Shale Gas operation Emissions to air

Transcription

1 Shale Gas operation Emissions to air Paula Costa Ana Picado

2 Outline M4ShaleGas Key points Types of emissions Different sources Knowledge gaps

3 M4ShaleGas Study the potential environmental impacts and risks related to shale gas exploration and exploitation in Europe Main goal is to build a technical and social knowledge base on best practices and innovative approaches for measuring, monitoring, mitigating, and managing these impacts in order to minimize the environmental footprint of shale gas exploration

4 M4ShaleGas - Subprojects SP1 Impact of subsurface activities: hydraulic fracturing, induced seismicity, well integrity SP2 Impact of surface activities on water, soil and well site SP3 Impact on air quality and climate SP4 Public perceptions of environmental impacts

5 Key points Emissions to atmosphere have a significant potential environmental impact of shale gas exploration and exploitation. How to minimize emissions of atmosphere pollutants and greenhouse gases. Develop the methods and framework to minimize environmental risks of atmosphere emissions. Evaluation of the risks and effectively management of operations. Quality emissions data. Assessment of climate aspects of shale gas exploitation

6 Types of emissions GREENHOUSE GASES Methane (CH 4 ) Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) AIR POLLUTANTS Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) particulate matter (PM) carbon monoxide (CO) sulphur oxides (SO x )

7 Different sources CH 4 Vented (for example release of gases during flow back) Fugitive emissions from gas processing equipment (such as pneumatic controls, valves, well heads and others) leakage of (raw) shalegas CO 2, SO x, and NO x fossil fuel combustion CO, VOCs Incomplete combustion. Ozone (O 3 ) exploration and production operations PM Combustion Dust or soil during pad construction, due to earth movement, and traffic on access roads

8 Different sources VOCs Formed during the incomplete combustion Emitted during the dehydration step of natural gas Associated with fugitive emissions Flaring from shale gas extraction, but in small concentrations Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes. H 2 S fugitive emissions (is considered to be small). dehydratation of the gas before entering the distribution line. flow back of fracturing fluids and produced water during well completion

9 Well integrity Knowledge gaps Depth and width of specific well in Europe. Number of wells per pad. Ranges of production per well by shale formation in Europe. Re-fracturing (workover) events on average or for a specific well and effects of the re-fractures on overall production. Wells in Europe have sufficient gas pressure to allow application of green completion. Improve wellbore cementation. Processing infrastructure for captured gas on well completion. Availability and experience in equipment/technology to capture the gas released on well completion and re-fracturing activity. Gas compositions at various European players

10 % Shale Gas composition CH 4 in US Shale Gas AVG AVG Barnet Marcellus Fayetteville New Albany Antrim Haynesville Variation in US shale gas appears much wider than in EU NG sources

11 Knowledge gaps Variability in fugitive methane emissions - rate and volume Lack of transparency of emissions of methane from specific fugitive or vented sources, or from specific activities on the site Environmental and health studies - cumulative effects of development on communities and land and risks of human exposure to chemical substances Evaluation of transportation distance of water, materials and gas, which can influence emissions Absence of important baseline information about environmental conditions in shale gas regions

12 Baseline Monitoring A baseline can be considered as the level or quantity of emissions in a specific scenario where there is a projection of possible activities to be implemented in future. Baseline observations can provide a standard of the pre-shale gas development state of the environment. Baseline monitoring of air quality are missing in several regions, where there is a strong possibility of future shale gas exploration, so shale gas extraction has proceeded, in most cases, without sufficient environmental baseline data being collected

13 Baseline Monitoring Important to identify, quantify and characterize environmental impacts that may be associated with shale gas development. A baseline air monitoring program should identify and characterize targeted air pollutants and establish ambient air conditions prior to start-up of potential emission sources from shale gas operations. The baseline monitoring should take place before and during well development, production and gas treatment. This allows a before-during-after comparison essential to characterize air quality impacts

14 Baseline Monitoring Baseline data needs to be analysed and the change of baseline due to oil and gas development should be used to improve regulations, and ensure compliance with existing or adjusted legislation. The implementation of a baseline air monitoring program is imperative to be able to assess the total emissions related with shale gas operations

15 Disclaimer This presentation is part of a project that has received funding by the European Union s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number The content of this presentation reflects only the authors view. The Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains

16 Thank You