Carbon and water footprint of energy resources

Photo: Rob Jackson, NY Times

We are studying the carbon and water footprints of hydraulically fractured oil and natural gas and comparing them to other fossil and renewable fuels. The Jackson lab and colleagues published the first studies of drinking water quality and shale gas extraction, and have examined wastewater disposal and naturally occurring radioactive materials. We also measure hydrocarbon emissions upstream from wellpads and downstream in cities, producing the first publicly available maps of thousands of natural gas leaks across the streets of Boston, Manhattan, and Washington, D.C.

People

Rob Jackson

Michelle and Kevin Douglas Provostial Professor and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and at the Precourt Institute for Energy
Mary Kang

Assistant Professor, McGill University
Eric Lebel

Staff Scientist, PSE Healthy Energy
Ritobrata Sur

CEO, Indrio Technologies

Publications

Elevated levels of diesel range organic compounds in groundwater near Marcellus gas operations are derived from surface activities. (2015). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 112. https://doi.org/doi:10.1073/pnas.1511474112
Methane emissions from natural gas infrastructure and use in the urban region of Boston, Massachusetts. (2015). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 112. https://doi.org/doi:10.1073/pnas.1416261112
Natural gas pipeline replacement programs reduce methane leaks and improve consumer safety. (2015). Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 2. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.5b00213
Noble gases: a new technique for fugitive gas investigation in groundwater. (2015). Groundwater, 23.
Pre-drilling background groundwater quality in the Deep River Triassic Basin of central North Carolina, USA. (2015). Applied Geochemistry, 60. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2015.01.018
Recommendations on Model Criteria for Groundwater Sampling, Testing, and Monitoring of Oil and Gas Development in California. (2015). Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory LLNL-TR-669645.
The depths of hydraulic fracturing and accompanying water use across the United States. (2015). Environmental Science and Technology, 49. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b01228
Air impacts of increased natural gas acquisition, processing, and use: a critical review. (2014). Environmental Science & Technology, 48. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/es4053472
China’s fuel gas sector: history, current status, and future prospects. (2014). Utilities Policy, 28.
Natural gas pipeline leaks across Washington, D.C. (2014). Environmental Science & Technology, 48. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/es404474x
New tracers identify hydraulic fracturing fluids and accidental releases from oil and gas operations. (2014). Environmental Science and Technology, in press. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/es5032135
Noble gases identify the mechanisms of fugitive gas contamination in drinking-water wells overlying the Marcellus and Barnett Shales. (2014). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 111. https://doi.org/doi:10.1073/pnas.1322107111
Oil and gas wells and their integrity: implications for shale and unconventional resource exploitation. (2014). Marine and Petroleum Geology, 56. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2014.03.001
Risks and risk governance in unconventional shale gas development. (2014). Environmental Science and Technology, 48. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/doi:10.1021/es502111u
The environmental costs and benefits of fracking. (2014). Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 39. https://doi.org/doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-031113-144051
The integrity of oil and gas wells. (2014). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 111. https://doi.org/doi:10.1073/pnas.1410786111
China’s synthetic natural gas revolution. (2013). Nature Climate Change, 3. https://doi.org/doi:10.1038/nclimate1988
Geochemical and isotopic variations in shallow groundwater in areas of the Fayetteville Shale development, north-central Arkansas. (2013). Applied Geochemistry, 35. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2013.04.013
Impacts of shale gas wastewater disposal on water quality in western Pennsylvania. (2013). Environmental Science and Technology, 47. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/es402165b
Increased stray gas abundance in a subset of drinking water wells near Marcellus shale gas extraction. (2013). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A, 110. https://doi.org/doi:10.1073/pnas.1221635110
Mapping urban pipeline leaks: methane leaks across Boston. (2013). Environmental Pollution, 173. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2012.11.003
Shale gas extraction in North Carolina: research recommendations and public health implications. (2013). Environmental Health Perspectives, 121. https://doi.org/doi:10.1289/ehp.1307402
The effects of shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing on the quality of water resources in the United States. (2013). Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 7. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.proeps.2013.03.213
China’s coal price disturbances: observations, explanations, and potential implications for global energy economies. (2012). Energy Policy, 51. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2012.09.010
China’s growing methanol economy and its implications for energy and the environment. (2012). Energy Policy, 41. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.11.037
Considering shale gas extraction in North Carolina: lessons from other states. (2012). Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum, 22.
Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow aquifers in Pennsylvania. (2012). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., 109. https://doi.org/doi:10.1073/pnas.1121181109
Shallow groundwater quality and geochemistry in the Fayetteville Shale gas-production area, north-central Arkansas. (2012). U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report, 2012.
The impact of geologic variability on capacity and cost estimates for storing CO2 in deep-saline aquifers. (2012). Energy Economics, 34. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.eneco.2011.11.015
The potential of waste-to-energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (2012). Carbon Management, 3. https://doi.org/doi:10.4155/cmt.12.11
Methane contamination of drinking water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing. (2011). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., 108. https://doi.org/doi:10.1073/pnas.1100682108
The potential impacts of climate-change policy on freshwater use in thermoelectric power generation. (2011). Energy Policy, 39. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.07.022
Potential impacts of leakage from deep CO2 geosequestration on overlying freshwater aquifers. (2010). Environmental Science and Technology, in press, 44. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/es102235w
Physical and economic potential of geological CO2 storage in saline aquifers. (2009). Environmental Science and Technology, 43. https://doi.org/doi:10.1021/es801572e