Possible Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Production in Europe Based on The International Practices of Fracking Technology Utilization

Vladimir Alexandrovich Grachev^1* and Vasiliy Anatolyevich Lobkovsky²

¹The V.I. Vernadsky Nongovernmental Ecological Foundation, 29/1 Bolshaya Ordynka St., 104, Moscow, 119017, Russia. ²Research Associate of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

ABSTRACT: The primary problem sets related to shale gas production have been detected – these are economic, geological and environmental ones. According to the information of the contemporary scientific research, a possibility of the shale gas production hydraulic fracturing technology impact on the environment has been considered. A potential threat of air contamination with the contaminants resulting from hydraulic fracturing has been detected. Facts of contaminating open and subsoil waters used at exploration, production and transportation of shale gas with mud have been established. A potential risk of radioactive contamination of open and subsoil waters, related to the flowback fluid at hydraulic fracturing, has been shown. Primary aspects of the shale gas production impact on the geological environment have been highlighted. It has been specified that the differences in the geological structures of North America and Europe are the key argument against practicing hydraulic fracturing in Europe. It has been emphasized that the proposed areas of shale gas production in Europe differ in the scope of production areas, water resources, structure, geological and other specifics that together with ambiguity, and often with inconsistency of the data on the impact of shale gas production on the environment in the USA, does not allow coming to some shared vision of the relevance of its production.

KEYWORDS: Shale gas; Hydraulic fracturing; Environment; Environmental problems; Environmental risk

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