Methane baseline concentrations and sources in shallow aquifers from the shale gas-prone region of the St. Lawrence lowlands (Quebec, Canada)

Environmental Science & Technology
Anja MoritzYves Gélinas

Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing is becoming an important technique worldwide to recover hydrocarbons from unconventional sources such as shale gas. In Quebec (Canada), the Utica Shale has been identified as having unconventional gas production potential. However, there has been a moratorium on shale gas exploration since 2010. The work reported here was aimed at defining baseline concentrations of methane in shallow aquifers of the St. Lawrence Lowlands and its sources using δ(13)C methane signatures. Since this study was performed prior to large-scale fracturing activities, it provides background data prior to the eventual exploitation of shale gas through hydraulic fracturing. Groundwater was sampled from private (n = 81), municipal (n = 34), and observation (n = 15) wells between August 2012 and May 2013. Methane was detected in 80% of the wells with an average concentration of 3.8 ± 8.8 mg/L, and a range of <0.0006 to 45.9 mg/L. Methane concentrations were linked to groundwater chemistry and distance to the major faults in the studied area. The methane δ(1)(3)C signature of 19 samples was > -50‰, indicating a potential thermogenic source. Localized areas of high methane concentrations from predominantly biogenic sources were found thr...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 5, 2016·The Science of the Total Environment·M P J A AnnevelinkA J Hendriks
Jun 9, 2016·The Science of the Total Environment·Daniele L PintiYuji Sano
Jun 21, 2017·The Science of the Total Environment·R A BellB E Ó Dochartaigh
Mar 7, 2018·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Christine RivardXavier Malet
Nov 17, 2017·Scientific Reports·Yuji SanoDaniele L Pinti
Feb 7, 2018·Ground Water·William K EymoldThomas H Darrah
Mar 20, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Celia Z RosecransTracy A Davis
May 11, 2021·Environmental Science & Technology·Cheng ZhongDaniel S Alessi
Dec 11, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·M P WilsonA Hart
Oct 16, 2019·Environmental Science & Technology·Pauline HumezBernhard Mayer

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