Abstract

Analysis of Emissions Associated with Material Transport in Fracking Operations
Track: Transportation
Authors: Karl Korfmacher, Rachel Zoyhofski

The natural gas extraction method, High-Volume Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing (HVHF), has significant transportation components that impact transport infrastructure and rural communities in both positive and negative ways. While economically benefiting rural areas, there are environmental tradeoffs to developing these resources, many associated with transportation activities. Each well requires an estimated 1-8 million gallons of water, typically delivered by truck. Recovered waste fluids (25-100%) must be treated or disposed of, usually by transporting the waste materials to treatment or disposal facilities off site by truck. Each well also needs an average of five million pounds of sand, used as a proppant. There are upwards of 20,000 wells or approved permits in the Marcellus Shale study area. The project estimates the transport emissions from moving materials to and from well sites and assesses the transport patterns on area roads by road segment using Network Analyst and the Geospatial Intermodal Freight Transport model.