Rapid expansion of natural gas development poses a threat to surface waters

© The Ecological Society of America www.frontiersinecology.org N gas drilling has dramatically expanded with advances in extraction technology and the need for cleaner burning fuels that will help meet global energy demands. Natural gas is considered a “bridge fuel” to renewable energy resources because its combustion releases fewer contaminants (eg carbon dioxide [CO2], nitrogen oxide [NOx], sulfur oxide [SOx]) than compared with that of coal or petroleum. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (“hydrofracking” or “fracking”) now allow the extraction of vast shale gas reserves previously considered inaccessible or unprofitable. Shale gas production in the US is expected to increase threefold and will account for nearly half of all natural gas produced by 2035 (EIA 2011). This widespread proliferation of new gas wells and the use of modern drilling and extraction methods have now been identified as a global conservation issue (Sutherland et al. 2010). Here, we describe the threats to surface waters associated with increased natural gas development in shale basins and highlight opportunities for research to address these threats.