WorldWide Drilling Resource

A Five - Year Research Journey Comes to an End Adapted from Information by University of Colorado Boulder A research and education effort concerning energy and environmental issues led by University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) engineering fac- ulty is ending after a five-year run with significant results relevant to Colorado’s growing energy industry. The $12 million AirWaterGas (AWG) project was funded by the National Science Foundation to study the environmental, eco- nomic, and social trade-offs of gas and oil development, and its relation to public policies and regulations. The research network was made up of 27 fund- ed investigators from 10 institutions on 12 topic-focused research teams. The project included detailed scientific research into air and water quality in addition to sponsoring many public outreach events along the Front Range. CU Boulder Professor Joe Ryan served as the faculty director for the project. The goal was to have more science considered in decisions about gas and oil regulation, and there were several important find- ings from the project. Studies from the AWG air quality team showed fugi t ive emissions of methane to the atmosphere are as much as three times higher than previ- ous estimates. They also examined the potential economic and environmental trade-offs of limiting those emissions. The AWG wa t e r qua l i t y t eam screened hundreds of ingredients of hydraulic fracturing fluid for the most mobile, persistent, and toxic. They iden- tified 19 which would be most likely to contaminate groundwater if released. The water quality team also looked into conditions leading to methane in well water in Colorado’s Denver-Julesburg Basin. In about 5% of cases, research showed gas and oil drilling to be the likely cause of methane in well water, with each of these occurrences involv- ing old gas and oil wells. The AWG regulations team created a national database of state gas and oil regulations to facilitate comparison of the states’ varied approaches to regula- tion, as well as a Colorado database of memoranda of understanding between local governments and gas and oi l operators. “We recognized that those affected by the rush of oil and gas development happening right now, particularly in Colorado, were getting info from two opposing sides - the oil and gas indus- try and environment groups,” Professor Ryan said. “They didn’t have a way to reconcile that information and make judgements. Hopefully, the research of the AirWaterGas network does that, and helps people recognize that there are pros and cons to a lot of these deci- sions, and no easy answers.” New & Used Equipment Elevators SkyRex We Support Our Troops! Stock Sizes: 1” thru 24” for casing, column pipe, tubing, and drill pipe. *Load test certificates available * Available with or without a base UsedWorldwide • Drill Pipe • Drill Collars • Manual Tongs • Spiders • RC Swivels We have elevators of all sizes, types, and weights; can build to any special applications. • Stabilizers • Bits • Bowls • Centrifugal Pumps • Crossover Subs 45 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® APRIL 2019 Professor Ryan said he was proud of the outreach the project did including programs at local schools and public forums like this one on air quality. G&O