East Carolina University : Research and Creative Achievement Week 2012
Assessing Spatial Relationships between Sites for Natural Gas Development and Natural and Artificial Features in Pennsylvania, Jamie Wheeler, Alex Manda, Wendy Klein, Burrell Montz, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858 The spatial relationship between natural gas wells and artificial and natural features (e.g. roads, rivers, groundwater wells, and natural gas pipelines) in the state of Pennsylvania was investigated. The hydraulic fracturing technique that has been used to develop natural gas wells has the potential to affect water quantity and quality, as well as other factors in the local environment where drilling takes place. Here we use Geographic Information Systems to assess potential effects of natural gas development on the environment. Geospatial data layers of natural and artificial layers were gathered for the state of Pennsylvania. Roads were categorized as first order (i.e., Interstates, U.S. Highways and P.A. Highways), second order (i.e., non-Highway State roads) and third order (i.e., local roads). Using density plots and buffer analysis, the distribution of wells with respect to road and surface water bodies was investigated. Preliminary results show that the number of natural gas wells close to roads increases substantially as you move from first order roads to second order roads, and from second order roads to third order roads. Because millions of gallons of water are used in hydraulic fracturing a very large number of trucks must haul water and drilling equipment to wells and waste water away from the sites. Using the GIS and other data, we tested the hypotheses that the third order roads that had the largest number of nearby wells were the most severely impacted road systems in the state. In relation to surface water bodies, Pennsylvania’s buffer law states that no one may conduct earth disturbance activities within 150 feet of water bodies with exceptional value or high quality watersheds and within 100 feet of other water bodies. However, there are exceptions to this law and preliminary results show that there are natural gas wells within 100 feet of major rivers. We show the distribution of gas wells in the buffers. These wells and other operations may impact the quality of water in the major rivers.
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