Water Quality Protection

See more about Chemical Additive Disclosure and Water Quality Monitoring at Radical Transparency.

Chemical Additive Disclosure and Water Quality Monitoring

Rigorous water management and groundwater protection are vital parts of the process for all CNX operations.

CNX is committed to groundwater protection and employs a variety of industry recommended management practices to protect groundwater, including but not limited to:

  • Multi-layers of impermeable steel casing to prevent fluids from migrating from the wellbore
  • Monitoring the integrity of the casing and cement system through field inspection
  • Multi-stage pressure testing of the wellbore
  • Monitoring groundwater aquifers/residential drinking water supplies

Water quality protection during natural gas drilling

As a standard practice, CNX conducts water testing ahead of well activity and continues testing throughout operations to ensure water quality exceeds regulatory requirements. Water quality is reviewed with landowners and water purveyors to ensure its preservation.


Water quality protection during hydraulic fracturing

As with drilling CNX uses third-party environmental consultants to collect water samples before and after hydraulic fracturing operations, which are then analyzed at state-certified laboratories and shared with landowners.


Fluid Contents

Because fluid contents will vary based on geographic and geologic factors, CNX is adding this disclosure of additives we predict will be utilized on a pad for transparency to community stakeholders. There is no “standard” formula for drilling or fracturing fluids. Evaluating additive needs during active operations is a very dynamic process, and real-time conditions dictate formula adjustments to ensure sound development and protection of the well bore. We have included our typical drilling and hydraulic fracturing additives, uses, and additional context below.

Typical Drilling Additives

The pie charts below represents a generalized breakdown of the components in typical drilling fluids for a Marcellus and Utica well. Fluids used during drilling are returned to surface and reconditioned/reused.

Commonly Used Additives, their purposes, other common uses:

Foamer/Defoamers
Foam is utilized to condition the wellbore and help carry cuttings out of the well. Defoamer is utilized at the surface to remove foam in the solution.

Main Compound: Hydrotreated light naphenic and Hydrophobic silica

Common Use: Shampoos, detergents, cleaning products

Barite
Used to increase the weight of the drilling fluid.

Main Compound: Barium sulfate

Common Use: Filler for paper

Wetting Agents
Used to oil-wet solids such as barite.

Main Compound: Hydrotreated distillates

Common Use: Automotive fluids

Calcium Chloride Powder
Used to prevent the shale from swelling.

Main Compound: Calcium chloride

Common Use: Dust control, food service

Typical Hydraulic Fracturing Additives

The pie chart below represents a generalized breakdown of the components in a typical fracture job.

Commonly Used Additives, their purposes, other common uses:

Acid
Helps dissolve minerals and initiate cracks in the rock.

Main Compound: Diluted Hydrochloric acid

Common Use: Household cleaners, swimming pool sanitation and food production/processing

Biocide
Eliminates bacteria that can cause corrosive byproducts by reacting with microorganisms that may be present in the treatment fluid and formation.

Main Compound: Often Glutaraldehyde

Common Use: Sterilization of dental and medical equipment

Corrosion Inhibitor
Prevents the corrosion of the pipe.

Main Compound: Methyl alcohol

Common Use: Pharmaceuticals, adhesives, and plastics

Friction Reducer
Reduces the effects of friction in the pipe.

Main Compound: Polyacrylamide/Mineral oil

Common Use: Water treatment, make-up remover, laxatives and food processing

Iron Control
Turns iron in the water soluble to help prevent precipitation of metal oxides.

Main Compound: Citric acid

Common Use: Food additive, flavoring in food and beverages, lemon juice

Propping Agent
“Props” the cracks in the rock open as the fracturing fluid is withdrawn.

Main Compound: Proppants typically consist of different types of sand. Silica, quartz sand

Common Use: Drinking water filtration and playground sand

Scale Inhibitor
Helps to prevent scale buildup in the formation and in pipes by attaching itself to the formation.

Main Compound: Phosphoric acids

Common Use: Fertilizers, water treatment

Fluids utilized in the hydraulic fracturing process are returned to surface, along with other produced fluids and recycled/reused as base fluid/water for future subsequent wells. This significantly reduces the demand for freshwater across our operating footprint.

Responsible Products and Disclosures

Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing Practices

In order to provide facts and data to stakeholders, we are committing to expand and improve upon the disclosure of chemical additives used in our process to the public ahead of their use. See Chemical Additive disclosures for the Radical Transparency Monitoring sites here.

We ensure we use the most responsible fluid formulations and fluid management practices available. We can confirm that drilling and hydraulic fracturing additives do not contain intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also known as PFAS).

Drilling and Hydraulic fracturing processes are regulated by various regulatory oversight agencies. These regulations include maintaining Safety Data Sheets that detail the ingredients used in fluids, and per regulatory requirements we report the ingredients of hydraulic fracturing fluids we utilize through the FracFocus chemical disclosure registry.


In February 2024, Chemstream Inc. announced that it would be the first service provider to stand with CNX in our Radical Transparency program, and would no longer have components listed as “proprietary” in disclosures, regardless of the operator.


Water Quality Monitoring

CNX undertakes thorough efforts to ensure that the additives that we use in our processes do not impact surface water or residential drinking aquifers. Under current guidelines and industry practice, operators collect one groundwater sample to determine baseline conditions.

As part of our Radical Transparency program, we have expanded this program to take multiple water quality samples before drilling occurs, and after wells are completed. Additionally, we will be expanding our sampling program to include downstream surface water. CNX uses third-party environmental consultants to collect water samples for analysis at state-certified laboratories against a list of parameters that surpass regulatory requirements. CNX shares the results with the landowners, state regulatory agencies, and (with landowner consent) publishes the results on our Radical Transparency website. At a minimum, all residential samples collected and analyzed will be provided to the source owner.

This series of pre- and post-drilling groundwater and nearby surface water sample collection will provide water quality data over time and confirm that the multiple layers of steel casing protect residential drinking water aquifers (groundwater) and surface water. Collection of one groundwater sample does not adequately establish the needed range of chemical concentrations that are naturally occurring in the area (baseline conditions). In order to provide for a thorough and comprehensive understanding of baseline conditions, CNX will analyze four quarters of pre- and four quarters of post-development conditions. While all wells in our current development plan will not have adequate time to establish this pre-drill baseline, we will be phasing in this multi-quarter concept over the next 2 years.

CNX will rely on indicator parameters to alert to any potential water quality anomalies. For example, total dissolved solids (TDS) found in fluids CNX utilizes for hydraulic fracturing operations is significantly higher than that which is detected in drinking water aquifers. TDS along with other elements such as chloride, sodium, sulfate, and other metals serve as common indicators to alert to potential groundwater impacts. These constituents, along with other selected parameters, are monitored and if these indicators differ unexpectedly from pre-drill (baseline) conditions, further evaluation may be warranted. It’s important to note that changes in these indicator parameters do not always imply connection to deep production water from hydraulic fracturing. Water well operations and water table fluctuations may contribute to observed increases, and the series of pre-drill baseline analyses will help inform on these natural fluctuations.

Water Quality and Protection

CNX strives to ensure every landowner understands their water quality results, informs water purveyors of our findings before activity begins, and educates the public on the steps we take to ensure groundwater quality is preserved throughout the well development process. We design, construct, and operate our wells utilizing advanced technology, leading industry practices, and stringent product specifications that exceed the requirements for wellbore integrity and groundwater protection. An impermeable steel casing system around wells helps to prevent impacts to shallow drinking water zones. Integrity is monitored throughout well development by inspections and wellbore logging, with multiple pressure tests to ensure integrity.

We take each and every concern expressed by a landowner seriously, with a dedicated team of environmental scientists and hydrogeologists responsible for responding quickly to concerns. An investigation is initiated within 24 hours of any suspected groundwater contamination reported to us within our operational area. This process includes notifying regulatory agencies, initiating additional sampling to assess the nature of water quality complaints, and taking appropriate steps to ensure concerned stakeholders have access to safe drinking water while an assessment is made. CNX works closely with the regulatory agencies to report known water concerns outside of the window of our operational responsibility, ensuring stakeholder concerns are addressed and drinking water sources are safe. CNX engages with external stakeholders to maintain an open line of communication for voicing concerns, including face-to-face meetings with our team of professional Land Agents, individualized mailings from our Permitting team explaining our water baseline and lifecycle well testing procedure, and direct contact with our Community Relations team via email CommunityRelations@cnx.com or phone 724-485-4998.

CNX Foundation plans to provide funding opportunities to help community members more effectively evaluate the condition of their private water wells and water quality, and secure water well maintenance and treatment options. As part of our Appalachia First vision and our commitment to making Tangible, Impactful, Local investments, we are committed to establishing resources to assist on this front.

Water Stewardship

According to the World Resources Institute Aqueduct Water Risk Assessment of oil and gas, CNX operations currently have an overall low to medium water risk. In the Appalachian Basin, water is an abundant resource, but not one that CNX takes for granted. While CNX does not operate in any high baseline water stress areas, fluctuations can occur and it is important that we understand our responsibility to manage water in an efficient and compliant manner for the betterment of the environment and all stakeholders. CNX optimizes operations and diversifies our freshwater sources to minimize the potential impact on water resources.

Water Management Process

Large volumes of water are injected as the primary medium during hydraulic fracturing. The industry has traditionally used freshwater for these activities, which created both a sourcing and water resource allocation challenge. Produced water is a by-product of gas operations, wherein water injected during hydraulic fracturing returns to the surface during natural gas production. Historically, disposal of this produced water has been a challenge for the industry. Thanks to significant capital investments in storage and water pipeline infrastructure along with a thorough review of the science and engineering of hydraulic fracturing, CNX is leading the industry toward a solution for reuse of produced water.

Recycling water requires centralized storage in each of our operating regions, where CNX prioritizes environmentally and economically sound storage solutions.

  1. 2008: During the early stages of shale gas development, the industry utilized on-pad storage pits and temporary frac tanks.
  2. 2010: CNX advanced to centralized impoundment storage and temporary aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) in the next phase of water storage evolution, while continuing to seek more permanent and sustainable solutions.
  3. 2018: CNX embarked on the innovative installation of American Water Works Association (AWWA) bolted steel tanks paired with permanent electric pumps.
  4. 2023: Building upon this progress, we have installed our first American Petroleum Institute (API) welded steel tanks with permanent electric pumps, underscoring our commitment to continuous improvement. Welded tanks provide a seamless fluid retention AST. API 650 dictates tank design, fabrication, welding, inspection, and erection requirements and is widely used for storing products such as crude oil, gasoline, chemicals, and produced water.

 

CNX continues to invest in water pipeline infrastructure, with a significant network of approximately 1,400 miles. Transporting water through pipelines reduces the risks and emissions associated with transportation by truck, and minimizes impacts on Appalachian communities and the environment. CNX’s Water Team oversees our water needs, infrastructure, logistics, third-party business, and supports effective decision-making and management of this resource—one that is central to CNX’s business and processes. Our waterline system is capable of serving other nearby operators, creating additional benefit for CNX.

RISK-BASED LIFECYCLE APPROACH

We embrace our Responsibility, take Ownership, and strive for Excellence as we seek to maximize the value of water—a critical resource. CNX has evaluated and heat mapped its existing water infrastructure based on proximity to aquatic and community resources, as well as original construction dates and associated construction and testing standards at that time. Flow rate, testing frequency, monitoring, and alarm sensitivity settings are adjusted according to the risk profile for the specific line. Waterlines are tested on a rolling basis. By evaluating our infrastructure, we can target and prioritize needed maintenance and upgrades to the system. In 2023, CNX spent over $19 million to improve our water infrastructure.

CNX has upgraded 53% of our large rental diesel-powered pumps to permanent electric-powered pumps at major storage locations and water sources. Upgrading pumps has contributed to reductions in emissions, cost, and noise, while improving versatility, reliability, durability, efficiency, and enhancing remote monitoring capabilities.

MONITORING

Active waterlines are walked by competent inspectors to search for leaks and inspect visible equipment. The CNX Water Control Desk was established in the Real-Time Operations Center (RTOC) for remote monitoring of CNX’s waterline network via instrumentation and controls deployed throughout our infrastructure. CNX’s alarm authority matrix and control philosophy establish limitations for pressure and flow, with continuous monitoring for additional protection. Automation enables us to collect data and identify trends. CNX’s control desk, operated 24/7, can remotely manipulate the water system and shut down waterlines in anomaly flow conditions.

All buried water trunklines installed in 2023 or later are co-located with a fiber-optic line, which can detect line leaks, movement, and digging on or in the area using acoustic and temperature-sensing techniques. The sensors transmit data to a model which interprets the specific activity around the line. Leaks can be sensed as low as 0.25 gallons-per-minute. The data is sent continuously to CNX’s Water Control Desk, where corresponding alerts and alarms are triggered.

REDUCING FRESH WATER USE

CNX blends and recycles water at a variety of locations, providing recycled produced water to our operations for use in drilling and completions, minimizing the need for freshwater. We reuse or recycle more produced water than we produce ourselves by consuming produced water from our peers and reducing the environmental impact of our activities beyond our own footprint. CNX collaborates with other operators in the basin and adjusts our schedule to take advantage of opportunities to share recycled water. In addition to reducing freshwater use, recycling reduces the amount of water disposed via injection wells, turning what has traditionally been a liability into an asset.

H2Ops

During 2023, our team developed an efficient enterprise solution for better tracking and visibility of our water hauling data. The software, known as H2Ops, is proprietary to CNX.

This innovation has helped decrease emissions and costs by highlighting truck wait times, improving fleet management, and reducing hauls and truck idle times. In 2024, CNX plans to implement “slowdown zones” and other safety improvements using geospatial tracking and geofencing. The software will also be used to track solids hauling, starting with waste in the spring of 2024.

“Across the organization, CNX is committed to reducing emissions and improving air and water quality. We recognize clean water is a vital resource in our local communities, and consider supporting research, prevention, and clean water policy—as well as ensuring its equal access for everyone—a key pillar of the CNX Foundation, as well as part of our Appalachia First vision.”

Carrie Crumpton
Vice President of Environmental Strategy with CNX Resources