Long Term Assignment: Due Mon. Feb. 24 name_____________________________________
Read the USGS article: Water Resources and Natural Gas Production from the
Marcellus Shale, then complete questions below.
1. What is the Marcellus Shale?
2. Where is the Marcellus Shale located?
3. When was the Marcellus Shale formed?
4. Why is the Marcellus Shale an important gas resource?
5. Where in the Marcellus Shale is the hydrocarbon found and why is it hard to
extract? (define extract:________________________________________)
5. Explain the process of hydrofracking.
6. How much natural gas have scientists estimate can be extracted from
Marcellus shale?
7. Why does hydrofracking require such large amounts of water?
8. What are some of the concerns of localities about this water requirement?
9. For gas to flow out of the shale, nearly all of the water injected into the well during the
hydrofrac treatment must be recovered and disposed of. Why does this pose such an
environmental problem???? (Read through the article, then explain…. minimum of 3
paragraphs, 3 sentences each.)