Mr. Erik Milito - The House Committee on Natural Resources ...

WATER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH HYDRAULIC FRACTURING 13
Operators should conduct a detailed, documented review of the identified water sources available in an area that
could be used to support hydraulic fracturing operations. Considerations factoring in this review should include:
— evaluating source water requirements,
— fluid handling and storage,
— transportation considerations.
Each of these factors is considered in more detail in 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4.
6.2 Evaluating Source Water Requirements
In evaluating water requirements for hydraulic fracturing, the operator should conduct a comprehensive evaluation of
cumulative water demand on a programmatic basis, as well as the timing of these needs at an individual well site.
This should include consideration of the water requirements for drilling operations, dust suppression, and emergency
response, along with the water requirements for hydraulic fracturing operations. <strong>The</strong> operator must determine
whether or not the sources of water are adequate to support the total operation, with water of the desired quality, and
can be accessed when needed for the planned development program.
Specifically, water supply options for hydraulic fracturing will depend on the amount of water that will be required, in
aggregate, for the broader, long-term, area-wide development program anticipated. Water sources will need to be
appropriate for the forecasted pace and level of development anticipated.
Water for hydraulic fracturing may be obtained from:
1) surface water,
2) groundwater,
3) municipal water suppliers,
4) treated wastewater from municipal and industrial treatment facilities,
5) power plant cooling water, and/or
6) recycled produced water and/or flow back water.
<strong>The</strong> choice will depend upon volume and water quality requirements, regulatory and physical availability, competing
uses, and characteristics of the formation to be fractured (including water quality and compatibility considerations). If
possible, wastewater from other industrial facilities should be considered, followed by ground and surface water
sources (with the preference over non-potable sources over potable sources), with the least desirable (at least for
long-term, large scale development) being municipal water supplies. However, this will depend on local conditions
and the availability of ground and surface water resources in proximity to planned operations.
Importantly, not all options may be available for all situations, and the order of preferences can vary from area to area.
Moreover, for water sources such as industrial wastewater, power plant cooling water, or recycled flow back water
and/or produced water, additional treatment may be required prior to use for fracturing, which may not be possible or
feasible and may not deliver the results necessary to assure project success.
Particular issues of concern associated with each of the categories of potential water sources are discussed in more
detail in 6.2.1 through 6.2.6.