Environmental Impacts from the Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reserves

The development of unconventional oil and gas shales using hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling is currently a focal point of energy and climate change discussions. While this technology has provided access to substantial reserves of oil and gas, the need for large quantities of water, emissions, and infrastructure raises concerns over the environmental impacts. Written by an international consortium of experts, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the extraction from unconventional reservoirs, providing clear explanations of the technology and processes involved. Each chapter is devoted to different aspects including global reserves, the status of their development and regulatory framework, water management and contamination, air quality, earthquakes, radioactivity, isotope geochemistry, microbiology, and climate change. Case studies present baseline studies, water monitoring efforts and habitat destruction. This book is accessible to a wide audience, from academics to industry professionals and policy makers interested in environmental pollution and petroleum exploration.

John Stolz is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Director of the Center for Environmental Research and Education at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh. He is a geomicrobiologist best known for his research on the biogeochemical cycles of arsenic and selenium, and the biogenesis of microbiolites. He has published ninety-six journal articles, forty book chapters, and edited two books. He received the Clean Water Action Dewey Award for environmental stewardship in 2020.

Daniel Bain is an Associate Professor of Geology and Environmental Science at the University of Pittsburgh. His main research interests are urban systems, energy production landscapes, and trace metals in environmental systems. He has authored fifty-one peer-reviewed papers and two book chapters.

Michael Griffin is an Emeritus Professor in Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Previously, he was Executive Director of the Green Design Institute at CMU, President of GMS Technologies, Vice President for Research and Development Applied CarboChemicals Inc, Research Director at CHMR and NETAC, and research scientist at BP America. His publications include work on energy and environmental policy, and systems analysis of energy production.