AskChesapeake

Water is an essential component of Chesapeake’s deep shale oil and natural gas development. Chesapeake uses water for drilling, where a mixture of clay and water is used to carry rock cuttings to the surface and to cool and lubricate the drillbit. Drilling a typical Chesapeake Barnett Shale gas well requires approximately 250,000 gallons of water. Drilling a typical Chesapeake Haynesville Shale gas well requires approximately 600,000 gallons of water. Drilling a typical Chesapeake Marcellus Shale gas well requires approximately 85,000 gallons of water.

Water is also used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracing, where a mixture of water, sand and other additives are pumped under high pressure into the deep shale to create small fissures, or fractures, in the rock that allow natural gasoil and natural gas to flow. For a typical horizontal well in the Anadarko Basin, Chesapeake uses about 4.8 million gallons of water during drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the Colony/Granite Wash portions of the play and 2.7 million in the Cleveland/Tonkawa portion.Hydraulically fracturing a typical Chesapeake Barnett horizontal deep shale gas well requires an average of 2.5 million gallons. Normally, a hydraulic fracturing operation is only performed once during the life of a well.For a typical horizontal well in the Eagle Ford Shale, Chesapeake uses about 4.9 million gallons of water during drilling and hydraulic fracturing. To put this in perspective, this is the same amount of water:Hydraulically fracturing a typical Chesapeake Haynesville horizontal deep shale gas well requires an average of 4.8 million gallons. Normally, a hydraulic fracturing operation is only performed once during the life of a well. In comparison, this is the same amount of water that flows past Shreveport, Louisiana, in the Red River every five seconds.Hydraulically fracturing a typical Chesapeake Marcellus horizontal deep shale gas well requires an average of 4.4 million gallons. Normally, a hydraulic fracturing operation is only performed once during the life of a well. In comparison, New York City uses on average 5.6 million gallons of water every 6.4 minutes^1.For a typical horizontal well in the Mississippi Lime, Chesapeake uses about 2.1 million gallons of water during drilling and hydraulic fracturing.For a typical horizontal well in the Powder River Basin of the Niobrara Shale, Chesapeake uses about 3.7 million gallons of water during drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations. To put this in perspective, it is the same amount of water:For a typical horizontal well in the Utica Shale, Chesapeake uses about 3.8 million gallons of water during drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations. To put this in perspective, it is similar to the amount of water:

• That flows, on average, by the City of Laredo in the Rio Grande River every 3.6 minutes
• Used to irrigate 11.6 acres of vegetables in a season
• Used by the City of San Antonio in approximately 17.7 minutes

• That flows, on average, in the North Platte River every 5.1 minutes
• That covers about 0.009 inches of the surface of the Glendo Reservoir
• Used to irrigate 5.5 acres of Wyoming wheat in a season

• That flows, on average, in the Ohio River every 15.1 seconds
• As about 0.06 inches of the water surface in Tappan Lake
• As about 0.08 inches of the water surface in Atwood Lake
• That the Cleveland Water System uses in 24 minutes

How much is 4.5 million gallons?

The 4.5 million gallons of water needed to drill and fracture a Marcellus deep shale gas well is equivalent to the amount of water consumed by:

• New York City in eight 6.4 minutes
• A 1,000 megawatt coal-fired power plant in 10.4 hours
• A golf course in 22.5 days
• 7.2 acres of corn in a season

How much is 5.4 million gallons?

The 5.4 million gallons of water needed to drill and fracture a Haynesville deep shale gas well is equivalent to the amount of water:

• Flowing past Shreveport, Louisiana, in the Red River every 55 seconds
• Used by a 1,000 megawatt coal-fired power plant in 12.5 hours
• Used by a golf course in 27 days
• Consumed by 8.7 acres of corn in a season

Technological advancements in drilling and hydraulic fracturing are precisely why the Barnett Shale stands to provide such a benefit to the region and our country. And yet, the amount of water used for all drilling and fracing operations in the Barnett Shale are only expected to increase the amount of water used by less than 1%, which is well within the available resources in the region.

Technological advancements in drilling and hydraulic fracturing are precisely why the Haynesville Shale stands to provide such a benefit to the region and our country. And yet, the amount of water used for all drilling and fracing operations in the Haynesville Shale are only expected to increase the amount of water used by less than 1.5%, which is well within the available resources in the region.

Technological advancements in drilling and hydraulic fracturing are precisely why the Marcellus Shale stands to provide such a benefit to the region and our country. And yet, the amount of water used for all drilling and hydraulic fracing operations in the Marcellus represents less than a 0.1% increase in total water usage in the region.

When compared to every other viable form of energy produced today, such as biofuels, coal and nuclear, Chesapeake’s deep shale natural gas uses a mere fraction of the overall water resources. And we have a highly innovative water recycling process (Aqua Renew^®) in place that is increasing our water efficiency.

Chesapeake utilizes a variety of water sources during Barnett Shale gas exploration and is reviewing the use of a variety of other water resources, such as treated discharge water from industrial or city wastewater treatment plants, power plant cooling water, marginal groundwater and the re-use of fracturing water. When drilling inside city limits, Chesapeake often works directly with local officials to arrange water purchases from a municipality.

Chesapeake utilizes a variety of water sources during Haynesville Shale gas exploration, including rivers, bayous, ponds, lakes and groundwater wells. Through our partnership with the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, we have significantly reduced the amount of groundwater consumed in conjunction with our hydraulic fracturing activities. Chesapeake is reviewing the use of a variety of other water resources, such as treated discharge water from industrial or city wastewater treatment plants, power plant cooling water, marginal groundwater and the re-use of fracturing water. When drilling inside city limits, Chesapeake often works directly with local officials to arrange water purchases from a municipality.

Chesapeake utilizes a variety of water sources during Marcellus Shale gas exploration, including rivers, creeks and lakes. Chesapeake is reviewing the use of a variety of other water resources, such as treated discharge water from industrial or city wastewater treatment plants, groundwater and the re-use of fracturing water. When drilling inside city limits, Chesapeake often works directly with local officials to arrange water purchases from a municipality.

Chesapeake utilizes a variety of water sources during Anadarko BasinEagle Ford ShaleMississippi LimeNiobrara ShaleUtica Shale oil and natural gas exploration, including municipalities, rivers, ponds, lakes and groundwater wells. Chesapeake is reviewing the use of a variety of other water resources, such as treated discharge water from industrial or city wastewater treatment plants and the reuse of fracturing water. When drilling inside city limits, Chesapeake often works with state and local officials to arrange water purchases from a municipality and obtain permits where required.