This document discusses the challenges posed by unconventional natural gas drilling and water demand in Texas. It notes that while natural gas drilling provides economic and environmental benefits, it also risks water contamination and uses significant amounts of water. The document presents data showing that hydraulic fracturing accounted for about 40,000 acre-feet of water usage in 2011, equivalent to 5 days of water usage for every Texan. It also notes that for 7 of 16 water planning regions, fracturing water usage in 2011 was over 70% of estimated unmet water needs. The document discusses the collision between drought conditions and increased drilling in many Texas counties and calls for increased use of non-potable water sources, water recycling, transparency, and education to address public

1. Unconventional Natural Gas Drilling
and Water Demand in Texas
Texas Groundwater Summit
8/29/12
Drew Nelson
Clean Energy Project Manager
Environmental Defense Fund

2. The Gas Boom Has Clear Advantages…
• Economic development
• Increased energy security
• Less air pollution
• Fewer greenhouse gases than coal
…If done the “right way”.

3. …and Potential Risks
• Ground and surface-water contamination;
• Significant amount of water usage;
• Air emissions can threaten public health;
• Cumulative impacts from truck traffic, noise,
lights, etc;
• Increased greenhouse gas emissions.
…If not done correctly.
Lack of public trust due to risks could erode economic and
social benefits. It is in everybody’s interest to get it right.

4. Defining the TX Water Demand Problem
• Texas has a water deficit that is projected to worsen.
• Hydraulic fracturing (HF) remains a small part of overall
water use in TX, but still used ≈40,000 AF in 2011.
• Equivalent to 5 days worth of water use for every Texan.
• For 7 of the 16 RWPGs in 2011, HF water equivalent to
>70% of estimated unmet water needs (demand>supply
after all management strategies included in water plan).
• Currently, most HF water removed from local H2O cycle.
According to data prepared for the TWDB report, Water for Texas: http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/state_water_plan/2012/2012_SWP.pdf
EPA estimate of 100 gallons/day/person of average water usage: http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/indoor.html.

5. Collision Between Drought and Drilling
51% of water
used for
hydraulic
fracturing in 2011
is from 10
counties.
Spring:
Culberson
Winter:
Dec. 20, 2011 Mar. 20, 2011 Wise
Dimmit
Reeves
Pecos
La Salle
Jack
Denton
Summer: Almost Fall: Harrison
Jun. 19, 2012 August 21, 2012
Atascosa
Sources: U.S. Drought Monitor Archives http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/archive.html
E.P.A Indoor water use in the U.S. http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/indoor.html
Nicot, J. P., Hebel, A. K., Ritter, S. M., Walden, S., Baier, R., Galusky, P., Beach, J., et al. (2011). Current
and Projected Water Use in the Texas Mining and Oil and Gas Industry. Austin, Texas.

6. What it Often Means to the Public
• Many people react emotionally to
water issues, particularly in
drought. Why does drilling get
water when my cows can’t?
• Public perception is that hydraulic
fracturing causes water pollution
and uses too much water, making
water the largest hurdle to public
license to drill.
• Until industry identifies ways to
minimize water use, public
perception likely won’t change.

7. What Can be Done?
• Increased use of brackish/non-
potable water for HF.
• Increased water recycling.
• More and better data on water
consumption and sources/type
of water used.
• Finding other uses for
produced and flow-back water
instead of injection.
• Increased data collection and
aquifer modeling.
• Education/Transparency.