A need for Total Dissolved Gas Pressure field measurements for investigating potential effects of unconventional gas development on groundwater

James W. Roy, M. Cathryn Ryan

In the proceedings of: GeoMontréal 2013: 66th Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 11th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: Mineral and Gas II

ABSTRACT: New development of shale and other unconventional gas resources has raised public concern for contamination of shallow groundwater with natural gas (largely methane). This can result from leaky gas production wellbores, but there is also some question of whether hydraulic fracturing may enhance natural gas migration from deep formations to shallow groundwater. We explain here how field measurement of total dissolved gas pressure (PTDG) by hydrogeologists can advance our understanding of groundwater gases in natural and unconventional gas development areas. Groundwater PTDG is an on-site measurement made by either commercial or in-house constructed probes, which can be deployed either down-hole or at surface. The four main advantages of its use include: 1) informed groundwater sampling; 2) providing more accurate and simpler dissolved gas concentrations; 3) providing insight into the presence of a gas phase in the aquifer; and 4) allowing for in situ continuous measurements of groundwater gas levels. Just as development of unconventional gas is spreading across the world, so too will the prevalence of dissolved gas measurements of shallow groundwater in these same locations. We believe it is important to immediately start including PTDG with these measurements to ensure we get accurate data sets and a rapid assessment of the potential risks of shale gas development.

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Cite this article:
James W. Roy; M. Cathryn Ryan (2013) A need for Total Dissolved Gas Pressure field measurements for investigating potential effects of unconventional gas development on groundwater in GEO2013. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{GeoMon2013Paper636,author = James W. Roy; M. Cathryn Ryan,title = A need for Total Dissolved Gas Pressure field measurements for investigating potential effects of unconventional gas development on groundwater ,year = 2013}