In overview FracRisk has integrated the following key elements
1. Assessment of geological data from 7 key shale gas basins across the EU and inclusion of data from America, analysis using a Hydro-Geo-Chemo-Mechanical facies approach.
2. Experimental laboratory investigation program and field data collection for use in construction of conceptual models and ground-truthing of new science concepts within all aspects of the project, particularly mechanical response of rock, geochemistry and development of new mitigation measures.
3. Development of new model concepts and codes for improved understanding of the thermo-hydro-mechanical- and chemical processes involved in hydraulic fracturing. Specific focus on the actual fracturing, the related multiphase flow and transport processes of the released gas and water and on the upscaling of these processes in a hydraulic fracturing environment
4. Use existing and the newly developed codes together with uncertainty assessment tools to model six focused scenarios and to perform risk assessment.
5. Developed and tested a framework for risk assessment to be used both by regulators, industry and public outreach.
6. Development of criteria for appropriate monitoring strategies.
7. Provision of scientific recommendations and a knowledge base for best practices for shale gas development with direct application and relevance to the provision of consistent regulation.
At the core of the project was modelling six focused scenarios, the scenarios are presented in an image accompanying this text. These scenarios formed the focus of the investigation, data collection, modelling effort, monitoring investigation and mitigation strategies.One of the key aspects of FRACRISK was to develop a user-friendly software platform for risk analysis assessment in relation to Shale Gas operations (Development and Production), SG-RBCA. SG-RBCA aims at providing a technically defensible, consistent and objective risk assessment and decision-making framework for operations of shale gas hydraulic fracturing. For implementation in the SG-RBCA platform, we managed to establish a work flow based on advanced forward models which were used to construct surrogate models to reproduce response surfaces of defined output quantities. FracRisk has addressed needs for monitoring and mitigation associated with key events that can potentially arise from shale gas production and wastewater injection. We have reviewed techniques suitable for geophysical monitoring in shale gas, and evaluated enhancement potential of seismic techniques.
FracRisk reviewed legislation and regulatory practices of those member states with significant shale-gas reserves (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Poland, Austria, Hungary and Romania). The main focus of the review has been on how existing legislation recognizes and seeks to control risks arising from uncertainties embedded in the shale-gas industry’s exploration and exploitation practices.
In terms of dissemination our aim was to make project results available to the scientific and general public, the FracRisk website (www.fracrisk.eu) contains details of all our dissemination activities including a widely available film.
