DOI: 10.5061/dryad.q573n5tvp
title: Data from: HEI research report: Measuring and modeling air pollution and noise exposure near unconventional oil and gas development in Colorado

description: Rapid growth in unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD), driven by
 improvements in directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing
 technologies, has made the United States the world’s largest producer of
 oil and natural gas. Rapid UOGD expansion in Colorado’s Denver-Julesburg
 (DJ) Basin, often intersecting with a growing population, has elevated
 local concerns about noise and air quality impacts. Independent near-pad
 observations of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) exposure and noise are
 uncommon, particularly during well drilling and completions, where
 evolving technologies continue to alter emissions. The chief goals of this
 study were to identify potential impacts of UOGD HAPs emissions on nearby
 communities, characterize A- and C-weighted noise impacts from UOGD
 operations, and contextualize air and noise pollution measurement and
 modeling results at health-relevant temporal and spatial scales. Our focus
 was on the DJ Basin, where a changing regulatory environment has driven
 innovation to better protect human health and the environment, and past
 observations facilitate examining whether new operational practices have
 reduced impacts. This dataset contains results presented in the study
 report: Measuring and Modeling Air Pollution and Noise Exposure Near
 Unconventional Oil and Gas Development in Colorado and corresponding
 observations, simulations, and used in our analyses.
description: Air quality and noise impacts of UOGD operations conducted by
 three major DJ Basin operators were studied at four large well pads at
 three locations across the basin. Studied operations included well
 drilling, hydraulic fracturing, coiled tubing/millout operations,
 flowback, and early production. Methane and speciated volatile organic
 compound (VOC) measurements were made at near-pad and background locations
 to characterize increases in concentrations associated with specific UOGD
 activities. A- and C-weighted noise levels were monitored at multiple
 locations. Air dispersion and noise modeling were conducted to assess
 impacts as a function of distance from well pad operations.
description: # Data from: HEI research report: Measuring and modeling air pollution and
 noise exposure near unconventional oil and gas development in Colorado
 Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.q573n5tvp](10.5061/dryad.q573n5tvp) ##
 Description The rapid growth of unconventional oil and gas development
 (UOGD) in Colorado’s Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin has heightened concerns
 about noise and air quality impacts, particularly near drilling sites.
 This study evaluated hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and noise exposure
 from UOGD operations through quantifying volatile organic compound (VOC)
 concentrations, monitoring noise levels, and employing air dispersion
 modeling. Near-pad measurements during well drilling, hydraulic
 fracturing, coiled tubing/millout, flowback, and early production revealed
 short-term spikes in UOGD-related VOCs, with benzene occasionally
 exceeding acute health guidelines. The study provided the first estimates
 of speciated VOC emissions from coiled tubing/millout, indicated increased
 C8-C10 n-alkane emissions from synthetic drilling muds, and showed that
 closed-loop, tankless systems significantly reduce benzene and total VOC
 emissions during flowback. A new model (TRACER) was developed to simulate
 preproduction emissions. Noise levels consistently exceeded Colorado
 regulations at 350 feet during all activities, with C-weighted noise
 remaining elevated at 1,975 feet during drilling and fracking. The
 findings suggest that while improved operational practices and setback
 distances in the DJ Basin have reduced air pollution and noise exposure
 near UOGD, acute benzene exposure and noise remain concerns, particularly
 at closer distances, and may pose higher risks in other basins lacking
 similar regulations and practices. ## Method Air quality and noise impacts
 of UOGD operations conducted by three major DJ Basin operators were
 studied at four large well pads at three locations across the basin.
 Studied operations included well drilling, hydraulic fracturing, coiled
 tubing/millout operations, flowback, and early production. Methane and
 speciated volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements were made at
 near-pad and background locations to characterize increases in
 concentrations associated with specific UOGD activities. A- and C-weighted
 noise levels were monitored at multiple locations. Air dispersion and
 noise modeling were conducted to assess impacts as a function of distance
 from well pad operations. ### Files and variables ### Overview This
 dataset contains results presented in the study report: *Measuring and
 Modeling Air Pollution and Noise Exposure Near Unconventional Oil and Gas
 Development in Colorado* and corresponding observations, simulations, and
 used in our analyses. ### Description of the data and file structure This
 dataset includes multiple zip files, each accompanied by its own README
 file that explains the data and file structure, data format, and
 instructions for executing any included scripts. Detailed descriptions of
 the files are provided below: * **1_Obs_CSU_GC.zip**: Contains VOC
 concentrations in air samples from weekly-integrated and plume-triggered
 canisters deployed at near-pad locations. It also includes canisters
 collected during mobile sampling, on-pad sampling, and headspace analyses
 of drilling muds. The air samples were analyzed by a five-channel GC
 operated by the Jeff Collett research group at Colorado State University.
 * **2_Obs_CSU_SPOD.zip**: Contains 1-minute air monitoring data from
 SENSIT SPOD Sensors deployed near well pads. The SPOD Sensor uses a Photon
 Ionization Detector (PID) to provide isobutylene equivalent mixing ratios
 of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). It also provides
 meteorological parameters, including wind speed, wind direction, air
 temperature, and pressure. * **3_Obs_CSU_Mobile.zip**: Contains mobile
 sampling results. The mobile lab is equipped with an Entanglement AROMA
 VOC Sensor, a LICOR-7810 CH4/CO2 Analyzer, and an AIRMAR (RX350) weather
 station. * **4_Obs_CDPHE_CAMML.zip**: Contains hourly measurements of VOCs
 and 1-minute measurements of meteorological conditions, methane (CH4),
 nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM2.5
 and PM10). This data is from the Colorado Air Monitoring Mobile Lab
 (CAMML) operated by the Colorado Department of Public Health &
 Environment (CDPHE). * VOCs were measured by a Markes UNITY-2 thermal
 desorber (TD) with a Thermo Fisher Scientific Trace 1300 GC system. * CH4
 was measured by a Los Gatos Multi-Gas Carbon Emission Analyzer. * NO and
 NO2 were measured using a TAPI 200 Series NOx Analyzer. * PM2.5 and PM10
 were measured by a GRIMM EDM 180 Monitor. *
 **5_Obs_CU_Noise_Measurements.zip**: Contains 1-second noise measurements
 (NoiseData_X.csv) collected by sound level meters (SLMs) at multi-well pad
 Sites 2 and 3. * **6_Obs_CU_Triggered_Audio_Rcordings.zip**: Contains 76
 folders of triggered audio recordings from different sites on different
 dates. * **7_Sim \_Concentrations.zip**: Contains simulated hourly and
 weekly concentrations using the TRACER Pre-Production Model for near-pad
 monitoring locations and for a range of distances for triggered events.
 The model is archived in a separate GitHub repository. *
 **8_Sim_AERMOD_WRF.zip**: Contains the WRF meteorological inputs for the
 AERMOD simulations as well as processed outputs from AERMOD modules. *
 **9_Results_Health_Risks.zip**: Contains hazard quotients and indices
 calculated based on weekly, triggered, and CAMML VOC measurements. ###
 Data Formats * **.csv**: Contains quality-controlled observation results
 from air monitoring sites. * **.xlsx**: Utilized for organizing and
 presenting data. * **.txt**: README files. * **.wav, .ogg**: Triggered
 audio recordings. ## Code/software ### Software * **TRACER Pre-Production
 model** is available at:
 [https://github.com/dp7-PU/HEI_TRACER_Preproduction](https://github.com/dp7-PU/HEI_TRACER_Preproduction). ## Access information Data used to derive emission rates is archived separately at: [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.g1jwstqzs](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.g1jwstqzs).