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Title: An Independent Scientific Assessment of Well Stimulation in California Volume I

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1236175· OSTI ID:1236175
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  2. Pacific Inst., Oakland, CA (United States)
  3. Dr. Donald Dautier, LLC., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

In 2013, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), setting the framework for regulation of well stimulation technologies in California, including hydraulic fracturing. SB 4 also requires the California Natural Resources Agency to conduct an independent scientific study of well stimulation technologies in California to assess current and potential future practices, including the likelihood that well stimulation technologies could enable extensive new petroleum production in the state, evaluate the impacts of well stimulation technologies and the gaps in data that preclude this understanding, identify risks associated with current practices, and identify alternative practices which might limit these risks. The study is issued in three volumes. This document, Volume I, provides the factual basis describing well stimulation technologies, how and where operators deploy these technologies for oil and gas production in California, and where they might enable production in the future. Volume II discusses how well stimulation affects water, the atmosphere, seismic activity, wildlife and vegetation, traffic, light and noise levels; it will also explore human health hazards, and identify data gaps and alternative practices. Volume III presents case studies to assess environmental issues and qualitative

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (AU)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1236175
Report Number(s):
LBNL-188995; ir:188995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English