In addition to the recent shale gas risk study of the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, another risk study was published by the environmental and economic ministries of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This study (weblink to short and long versions; in German only) recommends against currently allowing hydraulic fracturing operations because risks cannot be conclusively evaluated at present. The state government followed the recommendation and excluded hydraulic fracturing operations until more evidence on the risks involved with this technology is gained.

Conditions

The foci of the study were the possible consequences of hydraulic fracturing on the water and eco systems as well as the public drinking water supply. The study recommends that the exploration and extraction of unconventional natural gas deposits using hydraulic fracturing in North Rhine-Westphalia is opposed until certain conditions are met. In particular this includes compliance with the following criteria:

• a clear and documented reduction of the potential danger of hydraulic fracturing additives;
• review of the regional and site-specific geological, hydrological and hydrochemical conditions as a basis for assessing the relevance of the geological exposure pathway (incl. numerical groundwater models);
• robust data to assess the relevance of potential technical exposure pathway;
• adequate disposal of flowback fluids taking into consideration waste management, waste law, water management and water law;
• the establishment and binding definition of assessment and approval criteria for hydraulic fracturing operations including associated monitoring operations.  

As a result of the current, uncertain data and the environmental risks that cannot be ruled out, the experts recommend to exclude, from a water management point of view, hydraulic fracturing activities in water protection areas, water catchment areas supplying the drinking water network, mineral spring protection areas and areas with mineral deposits.

Step-by-step approach: drillling for reseach purposes

Companies, administration, and scientists should consider which concrete findings future research must ultimately deliver in order to eliminate the information and knowledge gaps and to establish a sufficient foundation for the decision on possible subsequent steps. The process should be transparent and wide-ranging. The drilling of research wells that do not use hydraulic fracturing should be discussed with all stakeholders (companies, authorities, scientists and interested members of the public) to ensure all relevant matters are considered in a reasonable manner.

The necessary scope of investigations using the research wells should then be defined jointly on the basis of expert recommendations and the research programme should be designed accordingly. Subsequently, authorities should use their technical knowledge and expertise to consider the approval of exploration wells that do not use hydraulic fracturing on a case-by-case basis. Results may be used to decide on future exploration and production including hydraulic fracturing.

Background

The states North Rhine-Westphalia and neighboring Lower Saxony are the two states in Germany thought to host most of the unconventional natural gas reservoirs. According to German mining law, the state´s mining administrations, not the central federal ministry, decide upon the licensing of mining activities. Therefore this study was commissioned to help the state government form its opinion on how to deal with applications for unconventional gas exploration in the future. Hydraulic fracturing operations in North Rhine-Westphalia have already been on hold for more than a year due to an agreement between authorities and companies.