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Ceres

Ceres Digs Deeper into Water Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing

In 2014 Blue Raster created a series of maps for Ceres highlighting drought intensity and groundwater depletion as a result of increased hydraulic fracking in shale basins across the United States. Ceres has now produced the Competition for Water in US Shale Energy Development application showcasing the effects and statistics of fracking on both a National level and by water basin.

Using information for 109,665 well locations from FracFocus  (via IHS) between January 2011 and January 2016, Blue Raster aggregated the total gallons of water usage for 21 basins, and determined the top five operators, states, and counties. Additionally, using data from the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas from the World Resources Institute (WRI), the percent of wells in areas of high and extremely high water stress is reported. These metrics provide insight into the delicate balance and consequences of water use from fracking against the total water available.

The Competition for Water in US Shale Energy Development application was developed with Esri Leaflet and the ArcGIS JavaScript API.

See the spatial patterns of hydraulic fracking and explore the data today.

Ceres Maps Analyze Drought and Ground Water Depletion in Shale Development Areas

With hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling on the rise  in the United States, many regions have become at risk for water availability. To help highlight these areas, Blue Raster created a series of Hydraulic Fracturing & Water Stress maps for Ceres using Esri’s ArcGIS Desktop software and Adobe Photoshop. Through these maps, users can view eight regions of intense shale development in the United States and Canada, and the degree to which these areas are under stress.

Ceres Drought Monitor Map and Shale Energy Development

Featured in CERES’ latest report: Hydraulic Fracturing & Water Stress: Water Demand by the Numbers, the maps provide investors, lenders, and regulators with sustainable recommendations for minimizing their water demands. With more than 55% of U.S. wells located in areas amid drought, and 36% percent in areas experiencing groundwater depletion, the maps serve as resources for ensuring a long term sustainable strategy for industries in shale energy development.

Ceres Drought Monitor Map and Shale Energy Development

To learn more about the project and to view the maps, visit Ceres’ Hydraulic Fracturing & Water Stress page.