Studies

Improving Water Resource Management in the Niobrara

Colorado State University, a worldwide leader in water resource planning and management, and Noble Energy, one of the nation’s largest independent oil and gas producers with operations in Colorado, recently created the Colorado Energy Water Consortium. The overarching goal of the collaborative effort is to increase understanding and develop solutions for water issues related to oil & gas development in Colorado and Rocky Mountain West.

Kindly refer to Page 24 for a detailed report on the Niobrara water resource management by Dr Kenneth H Carlson (Associate Professor at Colorado State University) from the Colorado Energy Water Consortium.

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Special Report on Unconventional Gas

This report, in the World Energy Outlook series, treats these  aspirations and anxieties with equal seriousness. It features two new cases: a Golden Rules Case, in which the highest practicable standards are adopted, gaining industry a “social  licence to operate”; and its counterpart, in which the tide turns against unconventional gas as constraints prove too difficult to overcome.

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No Water, No Energy. No Energy, No Water.

Many companies have strategies for human resources, marketing, risk management, etc., but few have energy strategies and water strategies and even less have integrated energy–water strategies.
This is a glaring omission.

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Hydraulic Fracturing: How far will they go?

The maximum reported height of an upward propagating hydraulic fracture from several thousand fracturing operations in the Marcellus, Barnett, Woodford, Eagleford and Niobrara shale (USA) is w588 m. Of the 1170 natural hydraulic fracture pipes imaged with three-dimensional seismic data offshore of West Africa and mid-Norway it is w1106 m. Based on these empirical data, the probability of a stimulated and natural hydraulic fracture extending vertically >350 m is w1% and w33% respectively. Constraining the probability of stimulating unusually tall hydraulic fractures in sedimentary rocks is extremely important as an evidence base for decisions on the safe vertical separation between the depth of stimulation and rock strata not intended for penetration.

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Marcellus Best Practices

This document provides general guidance on recommended practices for the subject(s) addressed. It is offered as a reference aid and is  designed to assist industry professionals in improving their effectiveness. It is not intended to establish or impose binding requirements.
Nothing herein constitutes, is intended to constitute, or shall be deemed to constitute the setting or determination of legal standards of care in the performance of the subject activities. The foregoing disclaimers apply to this document notwithstanding any expressions or terms in the text that may conflict or appear to conflict with the foregoing.

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Air Sampling Reveals High Emissions From Gas Field

Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Colorado, Boulder estimate that natural-gas producers in an area known as the Denver-Julesburg Basin are losing about 4% of their gas to the atmosphere. Methane leaks during production may offset climate benefits of natural gas.

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The Future of Natural Gas

This interdisciplinary MIT study looks at the drivers of natural gas use in the industrial, commercial and residential sectors, and examines the important question of whether natural gas, in one form or another, could be a viable and efficient substitute for gasoline or diesel in the transportation sector.

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Fact-Based Regulation for Environmental Protection in Shale Gas Development

The discovery of large reserves of natural gas in shale formations – shale gas – has been a major positive development for the energy picture of the US and the world. Yet a number of controversies over shale gas development have emerged that must be resolved in order for the full potential of this valuable resource to be realized.

The Energy Institute has launched a series of initiatives to help deal with these issues and ensure responsible development of shale gas. This report is from one of these initiatives. It seeks to help policymakers and regulators deal with shale gas issues in a rational manner based on factual information.

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