Natural Gas and the Marcellus Shale

Sid Halsor, SERC - On the Cutting Edge Collection

This homework problem introduces students to Marcellus shale natural gas and how an unconventional reservoir rock can become an attractive hydrocarbon target. It is designed to expand students' understanding of hydrocarbon resources by introducing an unconventional natural gas play. Students explore the technological factors that make conventional source rocks attractive reservoir rocks and how this advance impacts both U.S. energy supply and the environment.

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Notes from our reviewers

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Easily adaptable assignment for any introductory geology or environmental geology course. It would be interesting to include a comparison of CO2 generated from natural gas per unit of energy produced to the CO2 generated by coal per unit of energy produced. Natural gas has lower emissions than coal, and it would be helpful to point this out in the exercise. Activity is very regionally specific - educator might want to make it less regionally specific.
Introduces the potential for unconventional natural gas reservoirs to help us meet our energy needs, the economic and technological factors that increase natural gas reserves, and the environmental impacts associated with this type of exploration and development. The activity provides a very good and scientifically accurate introduction from which additional classroom discussions and activities could evolve. Background information is presented along with a series of questions; links and references are used to derive the answers. Comment from scientist: The activity refers to laws and regulations that are specific to the State of Pennsylvania. Educators using this activity in adjacent states that also have Marcellus Shale need to clarify to their students that the rules specified in the activity may or may not apply in their state. In New York there is significant public debate regarding the development of the Marcellus Shale resource as well as the underlying Utica Shale or Trenton Black River Shale. The activity does not acknowledge that this debate is occurring, which is an important social aspect of this issue. Moreover, the activity does not mention exploration in the Utica Shale. Comment from scientist: Chief environmental concerns include: the volume of water used in hydro-fracturing, the disposal of flow-back and production water, forest fragmentation by new pipelines, spills and handling accidents involving frac water, and increased stream turbidity resulting from well pad storm water drainage and degraded roadways. While the article presents valuable data on resource characterization and development, greater emphasis could be placed on these environmental impacts in order to balance the exercise.
Requires lots of prior knowledge to understand vocabulary. The strategy of the assignment is to lead students through a learning process in which concepts are introduced and followed by questions that require application of the concepts. Learning goals are assessed by evaluating student responses to 10 integrated questions. Video describing horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in student assignment is engaging and informative.