Developing America’s Natural Resources

Shale Gas: A Clean-Burning Fuel

Shale gas has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States. As a clean burning fuel, it emits significantly lower levels of key pollutants, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide, than does the combustion of coal or oil. Trapped within shale formations within the Earth's crust, shale gas consumed within the U.S. is mainly produced domestically and is not dependent on foreign producers. Accessing the shale gas fields across the U.S. will further allow the nation to be less dependent on foreign energy sources while providing a cleaner, alternative energy.

Providing Water Services to Develop Shale Gas Resources

The drilling and fracturing of shale wells requires large amounts of water. In some areas of the country, significant use of water for shale gas production may affect the availability of water for other uses and can affect aquatic habitats. From determining surface and ground water availability to monitoring groundwater level and quality and providing environmental impact studies on water resources, SAIC's shale-gas water management and development team helps customers develop shale gas resources.

We focus on identifying and implementing the right technologies to solve the many hydrogeologic and environmental issues that are faced by shale gas operators. For one Marcellus Shale gas customer, SAIC obtained more than 100 docket approvals for water withdrawals totaling more than 20 million gallons per day of water from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. For another customer, SAIC performed stream surveys, bottom configuration, and flow gauging station design at a surface water withdrawal on a tributary of the Tioga River to obtain an adjacent tributary that was projected to eliminate 80,000 tanker truck loads of water.

Customers Across the Nation

With key locations near many of the principal shale plays that are being developed across the U.S., SAIC is directly supporting oil and gas companies developing the natural gas in shale at sites that include the Barnett, Eagle Ford, Woodford, Fayetteville, Haynesville, Green River, New Albany, Niobrara, and Marcellus shale basins. Recently, SAIC opened two new offices located in Towanda, Pa., and Casper, Wyo. to better serve the growing shale gas industry.

SAIC Shale Gas Program Manager Scott Cleveland commented, "SAIC's new regional offices will better support the Marcellus, Utica, and Niobrara shale gas basins by putting expert hydrogeologists, engineers, and environmental scientists where they are more convenient to our customers."

"By opening these new offices, we will apply our technical expertise to support natural gas production and responsible gas extraction in these regions," said Roberts.