Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Investigation Of Ongoing Unconventional Gas Extraction And Underground Gas Storage In Pennsylvania: Regulations And Water Quality, Cassandra Ziegler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The extraction of unconventional shale gas and its underground gas storage have the potential to impact surface and groundwater water quality. In New Sewickley Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, 54 unconventional gas wells were drilled between 2013 and 2019. Groundwater samples from 33 water wells and surface water from Brush Creek (18 samples) were collected and analyzed for anions, cations, and light hydrocarbons. Results showed that at least 8 wells had indicators of brine contamination, and the surface waters of mine drainage. The Steckman Ridge natural gas storage field in Clearville, Bedford County, PA has 13 active storage wells. Samples were …

Impacts Of Oil And Gas Wastes On Landfill Leachate, Sewage Treatment Plants, And The Environment, Lauren Badertscher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Between January 2011 and March 2021 oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania produced

305,637,795 barrels of liquid waste and 6,992,957 tons of solid waste with the majority from

Marcellus Shale unconventional wells. This waste is not considered hazardous and over 89% of

the solid waste generated by unconventional and conventional oil and gas extraction has been

disposed of in landfills over the past decade. This study examined trends in the quantity of waste

produced and methods of disposal. Landfills accepting this waste were identified and their

general method of leachate treatment, using onsite facilities or offsite at wastewater treatment

plants, …

Water Quality Assessment Of Deer Lakes County Park Before, During And After Unconventional Shale Gas Drilling, Daniel Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, signed a lease to allow unconventional natural gas extraction from Marcellus Shale beneath Deer Lakes County Park in 2014. The park has three man-made lakes and four waterways that eventually flow into the Allegheny River. Drilling commenced in early 2016, and there are now five producing wells. The park has an extensive abandoned coal mine network and several abandoned oil and gas wells. Thus, an independent water quality study was undertaken beginning in July 2015. Samples from seven different sites in the park were used to establish a water quality baseline prior to the drilling. Monthly sampling …

Unconventional Gas Extraction In Southwestern Pennsylvania: Complaints, Production, And Water Quality, Dannielle Pratt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dramatic rise in unconventional oil and gas extraction in Pennsylvania has presented a challenge to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in managing regulatory required data, and the uniformity of public access via their online databases. This study analyzed over a decade of all the oil and gas complaints and unconventional gas production in Washington County. Of the 1,811 wells drilled between 2004 and 2018, 1,683 are producing, 74 are plugged, 52 regulatory inactive, and 2 abandoned. The PADEP received 10,389 complaints from 2004 to 2018. Only 2,420 of 4,489 water quality complaints were resolved within the legally required …

Environmental Assessment Of Road Brining And Injection Wells For Disposal Of Oil And Gas Liquid Waste, Marissa Madia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dramatic increase in oil and gas drilling operations in Pennsylvania over the last decade has presented a challenge for their wastewater disposal (e.g., flowback, produced water). Currently, these fluids are treated in permitted brine treatment plants or exported out of state to deep injection well facilities. In Pennsylvania, road brining for dust control is permitted for conventional well brines, and permits for three injection wells for unconventional brines are pending. This study focused on water quality impacts due to road brining in Farmington Township (45 samples) and ground and surface water in Grant Township (41 samples) prior to the …

The Decline And Recovery Of Thermal Oxidative Stability Of Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Blends, Abigail Schoor Cohen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dissertation supervised by Professor Bruce D. Beaver

The oxidative stability of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) has generally been expected to continuously decline over time. However, recent studies have suggested that it may fluctuate.^1-2 In this study, the oxidative stability of stored commercially purchased ULSD was monitored with a methanol extraction method.³ In this methodology, proposed by Hardy and Wechter, fuel blends are extracted with methanol before and after thermal stressing.⁴ The methanol-soluble layer contains the oxygenated and oxidizable components of the fuel (SMORS) and the change in this mass upon stressing thus represents the oxidative stability of …