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
References
Jun 4, 2010·Environmental Science & Technology·David M KargboDavid J Campbell
Jun 26, 2010·Science·Richard A Kerr
May 11, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Stephen G OsbornRobert B Jackson
Apr 19, 2012·Ground Water·Tom Myers
Jul 11, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Nathaniel R WarnerAvner Vengosh
May 21, 2013·Science·R D VidicJ D Abad
Jun 12, 2013·Ground Water·R E JacksonD R Van Stempvoort
Jun 27, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Robert B JacksonJonathan D Karr
Jan 25, 2014·Environmental Science & Technology·Huishu Li, Kenneth H Carlson
Jun 28, 2014·Science·Erik Stokstad
Jun 28, 2014·Science·D A StolperJ M Eiler
Jun 29, 2014·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·Daniele L PintiArisai Valadez
Sep 17, 2014·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Thomas H DarrahRobert J Poreda
Citations
Feb 5, 2016·The Science of the Total Environment·M P J A AnnevelinkA J Hendriks
Jan 9, 2016·The Science of the Total Environment·Taylour G BurtonKevin A Schug
Oct 18, 2015·The Science of the Total Environment·P HumezS Taylor
Jun 9, 2016·The Science of the Total Environment·Daniele L PintiYuji Sano
Nov 2, 2016·Environmental Science & Technology·Tao WenRoxana Darvari
Mar 2, 2017·Ground Water·Jean-Philippe NicotRuth Costley
Mar 3, 2017·Ground Water·Jean-Philippe NicotRuth Costley
Jan 20, 2017·Ground Water·Jean-Philippe NicotRuth Costley
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
Jan 24, 2018·Ground Water·Joachim MoortgatThomas H Darrah
May 4, 2018·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·E Claire BotnerJoshua H Miller
Jan 1, 2018·Hydrogeology Journal·Sian E LovelessMelinda A Lewis
Feb 7, 2018·Ground Water·Rebecca L KreuzerRobert J Poreda
Feb 13, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·Arndt SchimmelmannChristian Frankenberg
Mar 20, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Celia Z RosecransTracy A Davis
May 11, 2021·Environmental Science & Technology·Cheng ZhongDaniel S Alessi
May 1, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·Diana B LoomerTom A Al
Dec 11, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·M P WilsonA Hart
Dec 27, 2018·Environmental Science & Technology·J C McIntoshB Sherwood Lollar
Oct 16, 2019·Environmental Science & Technology·Pauline HumezBernhard Mayer
May 3, 2017··Vincent FarleySimon Savary
Oct 5, 2017··Simon SavaryVincent Farley