The report, titled Global Shale Gas Development: Water Availability and Business Risk, is the first publicly available analysis of water availability across all potential commercial shale gas and tight oil resources globally.
“Water risk is one of the most important, but underappreciated challenges when it comes to shale gas development,” WRI CEO Andrew Steer said.
“With 386 million people living on land above shale plays, governments and business face critical choices about how to manage their energy and water needs.
“This analysis should serve as a wake-up call for countries seeking to develop shale gas. Energy development and responsible water management must go hand in hand.”
The report ranked water stress across the 20 countries with the largest shale resources, as well as evaluating water availability for shale plays in countries either pursuing or likely to pursue hydraulic fracturing.
Four recommendations have been made to help governments and industry protect water security while minimising business risks, these being that: water risk assessments are conducted to understand local availability; transparency is pursued with regulators and local communities; adequate water governance is set in place to reduce regulatory and reputational risks; and the use of fresh water is minimised.
The report used seven indicators to evaluate water availability and the associated risks in shale development: water stress; water supply variation among months of the year; drought severity; groundwater depletion rates; largest water user; population density; and depth of shale reserve.
Estimates made in the report predict that 386 million people live on land above shale plays, increasing potential competition and public concern over fraccing in those areas.
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