Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology

Hydraulic fracturing, water conservation and environmental protection

2^nd World Congress on Petrochemistry and Chemical Engineering

October 27-29, 2014 Embassy Suites Las Vegas, USA

Davis L Ford

Keynote: J Pet Environ Biotechnol

Abstract:

The discovery of enormous amounts of energy reserves, mostly proven, which are in ?tight? shale and sandstone formations, both oil and gas, is transforming the United States to be totally independent of foreign fossil energy. Our import energy has dropped from over 60% to less than 30% in the past few years, dramatically enhancing our GDP. Recently, the United States has passed Russia and Saudi Arabia in fossil fuel production. Currently, over 90% of U. S. energy demand depends on fossil fuel. Subsidies for ?green energy? are now under review. While wind and solar energy are increasing in selected areas, biofuels and particularly ethanol, because of their huge water demand, are becoming less popular and cost effective. Natural gas is the least cost option for new power generation in most areas, and has a minimal greenhouse gas footprint. The fundamentals of this enhanced oil and gas extraction will be outlined in this presentation, with major emphasis on the associated water issues. It is imperative that the use of fresh water in the fracking process be reduced or eliminated through conservation and cost effective reuse of flowback and produced water generated in this process. The reuse technologies such as reverse osmosis, electrocoagulation, and related desal technologies generally are in place, but reduced costs per volume is essential in the overall enhanced oil and gas ecomics as well as the preservation of fresh water sources for human and crop irrigation uses. Although the fracking process normally occurs in depths of 8,000 feet or more below the surface, drinking water quality can be adversely affected by poor surface casing and/or imperfect cementing, as well as surface contamination from tank storage of fuel and trucking activities (spills and leaks).

Biography :

Davis L Ford is a practicing environmental engineer with over forty-five years of experience in the field. In addition, he serves on the faculty at The University of Texas at Austin as an adjunct professor, has published more than one hundred technical papers, has co-authored or contributed to ten text books, and written two biographies and co-authored one children?s book. He has lectured extensively throughout the United States and in countries of Europe, South America, and Asia. Ford received his bachelor?s degree in civil engineering at Texas A&M University and his master and doctorate degrees in environmental engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. He is a Distinguished Engineering Graduate of both Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Texas A&M. Ford was elected into the prestigious National Academy of Engineering (NAE). He has served as president of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and chairman of the Academy Ethics Committee. His honorary affiliations include Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and Chi Epsilon. Ford serves on the Board of a publicly-owned oil and exploration company (CWEI, NASDAQ) and the Board of the Texas A&M University Press.