Water/Energy Sustainability Symposium, Day 1

The first day of the Groundwater Protection Council’s Water/Energy Sustainability Symposium featured some great presentations and loads of information on the connections between water and energy.

I began the day by attending a 4-hour course on the laws of water, energy and the environment. The session was led by Denise D. Fort, a remarkably astute professor from the University of New Mexico School of Law. Beginning with a general overview of water law in the United States, Fort concluded the session with a discussion on “produced” water and the water used for hydraulic fracturing in shale oil and gas development. Both types of water fall into a gray area of regulation and are generally not covered under existing water laws.

Produced water is the water byproduct of oil and natural gas production. Low quality fresh- or brackish groundwater is invariably pumped from the ground whenever oil or natural gas is extracted. A lot of water is produced through oil and gas extraction: about 18 billion barrels of produced water per 6.7 billion barrels of oil. In many states no water right is required for the water unless it is put to beneficial use, which is rarely.

Hydraulic fracturing is a key process for oil shale development. Water mixed with an unknown cocktail of chemicals is injected into the ground to create fissures in the impermeable shale that allows natural gas to escape. The effects of hydraulic fracturing are largely unknown but thought to be benign. Recently, many environmentalists have been pushing hard for regulation of “frac” water and a disclosure of the chemicals that are used. On the other hand, the oil and gas industry says that they have been practicing hydraulic fracturing for decades without any environmental problems and that a number of sites would be shut down if the water became regulated.

The second half of the day featured a good, albeit occasionally redundant overview of some broader trends in the water-energy nexus in the United States. One of the many highlights of the afternoon was a presentation by Dr. Robert Goldstein, a Senior Technical Executive for Water and Ecosystems in the Environment Sector at the Electric Power Research Institute. After meeting Dr. Goldstein I have to admit that I will sleep better at night knowing that researchers like him are advising the energy industry.

I will try to get a copy of his presentation to show, but in the meantime, here are some bottom up strategies Goldstein espoused for approving the water efficiency of electric power production:

1. Dry or hybrid cooling
2. Use degraded/Reclaimed water
3. Recycle water within Plant
   a. Increase closed cooling cycles
   b. Treat blowdown and reuse
   c. Capture vapor in wet cooling tower and stacks
4. Increase thermal conversion efficiency
5. In warm climates, reuse wastewater. In cool climates use dry cooling

Click here for a recap of days 2 & 3 of the Water/Energy Sustainability Symposium.