WorldWide Drilling Resource

54 MAY 2013 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® A New Use for Mine Waste Compiled by Bonnie Love, Editor WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Those drilling in the Marcellus Shale Formation in Pennsylvania may have a better option when it comes to the water used for hydraulic fracturing. Pennsylvania Senator Richard Kasunic introduced legislation to encour- age the use of contaminated mine water for hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus. This is viewed by many as a great solution for two problems. Acid mine drainage (AMD) from the area’s old coal mines has been flowing into creeks and rivers, causing one of the state’s worst environmental headaches. Meanwhile, drilling companies are using up to five million gallons of freshwater for every fractured natural gas well. Using AMD instead of freshwater for the fracturing process seems like a good solution for both issues. “The bill is a win-win proposition,” Kasunic said. “It encourages the use of mine water in drilling rather than the con- tinued heavy use of municipal and fresh- water sources.” So what’s the problem? Well first of all, it must be said not all mine water discharge is chemically suitable for hy- draulic fracturing. Secondly, the mine’s location must be close enough to the well pad to make transport via truck or pipeline economical. Lastly, the state’s Clean Streams Law, one of the toughest in the country, could be interpreted in a way which would require drilling companies to treat a mine’s discharge forever, once they begin with- drawing water. Hypothetically, when com- panies begin using AMD, they could be held responsible for cleaning whatever waterway was being polluted, even though they had nothing to do with it. “It’s called the perpetual treatment liability, and it’s been imposed multiple times by DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] under the Clean Streams Law,” explained attorney Peter Fontaine. Many believe this is why companies are reluctant to use AMD. "It’s a problem [drilling companies] didn’t create, but hopefully a problem they can help solve," said Kasunic. Enter Kasunic’s bill, which would shield companies from that specific lia- bility. “This innovative approach to the treatment, and use of acid mine water is both cost effective and environmentally r e s p o n s i b l e , ” Kasunic said. “I am pleased wi th the committee’s bipar- tisan support and look forward to get- t ing this bi l l [SB 411] to the full sen- ate for a vote as quickly as possible.” The bill would not provide blanket immuni ty for the ac t o f hyd r au l i c fracturing, and it does not provide any protect ion to the transporter or for the end user. Some compa- nies aren’t waiting for the protection of the bill; they simply believe it’s the right thing to do. More than ten companies have received per- mission from the DEP to use AMD for their hydraulic Get the latest news about the drilling industry with our E-News FFllaasshh ! Visit our Web site to sign up for your free monthly e-mail. worldwidedrillingresource.com fracturing operations. One of those companies is Seneca Resources Corporation. "There’s a lot of potential here," said Doug Kepler, vice president of environ- mental engineering at Seneca Resources. "People are looking for the right place to do it, the right commitment to do it, and it has to make sense for your operation." Seneca has been using tainted mine water from the abandoned Arnot No. 5 coal mine in Tioga County since 2010. They were the first in the industry to utilize this practice. Using a 6½-mile pipeline system, the company transports contam- inated water to their multiple fracturing sites, preventing the water from being released into Johnson Creek and ultimate- ly, the Tioga River. The DEP considers the Arnot mine, which discharges water at an average rate of 2000 gallons a minute, one of the top polluters of the upper Tioga River watershed. Seneca’s permit allows them to take up to 500,000 gallons per day from the mine’s discharge. "We’re not doing this to save money, and it’s not really costing us any more money," said Kepler. "It’s just an alterna- tive that we choose to do to try to min- imize our impact." Kepler, a biologist, looking at a life- less creek in Tioga County. This is one of hundreds across the state which has been contaminated by AMD. Photo by Susan Phillips courtesy of stateimpact.npr.org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