View in EDS

Targeted sampling reveals localized brine signals without evidence of regional water quality impacts from unconventional oil and gas development.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Targeted sampling reveals localized brine signals without evidence of regional water quality impacts from unconventional oil and gas development.
Authors: Su, Jianfeng1 (AUTHOR) jsu124@syr.edu, Williams, Lara2 (AUTHOR), Fenske, Allison3 (AUTHOR), Shaheen, Samuel W.2,4 (AUTHOR), Brantley, Susan L.2,5 (AUTHOR), Forsythe, Brandon2 (AUTHOR), Warner, Nathaniel R.3 (AUTHOR), Baka, Jennifer5,6 (AUTHOR), Wen, Tao1 (AUTHOR) twen08@syr.edu
Source: Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts. Jul2026, Vol. 28 Issue 7, p1927-1940. 14p.
Subject Terms: *Groundwater quality, *Salinity, *Hydrogeology, *Shale, *Water sampling, *Water pollution, *Ecological impact, Petroleum production
Geographic Terms: Pennsylvania, Marcellus Shale
Abstract: Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) in the Marcellus Shale of southwestern Pennsylvania has raised persistent concerns regarding groundwater quality. Previous work identified potential regional associations between UOGD activity and elevated salinity in heavily drilled counties based on samples collected between 2008 and 2018. Here, we collected 97 water samples from private wells, springs, and streams in 2024 to evaluate whether such associations persist and to assess whether impacts, if present, are regional or highly localized. Sampling targeted previously identified chloride hotspots, decommissioned wastewater impoundments, and recent spills, with comparisons to control locations. Major ions, trace metals, dissolved gases, isotopes, and organic compounds were analyzed and compared with drinking water standards, historical datasets, and proximity to UOGD features while accounting for geologic, hydrogeologic, and topographic controls. Most samples met drinking-water standards, and statistical comparisons revealed no robust regional differences between treatment and control samples after Benjamini–Hochberg correction. Fixed-effects models showed no evidence of widespread groundwater degradation attributable to UOGD. Among spill sites sampled, only one groundwater sample exhibited elevated salinity and brine-associated constituents. Geochemical, isotopic, and topographic evidence suggests this anomaly reflects localized influence from produced water or natural Appalachian Basin brine migrating along deeper flow paths rather than surface transport. Our results indicate that contamination patterns are best explained by highly localized rather than region-wide problems, consistent with rare and localized detectable impacts within the targeted sampling framework used here and highlighting challenges in defining appropriate controls given hydrogeologic heterogeneity. This work emphasizes combining regional screening with targeted, hydrogeology-informed monitoring to assess UOGD-related groundwater contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts is the property of Royal Society of Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 195546664
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Targeted sampling reveals localized brine signals without evidence of regional water quality impacts from unconventional oil and gas development.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Su%2C+Jianfeng%22">Su, Jianfeng</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jsu124@syr.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Williams%2C+Lara%22">Williams, Lara</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fenske%2C+Allison%22">Fenske, Allison</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shaheen%2C+Samuel+W%2E%22">Shaheen, Samuel W.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brantley%2C+Susan+L%2E%22">Brantley, Susan L.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Forsythe%2C+Brandon%22">Forsythe, Brandon</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Warner%2C+Nathaniel+R%2E%22">Warner, Nathaniel R.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Baka%2C+Jennifer%22">Baka, Jennifer</searchLink><relatesTo>5,6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wen%2C+Tao%22">Wen, Tao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> twen08@syr.edu</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Science%3A+Processes+%26+Impacts%22">Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 28 Issue 7, p1927-1940. 14p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Groundwater+quality%22">Groundwater quality</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Salinity%22">Salinity</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hydrogeology%22">Hydrogeology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Shale%22">Shale</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Water+sampling%22">Water sampling</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Water+pollution%22">Water pollution</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecological+impact%22">Ecological impact</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Petroleum+production%22">Petroleum production</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pennsylvania%22">Pennsylvania</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marcellus+Shale%22">Marcellus Shale</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) in the Marcellus Shale of southwestern Pennsylvania has raised persistent concerns regarding groundwater quality. Previous work identified potential regional associations between UOGD activity and elevated salinity in heavily drilled counties based on samples collected between 2008 and 2018. Here, we collected 97 water samples from private wells, springs, and streams in 2024 to evaluate whether such associations persist and to assess whether impacts, if present, are regional or highly localized. Sampling targeted previously identified chloride hotspots, decommissioned wastewater impoundments, and recent spills, with comparisons to control locations. Major ions, trace metals, dissolved gases, isotopes, and organic compounds were analyzed and compared with drinking water standards, historical datasets, and proximity to UOGD features while accounting for geologic, hydrogeologic, and topographic controls. Most samples met drinking-water standards, and statistical comparisons revealed no robust regional differences between treatment and control samples after Benjamini–Hochberg correction. Fixed-effects models showed no evidence of widespread groundwater degradation attributable to UOGD. Among spill sites sampled, only one groundwater sample exhibited elevated salinity and brine-associated constituents. Geochemical, isotopic, and topographic evidence suggests this anomaly reflects localized influence from produced water or natural Appalachian Basin brine migrating along deeper flow paths rather than surface transport. Our results indicate that contamination patterns are best explained by highly localized rather than region-wide problems, consistent with rare and localized detectable impacts within the targeted sampling framework used here and highlighting challenges in defining appropriate controls given hydrogeologic heterogeneity. This work emphasizes combining regional screening with targeted, hydrogeology-informed monitoring to assess UOGD-related groundwater contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts is the property of Royal Society of Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=195546664
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1039/d6em00142d
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 1927
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Groundwater quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Salinity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hydrogeology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Shale
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Water sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Water pollution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ecological impact
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Petroleum production
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pennsylvania
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Marcellus Shale
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Targeted sampling reveals localized brine signals without evidence of regional water quality impacts from unconventional oil and gas development.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Su, Jianfeng
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Williams, Lara
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Fenske, Allison
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Shaheen, Samuel W.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Brantley, Susan L.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Forsythe, Brandon
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Warner, Nathaniel R.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Baka, Jennifer
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wen, Tao
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 20507887
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 28
            – Type: issue
              Value: 7
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
              Type: main
ResultId 1