Saturday, August 19, 2017

Seawater Frac Use And Important Details For This Process

By Sarah Barnes


Hydraulic fracturing is one technique of well stimulation which a pressurized liquid would fracture the rock. The procedure involves the injection of fracking fluid in high pressure to a wellbore in creating cracks on deep rock formations that petroleum, natural gas and brine would freely flow more. The fractures will be held open by small proppant grains when they remove the pressure.

Groundwater is usually used for fracking fluid which is usually a problem because these could be used instead for drinking that is becoming scarce. That is why engineers, researchers and scientists are developing seawater frac as its replacement. This would enable them to have more resources available which are usable for their needs instead of relying on their current sources only.

Hydraulic fracturing was around more than 70 years ago now and have fracked millions of wells now worldwide. Operators should get permits which regulators approved before wells could be drilled relating to its abandonment, operation, design, spacing and location. Environmental permits are also required such as management and disposal of water and waste.

Fracking occurs after constructing the well has been finished and the integrity was confirmed but not while the drilling is happening. Among the most vital objectives is the protection of groundwater and isolating these zones through designing and creating the wells with barriers of steel casing as well as cement. When drilling through them, fluids based on air or freshwater are used in preventing contamination.

The aquifers would not be impacted if safely and properly performed and these created fractures would not extend there. The fractures were measured in determining their reach which shows the highest points are far away still from deepest aquifers. Several recent studies also have not find connection that are substantiated between groundwater contamination and fraccing.

Fracking fluid is usually composed of water, sand and chemical additives which depends on the well it would be used on. These elements that comprised it are found on consumer products such as table salt substitutes, deodorant, household cleaners, cosmetics, ice cream and toothpaste. When handled properly and appropriately used, the chemicals are safe.

The fluids are specially made for the need of that environment and factors such as permeability, temperature, rock strength, pressure, mineralogy, and reservoir fluid composition are addressed. Most companies will disclose what the chemical ingredients are being used and tell the public regarding it. This protect as well the proprietary industry info and other also participate in national chemical disclosure registry.

A significant amount of water is required for fracking operations just like any other manufacturing processes for products, food and services we need every day. This can be obtained from treated wastewater, municipal suppliers, groundwater and other sources available. Operators are usually encouraged to use those not suitable for agriculture or human consumption whenever possible.

This procedure triggers seismic events rarely felt above on the surface of the earth because of their deepness. They release energy usually which will be equivalent with magnitude minus two in Richter scale and can not be detected upon the surface. For comparison, the rumbling of eighteen wheeler trucks that passes feels like a magnitude plus three.




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