Hydraulic Fracturing: What it is, How it's Regulated, and How Oil Skimmers are Helping with Clean Up.

          Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a process that recovers natural gas and oil from deep shale formations that contain large amounts of the fuels. Fracking requires the drilling of a well vertically underground, past the deepest aquifer containing fresh groundwater, anywhere from hundreds to thousands of feet below the ground's surface. Steel surface casing is inserted down the well and cement is pumped in to create a barrier between the well bore and groundwater. The vertical drilling is often paired with horizontal drilling, ranging from 1,000-6,000 feet away from the vertical well. Fracturing fluids – a mix of water and sand plus several additives – is then injected at high pressure into the formation to create fissures (a narrow opening or crack). 

When the pumping of the fluids is stopped, the internal pressure of the geologic formation causes most of the injected fluids to rise to the surface; this fluid is called flowback. The sand remains in the fissures and keeps them open, allowing gas and oil to flow. The flowback can be disposed of either by surface discharge where authorized under the Clean Water Act (read more about this act here) or by injection into Class II wells as authorized under the Safe Drinking Water Act (see the EPA page here), or it can be recycled in a closed system for future use. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulates discharge of flowback and requires it to be treated prior to allowing discharge (read our blog post about the NPDES to learn more). This is where Oil Skimmers, Inc., steps in.

Oil Skimmers, Inc. has helped two companies with the use of a Model 5H Oil Skimmer. This Oil Skimmer removes oils and greases from the surface of the flowback. One company wanted to remove oils and greases in order for the flowback to be re-used by a drilling company, while the other needed to meet discharge regulations. Customers have found that by removing the free oils and greases prior to other treatment, the process is more efficient, less costly, and requires less maintenance. 

The EPA is conducting a study of fracking and the potential impact it may have on our drinking water and groundwater, with initial reports to be released sometime during the end of this year and a full report being released in 2014. Read more about the study at the EPA site, on this page.

Learn more about our Oil Skimmers at www.oilskim.com!