Unconventional Wastewater Management: A Comparative Review and Analysis of Hydraulic Fracturing Wastewater Management Practices Across Four North American Basins
Canadian Water Network, 2015
University of Alberta School of Business Research Paper No. 2015-909
187 Pages Posted: 16 Jun 2016
Date Written: September 1, 2015
Abstract
The research team conducted an extensive, multidisciplinary review of wastewater handling, treatment, reuse and disposal as they relate to hydraulic fracturing by comparing the practices, legislation and policies that have been implemented in various North American shale formations as well as use of freshwater and demand management. The objective of the review was to summarize and assess current knowledge regarding wastewater management and to identify critical gaps to be addressed by future research. This was accomplished using a combination of direct interviews with specific stakeholders to gather current practices for wastewater management, and through collaboration with regulators to assess current understanding and practices by jurisdiction. Emphasis was on formations with extensive experience in hydraulic fracturing wastewater handling and treatment, as well as relatively undeveloped but strategically important reserves elsewhere in Canada.
Keywords: Hydraulic Fracturing, Fracking, Wastewater Management Practices, Regulatory Regimes, Social License to Operate, Stakeholder Concerns
JEL Classification: Q48, M14
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation