Water shortages could hinder fracking

The study said shale resources are unevenly distributed worldwide and are mostly not located where freshwater is abundant.

The WRI research found that 38% of shale resources are in areas that are either arid or under high levels of water stress (where the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period).

In the UK, 34% of shale ‘plays’ face high water stress or arid conditions. In China, the figure is 61% and in Argentina, 72%.

The report’s key findings include:

• Eight of the 20 countries with the largest shale gas resources face arid conditions or high to extremely high baseline water stress where the shale resources are located; this includes China, Algeria, Mexico, South Africa, Libya, Pakistan, Egypt, and India.
• 386 million people live on the land over shale plays, and in 40% of them, irrigated agriculture is the largest water user – so drilling and hydraulic fracturing would compete with other demands for freshwater.
• Hydrological conditions vary spatially and seasonally across shale plays – so the ability to meet freshwater demands for fracking is highly unpredictable. Public concern over increased competition and impacts on freshwater availability could threaten a company’s social license to operate.

The WRI report concluded: “Companies developing shale resources internationally are likely to face serious challenges to accessing freshwater in many parts of the world.

“These challenges highlight a strong business case for strategic company engagement in sustainable water management at local and regional levels. They also point to a need for companies to work with governments and other sectors to minimize environmental impacts and water resources depletion.”