New Congressional Report on Hydraulic Fracturing

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE
MINORITY STAFF
APRIL 2011

"CHEMICALS USED IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING"
 

Between 2005 and 2009, the 14 oil and gas service companies [examined] used more than 2,500 hydraulic fracturing products containing 750 chemicals and other components.16 Overall, these companies used 780 million gallons of hydraulic fracturing products in their fluids between 2005 and 2009. This volume does not include water that the companies added to the fluids at the well site before injection. The products are comprised of a wide range of chemicals. Some are seemingly harmless like sodium chloride (salt), gelatin, and citric acid. Others could pose a severe risk to human health or the environment.
 
Chemical Components Appearing Most Often in Hydraulic Fracturing Products Used Between 2005 and 2009

Chemical Component / No. of Products Containing Chemical

Methanol (Methyl alcohol) 342

Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol, Propan-2-ol) 274

Crystalline silica - quartz (SiO2) 207

Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (2-butoxyethanol) 126

Ethylene glycol (1,2-ethanediol) 119

Hydrotreated light petroleum distillates 89

Sodium hydroxide (Caustic soda) 80
 
States with the Highest Volume of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids Containing 2-Butoxyethanol (2005-2009)

State / Fluid Volume (gallons)

Texas 12,031,734

Oklahoma 2,186,613

New Mexico 1,871,501

Colorado 1,147,614

Louisiana 890,068

Pennsylvania 747,416

West Virginia 464,231

Utah 382,874

Montana 362,497

Arkansas 348,959