Shale Gas and Water Resources in Pennsylvania Active
The Pennsylvania Water Science Center and other USGS scientists are studying water availability, use, quality, and ecology associated with development of shale-gas energy resources in Pennsylvania.
Shale-gas development in Pennsylvania is focused on the Marcellus Shale. USGS is helping understand potential and actual impacts on water resources and ecosystems.
Related USGS science
Regional Synthesis of Groundwater Quality in Domestic Supply Wells in Northeast and North Central Pennsylvania
Groundwater Quality of Domestic Supply Wells in Pennsylvania
Framework for Examining Stream Ecosystem Health in Areas of Shale Gas Development—A Multi-Parameter Watershed-Based Case Study in Pennsylvania
Hydraulic Fracturing
Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Water Issues and Marcellus Shale Gas Development in New York
Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: An Assessment of the Potential Effects of Shale Gas Development on Water Resources in the United States
Compilation of data not available in the National Water Information System for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, May-September 2017
Natural gas and oil drilling disturbance in the Marcellus Shale region of the New York - Pennsylvania border
Compilation of wells sampled, physical characteristics of wells, links to water-quality data, and quality assurance and quality control data for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Potter County, Pennsylvania, April-September 2017
Compilation of data not available in the National Water Information System for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, May-August 2016
Field properties and results of laboratory analysis of groundwater samples collected from 79 wells in Pike County, Pennsylvania, 1982-2015
Shale gas data used in development of the Disturbance Intensity Index for the Pennsylvania portion of the Upper Susquehanna River basin in Maloney et al. 2018.
Related publications
Analysis of the United States documented unplugged orphaned oil and gas well dataset
Factors Affecting Groundwater Quality Used for Domestic Supply in Marcellus Shale Region of North-Central and North-East Pennsylvania, USA
Method for compiling temporally and spatially aggregated data on hydraulic fracturing—Treatments and wells
Utica shale play oil and gas brines: Geochemistry and factors influencing wastewater management
The Utica and Marcellus Shale Plays in the Appalachian Basin are the fourth and first largest natural gas producing plays in the United States, respectively. Hydrocarbon production generates large volumes of brine (“produced water”) that must be disposed of, treated, or reused. Though Marcellus brines have been studied extensively, there are few studies from the Utica Shale Play. This study presen
Groundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and hydrogeologic and geochemical characteristics for 47 domestic wells in Potter County, Pennsylvania, 2017
Groundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and geochemical characteristics for 54 domestic wells in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, 2017
Shale gas development has limited effects on stream biology and geochemistry in a gradient-based, multiparameter study in Pennsylvania
The number of horizontally drilled shale oil and gas wells in the United States has increased from nearly 28,000 in 2007 to nearly 127,000 in 2017, and research has suggested the potential for the development of shale resources to affect nearby stream ecosystems. However, the ability to generalize current studies is limited by the small geographic scope as well as limited breadth and integration o
Hydrocarbons in upland groundwater, Marcellus Shale Region, Northeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New York, USA
Drinking water health standards comparison and chemical analysis of groundwater for 72 domestic wells in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, 2016
Baseline assessment of groundwater quality in Pike County, Pennsylvania, 2015
Groundwater quality for 75 domestic wells in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 2014
Transport of hydraulic fracturing waste from Pennsylvania wells: A county-level analysis of road use and associated road repair costs
- Overview
The Pennsylvania Water Science Center and other USGS scientists are studying water availability, use, quality, and ecology associated with development of shale-gas energy resources in Pennsylvania.
Shale-gas development in Pennsylvania is focused on the Marcellus Shale. USGS is helping understand potential and actual impacts on water resources and ecosystems.
- Science
Related USGS science
Regional Synthesis of Groundwater Quality in Domestic Supply Wells in Northeast and North Central Pennsylvania
USGS synthesized groundwater quality measurements in wells to characterize regional chemical characteristics of aquifers used for domestic supply in northeast and north central Pennsylvania.Groundwater Quality of Domestic Supply Wells in Pennsylvania
Most rural residents in Pennsylvania use groundwater from domestic supply wells for drinking, cleaning and other purposes. Some groundwater samples have been analyzed for private purposes, but those results generally are not readily available to the public. Many of the publicly available water-quality samples from rural areas were collected more than 30 years ago. Quality-assured groundwater...Framework for Examining Stream Ecosystem Health in Areas of Shale Gas Development—A Multi-Parameter Watershed-Based Case Study in Pennsylvania
In a case study of 25 headwater streams in Pennsylvania, no statistically significant associations were determined between shale gas development and geochemical tracers of produced waters or measures of microbial and macroinvertebrate community composition. Although the results are specific to the region studied, the integrated biological and geochemical framework provides a tool for examining...Hydraulic Fracturing
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is the process of injecting water, sand, and/or chemicals into a well to break up underground bedrock to free up oil or gas reserves. The USGS monitors the environmental impact of this practice across the country, from potential earthquakes to degraded groundwater quality.Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Project Period: 2016-ongoing Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program Project Chiefs: Ryan McShane and Jeremy McDowellWater Issues and Marcellus Shale Gas Development in New York
The Marcellus Shale of the Appalachian Basin is one of the largest unconventional gas plays in the United States.Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: An Assessment of the Potential Effects of Shale Gas Development on Water Resources in the United States
Shale gas is a key source of onshore domestic energy for the United States and production of this resource is increasing rapidly. Development and extraction of shale gas requires hydraulic fracturing, which entails horizontal drilling, perforation of steel casing and cement grout using explosive charges, and expansion of fractures using fluids under high pressure. Concern over potential environmen - Data
Compilation of data not available in the National Water Information System for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, May-September 2017
This dataset contains the lithologic class and topographic position index information and quality-assurance and quality-control data not available in the online National Water Information System for 54 domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, May-September 2017. The topographic position index (TPI) for each well location was computed on the basis of a 2Natural gas and oil drilling disturbance in the Marcellus Shale region of the New York - Pennsylvania border
The data comprise the initial release of landscape disturbance polygons and lines (sites, pipelines and roads) related to natural gas and oil drilling developed prior to the end of 2013 in the 10-county region along the New York - Pennsylvania border. The study area includes the New York Counties of Allegany, Broome, Chemung, Steuben and Tioga, and the Pennsylvania counties of Bradford, McKean, PoCompilation of wells sampled, physical characteristics of wells, links to water-quality data, and quality assurance and quality control data for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Potter County, Pennsylvania, April-September 2017
This dataset contains the lithologic class and topographic position index information and quality-assurance and quality-control data not available in the online National Water Information System for 47 domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Potter County, Pennsylvania, April-September 2017. The topographic position index (TPI) for each well location was computed on the basis of aCompilation of data not available in the National Water Information System for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, May-August 2016
This dataset contains the lithologic class and topographic position index information and quality-assurance and quality-control data not available in the online National Water Information System for 72 domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, May-August 2016. The topographic position index (TPI) for each well location was computed on the basis of a 25-Field properties and results of laboratory analysis of groundwater samples collected from 79 wells in Pike County, Pennsylvania, 1982-2015
Water-quality data for groundwater samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from 79 wells in Pike County, Pennsylvania, 1982-2015. Data consist of field properties and results of laboratory analysis for concentrations of inorganic constituents, dissolved gases (methane, ethane and propane), radon-222, gross alpha and beta radioactivity, radium-226, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) andShale gas data used in development of the Disturbance Intensity Index for the Pennsylvania portion of the Upper Susquehanna River basin in Maloney et al. 2018.
Data on 17 metrics of shale gas development in the Pennsylvania portion of the Upper Susquehanna River basin that was collated from a variety of sources and summarized at the upstream catchment scale. Data were also standardized by upstream area and transformed into rank scores based on metric distribution and then summarized into a Disturbance Intensity Index (DII). See Maloney et al. 2018 for de - Publications
Related publications
Filter Total Items: 25Analysis of the United States documented unplugged orphaned oil and gas well dataset
In coordination with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and in response to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produced a documented unplugged orphaned oil and gas well dataset (called the DOW dataset hereafter) that contains the location and status of these wells nationwide as of 2022. The DOW dataset includes 117,672 wells across 27 states. The dataAuthorsMatthew D. Merrill, Claire A. Grove, Nicholas J. Gianoutsos, Philip A. FreemanFactors Affecting Groundwater Quality Used for Domestic Supply in Marcellus Shale Region of North-Central and North-East Pennsylvania, USA
Factors affecting groundwater quality used for domestic supply within the Marcellus Shale footprint in north-central and north-east Pennsylvania are identified using a combination of spatial, statistical, and geochemical modeling. Untreated groundwater, sampled during 2011–2017 from 472 domestic wells within the study area, exhibited wide ranges in pH (4.5–9.3), total dissolved solids (TDS, 22–196AuthorsCharles A. Cravotta, Lisa A. Senior, Matthew D. ConlonMethod for compiling temporally and spatially aggregated data on hydraulic fracturing—Treatments and wells
This report provides a step-by-step method for compiling hydraulic fracturing data in the United States from the IHS Markit, 2019, U.S. Well History and Production Relational Database. Data on hydraulically fractured wells include their location (geologic province, State, county), well type (oil or gas), orientation (directional, horizontal, or vertical), spud date, completion date and the hydraulAuthorsBrian A. Varela, Tanya J. GallegosUtica shale play oil and gas brines: Geochemistry and factors influencing wastewater management
The Utica and Marcellus Shale Plays in the Appalachian Basin are the fourth and first largest natural gas producing plays in the United States, respectively. Hydrocarbon production generates large volumes of brine (“produced water”) that must be disposed of, treated, or reused. Though Marcellus brines have been studied extensively, there are few studies from the Utica Shale Play. This study presen
AuthorsMadalyn S. Blondes, Jenna L. Shelton, Mark A Engle, Jason Trembly, Colin A. Doolan, Aaron M. Jubb, Jessica Chenault, Elisabeth L. Rowan, Ralph J. Haefner, Brian E. MailotGroundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and hydrogeologic and geochemical characteristics for 47 domestic wells in Potter County, Pennsylvania, 2017
As part of a regional effort to characterize groundwater in rural areas of Pennsylvania, water samples from 47 domestic wells in Potter County were collected from May through September 2017. The sampled wells had depths ranging from 33 to 600 feet in sandstone, shale, or siltstone aquifers. Groundwater samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties that could be evaluated in relation to drinAuthorsDaniel G. Galeone, Charles A. Cravotta, Dennis W. RisserGroundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and geochemical characteristics for 54 domestic wells in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, 2017
Despite the reliance on groundwater by approximately 2.4 million rural Pennsylvania residents, publicly available data to characterize the quality of private well water are limited. As part of a regional effort to characterize groundwater in rural areas of Pennsylvania, samples from 54 domestic wells in Clinton County were collected and analyzed in 2017. The samples were evaluated for a wide rangeAuthorsJohn W. Clune, Charles A. CravottaShale gas development has limited effects on stream biology and geochemistry in a gradient-based, multiparameter study in Pennsylvania
The number of horizontally drilled shale oil and gas wells in the United States has increased from nearly 28,000 in 2007 to nearly 127,000 in 2017, and research has suggested the potential for the development of shale resources to affect nearby stream ecosystems. However, the ability to generalize current studies is limited by the small geographic scope as well as limited breadth and integration o
AuthorsAdam Mumford, Kelly O. Maloney, Denise M. Akob, Sarah Nettemann, Arianne Proctor, Jason Ditty, Luke Ulsamer, Josh Lookenbill, Isabelle M. CozzarelliHydrocarbons in upland groundwater, Marcellus Shale Region, Northeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New York, USA
Water samples from 50 domestic wells located <1 km (proximal) and >1 km (distal) from shale-gas wells in upland areas of the Marcellus Shale region were analyzed for chemical, isotopic, and groundwater-age tracers. Uplands were targeted because natural mixing with brine and hydrocarbons from deep formations is less common in those areas compared to valleys. CH4-isotope, predrill CH4-concentration,AuthorsPeter B. McMahon, Bruce D. Lindsey, Matthew D. Conlon, Andrew G. Hunt, Kenneth Belitz, Bryant Jurgens, Brian A. VarelaByWater Resources Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, National Water Quality Program, California Water Science Center, Central Energy Resources Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, New England Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science CenterDrinking water health standards comparison and chemical analysis of groundwater for 72 domestic wells in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, 2016
Pennsylvania has the second highest number of residential wells of any state in the Nation with approximately 2.4 million residents that depend on groundwater for their domestic water supply. Despite the widespread reliance on groundwater in rural areas of the state, publicly available data to characterize the quality of private well water are limited. In Bradford County, more than half of the resAuthorsJohn W. Clune, Charles A. CravottaBaseline assessment of groundwater quality in Pike County, Pennsylvania, 2015
The Devonian-age Marcellus Shale and the Ordovician-age Utica Shale, which have the potential for natural gas development, underlie Pike County and neighboring counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pike County Conservation District, conducted a study that expanded on a previous more limited 2012 study to assess baseline shallow groundwaAuthorsLisa A. Senior, Charles A. CravottaGroundwater quality for 75 domestic wells in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 2014
Groundwater is a major source of drinking water in Lycoming County and adjacent counties in north-central and northeastern Pennsylvania, which are largely forested and rural and are currently undergoing development for hydrocarbon gases. Water-quality data are needed for assessing the natural characteristics of the groundwater resource and the potential effects from energy and mineral extraction,AuthorsEliza L. Gross, Charles A. CravottaTransport of hydraulic fracturing waste from Pennsylvania wells: A county-level analysis of road use and associated road repair costs
Pennsylvania’s rapid unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development—from a single well in 2004 to more than 6700 wells in 2013—has dramatically increased UOG waste transport by heavy trucks. This study quantified the amount of UOG waste and the distance it traveled between wells and disposal facilities on each type of road in each county between July 2010 and December 2013. In addition, the study esAuthorsLauren A. Patterson, Kelly O. Maloney - News