The exponential increase in the development of natural gas and oil from tight shale reserves seen in the last decade has been due to the combination of advances in drilling technology (e.g., horizontal drilling) and the technique of hydraulic fracturing. Unconventional drilling for gas and oil is now occurring in over 30 states including North Dakota (Bakken), Texas (Barnett), Louisiana (Haynesville) Wyoming (Green River), Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia (Marcellus, Utica). This remarkable increase in production has resulted in optimistic predictions for energy independence and economic development.
Similar to other historic boom periods, however, this rapid expansion has posed many challenges. In Pennsylvania, where in just the last 5 years 12,665 permits have been granted and over 5,700 unconventional wells drilled, regulators have been hard-pressed to keep up with well pad inspections. The large volumes of water needed for the hydraulic fracturing process (3–5 million gallons) and the size (3–7 acres) and number of well pads required for shale play development raise questions about possible ecological impacts.
The wastewater (flow back and produced water) generated from the process is high in total dissolved solids with elevated concentrations of chloride, bromide, strontium and barium, as well as NORMs. Its disposal has been non-trivial given the volume and concentrations; certain areas of the country have experienced earthquakes induced by the influx of wastewater disposed of via Class II injection wells. Incidents of well water contamination by fugitive gas migration and other constituents have accompanied the drilling. Rural towns have seen dramatic increases in truck traffic and population growth. Although landowners with mineral rights, and service industries (e.g., food, housing, trucking) have seen economic benefits, there has also been local inflation and stress on infrastructure (e.g., roadways, law enforcement, schools, housing).
A number of private foundations have been supporting a growing number of researchers at academic institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to investigate the wide range of issues related to the shale gas boom. It was, thus, of great interest to gather as many of these researchers to present their findings in a forum open to the public and to stimulate peer reviewed publications. A special symposium “Facing the Challenges—Research on Shale Gas Extraction” was held at Duquesne University, November 25–26, 2013. The two-day conference hosted 22 oral presentations and 20 posters, as well as a gallery presentation of the photo documentary “Faces of Marcellus” and a showing of selected videos from the video documentary “Gas Rush Stories.” The presentations covered a wide range of topics including ecologic impacts and forest fragmentation, gas well leakage and casing failures, climate change, air quality, water usage and monitoring, well water quality, isotopic signatures as tracers, human and animal health exposures, as well as local governmental responses and the socioeconomic impacts of the boom-bust cycle. The presentations were recorded and are accessible on the Duquesne University Center for Environmental Research and Education website (www.duq.edu/CERE).
I organized the symposium, along with Ms. Samantha Malone, Graduate School of Public Health of the University of Pittsburgh and FracTracker Alliance. We are both employed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We would like to acknowledge the Heinz Endowments, Colcom Foundation, Claneil Foundation, and George Gund Foundation for their generous support of the conference. We are most grateful to Philip Johnson of Heinz Endowments, for not only suggesting the conference but also helping to make it a reality. We would like to thank those who have contributed manuscripts to this special issue of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, the anonymous reviewers, Dr. Philip Reeder, Dean of the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, who initiated the process, and Dr. Shahamat U. Khan, Editor-in-Chief, for his continued interest and coordination of our efforts.