Water and Shale Gas Development

Water and Shale Gas Development Leveraging the US experience in new shale developments Global development of shale gas resources has the potential to expand significantly outside the United States. However, there continue to be environmental concerns, particularly with respect to water use. As operators outside the United States explore shale gas, there are many lessons that can be taken from the United States’ experience. This paper highlights areas that operators of new shale developments should consider. It also includes an analysis of considerations for Argentina, China, Poland and South Africa focusing on water regulation, water use and management, and water movements during shale gas development. 1 Contents 1 Introduction 4 Overview of shale gas life cycle activities 8 1.1 Shale resources outside the United States 9 In Focus: Shale developments in Argentina, China, Poland and South Africa 12 2 Water regulation 18 2.1 Regulatory history and the current landscape 19 2.2 Federal efforts to support regulatory consistency 21 2.3 Key trends 22 In Focus: Water regulation in Argentina, China, Poland and South Africa 23 3 Water management 26 3.1 Water use and production 27 Comparison: Managing produced water: unconventional vs. conventional 30 3.2 Water management options 31 Primer: Water treatment technologies 33 3.3 Key trends 34 In Focus: Water use/management in Argentina, China, Poland and South Africa 35 4 Water movements 42 4.