This document describes the development of a GIS tool to optimize fluids management in the shale gas industry. The tool integrates water quantity and quality data with location analytics to help plan treatment and transportation of flowback water and produced water. It consists of a primary GIS model to analyze water quantity data and predict production scenarios, linked to a chemistry calculator tool to analyze water quality, predict treatment needs, and simulate optimized treatment processes. The combined GIS and chemistry tools aim to improve treatment optimization, reduce transportation costs, and incorporate spatial variability into management of produced water in oil and gas operations.

1. Development of a GIS Tool to Optimize Fluids
Management in the Shale Gas Industry
Ashwin Dhanasekar, Dr. Ken Carlson
Colorado State University

2. Hydraulic Fracturing
Produced Water
Current Scenario
Colorado Energy Water Consortium
GIS Tool
Chemistry Tool
GIS Based Treatment Application

5. • Recoil of the Drilling Process
• Frac Flowback
• Produced Water
• Current Scenario

7. Municipal Water
Groundwater
Surface Water
Flowback Water
Drilling & Fracturing
Produced Water
Deep Well Injection

8. Municipal Water
Groundwater
Surface Water
Flowback Water
Drilling & Fracturing
Produced Water
Deep Well Injection
Water Recycling
Fracturing Fluid

9. How?
Areas of Focus:
Water Quantity
Water Quality
Location Analytics
GIS integrated Water Management Tool

10. • State Databases
• Public WebsitesPublic Data
• Industry – Noble Energy
• Other IndustriesPrivate Data
• Government Agencies
• Colorado Oil & Gas AssociationCommon Data

11. Base Water Quantity Analysis
Flow Predictions
Production Predictions
Spatial Integration

12. Water Quality Analysis
Spatial Analysis
Water Quality Prediction
Treatment Specifics Calibration

14. OLI Analyzer
Equilibrium Chemistry Trend Analysis
Treatment Characterization
Optimized Treatment Simulations

15. Water Quality
Data Unavailability
Sampling
Quality Test
Certified Labs
Initial Water Quality
Chemistry Model
Based on Initial WQ
Prelim Treatment
Prediction
Monitoring
characteristics
through stages

20. OLI Analyzer & ESP Simulator Tool
Pre-
Analysis
Water Quality Data
Analysis &
Model
Building
OLI Analyzer
Automated
Process
Builder &
Simulator
OLI ESP Program
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Data Correction
Equilibrium Setup
Model Building
Single Process Identified for
Optimization
Model built for particular process
Tested and Analyzed
Process Simulation
Optimization of Model for Process
Process Build Layout Design

21. Location Analytics
• Truck Traffic
• Piping Network
• Centralized
Treatment Plant
Location
• Tank Volume
Monitoring

22. Project
Objective

23. Primary GIS Model – Quantity based
Data Collection & Analysis
Prediction Scenarios Developing &
Processing
Publishing on ArcGIS Explorer Online for
Public Viewing

24. Water
Quality Data
Water
Quantity
Data
Processing
into
Chemistry
Calculator
Charge
Balance &
Equilibrium
Calculations
Developmen
t of Link –
Chemistry
Calculator &
GIS Map
Final GIS Based
Application with Custom
Tools for Water Quality
Analysis
Output
Excel File
Co-
ordinates
Database
File
Water Data
Production
Data
ArcGIS
Geodatabas
e
Map Service
Developmen
t
Publish
Service
Developmen
t of Web
Application
Using
Services as
Layers
Developing
Web Map
Reconcile
pH
Reconcile
Alkalinity
Model Composition
Softening to
a Set pH
Measured
pH
Measured
Alkalinity
Predicted
Solids, TDS, pH, Alkalinity, Condu
ctivity, Density
Compare to
Measured
Solids
Removed
Recover
Water - RO
Neutralize to
a Set pH
Osmotic
Pressure
Reagents
Required
Reagents
Required
Chemistry Output
Water
Recovery
& Residue
Chemistry Tool - CalcAq
GIS Tool - ArcGIS

25. • Improved Error Handling
• Spatial Variability
• Optimized Treatment
• Reduced Truck Traffic
• Dr. Ken Carlson & Colorado State University
• Noble Energy Inc.
• Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission
• ESRI Southwest User Group
• ESRI Regional Office, Broomfield, CO
Contact: ashwin.dhanasekar@colostate.edu