Appalachian)Shale)Energy))

Produced)Fluids)Management))

and)UIC)Well)Disposal)Trends

Dave)Yoxtheimer,)PG)

Hydrogeologist

Penn!State!Marcellus!Center!for!Outreach!and!Research

Low))Cost)Produced)Water)Management)

Marcellus)and)UFca)Shale)2016)

March)30,)2016

PA Shale Energy 

Water Use and Brine Generation 

Average)use)about)1.5)million)gallons)(~36)MBBLs))per)1,000)feet)of)lateral))

• About)7)million)gallons)per)well)(~120)MBBLs))

Average)return)of)flowback)in)Marcellus)approximately)7%)per)well)

• 7.23)MMBBLs)of)flowback)generated)in)PA)in)2015)from)668)wells)

Average)produced)fluids)of)6.7)BBLs)for)every)1)MMCF)of)gas))

• 31)MMBBLs)of)produced)fluid)generated)in)2015)with))

4.6)TCF)of)gas))
Average Water Use Per Well in PA 

Schmid!and!Yoxtheimer,!2015!
Well length vs Water use per foot in PA 

Schmid!and!Yoxtheimer,!2015!
Relative Volumes of Frac Water Used in PA 

Schmid!and!Yoxtheimer,!2015!
Shale Fluid Management Options 

Produced fluid management options 

 Direct reuse (blending) 

 On-site treatment w/reuse 

 Off-site treatment w/reuse 

 UIC well disposal 

Recycling treatment technologies 

include 

 Filter socks 

 Chemical precipitation 

 Electrocoagulation 

 Filtration (micro, nano, ultra) 

 Evaporation (MVR common) 

 Costs of <$2 to $10+/BBL 

Disposal technologies include 

 Desalination with discharge 

 Class IID UIC well injection

In Pennsylvania during 2015 a total of 38 

MMBBLs of fluids generated 

-87.5% of shale gas return fluids recycled 

-6.4% disposed via injection wells 

-4.5% treated to meet discharge 

standards 

70% of fluids management for recycling 

occurring in the field 
Summary of PA Shale Production in 2015 

• 6626 producing wells 

• 4.6 TCF of gas produced 

• 38 MMBBLs of brine produced 

• 8.25 BBLs brine produced per MMCF gas 
Marcellus Shale Energy and 

Brine Production 

Current Production 

• 17 BCFD of Marcellus gas 

w/12.6 BCFD in PA 

• Current estimate of 105,000 

BBLs/D of produced fluids in 

PA 

• In PA 87.5% recycled, 6.4% 

to Class IID wells, 4.5% to 

NPDES facility, balance in 

storage, landfills, transfer 

• Disposing of ~6,600 BBLs/D 

of brine via UIC wells 

• Currently require ~13 UIC 

wells capable of 500 BPD to 

dispose of brine in PA 

Source:!EIA!
PA Class IID Disposal Well Locations 

-11 EPA-permitted Class IID UIC wells in PA w/ 5 permits in review 

-278,700 BPM of total capacity with 90,000 BPM of commercial capacity via 3 wells 

-Most wells targeting depleted sandstone gas reservoirs (Oriskany, Medina, Elk Sands) 

-Total 2014 unconventional brine injection in PA UIC wells was 157K BBLs (430 BPD) 

-Nearly 95% of PA unconventional brine disposed of via OH wells
Example of Injection CapacityOriskany Sandstone 

Oriskany sandstone 

-calcite-cemented quartzite to chert with 

variable primary and fracture porosity 

-depleted conventional gas reservoir 

-used for brine injection and gas storage

Estimated Brine Injection Capacity 

(Volumetric) 

-Using effective porosity of 4%, 50 feet of 

pay, and 40-ac injection zone area 

-A typical injection well in the depleted 

Oriskany sandstone could ultimately 

accommodate an estimated 620,000 BBLs 

(~26 million gallons) of brine before filling 

available porosity 

-Need to determine reservoir frac pressure 

to determine actual upper limit of injection 

Source:KostelnikandCarter,
Summary of WV Shale Production for 2014 

• 2878 producing wells (1420 horizontal wells) 

• 851.8 BCF of gas production (1.4 BCF/D) 

• 8.4 MMBBLs of liquids production (12.9 

MBBLs/D) 

• Estimated 7.2 MMBBLs brine or 19,800 BBLs/

D of brine 

Source:WVGES
WV Class IID Disposal Wells 

• 46 active disposal 

wells 

• 14 commercial 

disposal wells 

• Target formations 

include: 

– Oriskany, 

– Newburg, 

– Upper Devonian 

(Gordon, Gantz) 

– Mississippian 

units 

• Geology and 

injection rates 

similar to PA wells 

(estimated range 

of 100-1,000 

BPD) 
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

*+

*20,000,000

*40,000,000

*60,000,000

*80,000,000

*100,000,000

*120,000,000

2014 2019 2024 2029 2034 2039

Number'of'Wells

Gas'and'Brine'Production'

Axis'Title

Projected'Marcellus'Gas'and'Brine'Production'

with'Number'of'Brine'Disposal'Wells''

Gas*Production

(MCF/yr)

Brine*Production

(BBLs/yr)

Number*of*500

BPD*Class*IID*UIC

Wells*Needed

Number*of*Existing

Commercial*Class

IID*Wells*in*WV

and*PA
Utica-Pt. Pleasant Production in OH 

2015 Summary of Ohio’s Utica and 

Point Pleasant Shale Production 

• 1246 producing wells (to date) 

• 21.9 MMBBLs oil 

• 954 BCF of gas produced 

• 13.5 MMBBLs of brine produced 

• 12.5 BBLs of brine/MMCF of gas 

(including BOE) 

Source: ODNR Records 
Utica/Pt. Pleasant Shale Energy 

and Brine Production 

Current Production 

• 3.6 BCF/D of gas 

• 90 MBBLs/D of oil 

• Current estimate of 

37,000 BBLs/D of 

produced fluids 

(assuming 12.5 BBLs 

brine per MMCF gas) 

Source:!EIA!
Class IID UIC Wells in Ohio 

• 227 permitted with 

215 operational 

Class IID wells in 

OH 

• Estimated 31.2 

MMBBLs injected in 

2015 

• Approximately 47% 

of injected fluids 

from out of state 

• Average injection 

rate of 400 BPD/well 

Considerations for Class IID Siting and Use 

 Finding suitable areas for 

projects, ideally away from 

residential areas yet near 

production 

 Locating area with appropriate 

geologic setting with sufficient 

depth and permeability and 

lack of faulting 

 Proper maintenance to ensure 

well integrity 

 Permitting can take several 

years 

 Public opposition 
Questions?? 

Thank)you!!)

David)Yoxtheimer,)P.G.))

Extension)Associate)

PSU)MCOR)

320)EES)Building)

University)Park,)PA)16802)

814]865]1587)(office))

day122@psu.edu)

www.marcellus.psu.edu)