Engineer’s 2011 Eagle 

Ford Technical Workshop

Austin, Texas, August 24-26, 2011

Contact Information

J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC

Project Manager

darthur@all-llc.com

ALL Consulting

1718 S. Cheyenne Ave.

Tulsa, OK 74119

www.all-llc.com

Prepared by J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC 18

Special Thanks to:

Nathan Alleman

Mark Layne

Jason Veale

Damian Zampogna

Ben Bockelmann

Chase Brownell

Cory Lanham

Rita Giordano