The tradeoff between water and carbon footprints of Barnett Shale gas

S M Absar; A-M Boulay; M F Campa; Benjamin Preston; A Taylor

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.06.140

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The tradeoff between water and carbon footprints of Barnett Shale gas

Journal article

Peer reviewed

The tradeoff between water and carbon footprints of Barnett Shale gas

S M Absar, A-M Boulay, M F Campa, Benjamin Preston and A Taylor

Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol.197(Part 1), pp.47-56

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.06.140

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Abstract

Environmental Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

Interdisciplinary Engineering

shale gas

hydraulic fracturing

life cycle assessment

Barnett shale

Texas

water scarcity footprint

inventory water consumption

carbon footprint

greenhouse gas emissions

global warming potential

Shale gas production is a water and energy-intensive process that has expanded rapidly in the United States in recent years. This study compared the life cycle water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from hydraulic fracturing in the Barnett region of Texas, located in one of the most drought prone regions of the United States. Four wastewater treatment scenarios were compared for produced water management in the Barnett region. For each scenario, the cradle-to-gate life cycle global warming potential and water scarcity footprint was estimated per mega joule of gas produced. The results show a trade-off between water and carbon impacts, because energy is required for treatment of water. A reduction of 49 percent in total water consumed or a 28 percent reduction in the water scarcity footprint in the shale gas production process can be achieved at a cost of a 38 percent increase in global warming potential, if the wastewater management shifted from business as usual to complete desalination and reuse of produced water. The results are discussed in the context of wastewater management options available in Texas.

Details

Title: The tradeoff between water and carbon footprints of Barnett Shale gas
Authors: S M Absar (Author) - Eastern Research Group (United States)
A-M Boulay (Author) - Université de Sherbrooke
M F Campa (Author) - University of Tennessee System
Benjamin Preston (Author) - RAND Corporation
A Taylor (Author) - University of Tennessee System
Publication details: Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol.197(Part 1), pp.47-56
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date published: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.06.140
ISSN: 0959-6526; 0959-6526
Organisation Unit: Sustainability Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450898102621
Output Type: Journal article

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Web Of Science research areas: Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences; Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

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