Daniel Torney
Environ Corporation

Daniel Tormey is an expert on energy and water at Environ Corp. He studies the environmental aspects of all types of energy development, with an emphasis on oil and gas. He has participated in assignments in onshore, offshore, near shore, estuarine, riverine, and glacial environments in many countries. Tormey holds a BS in civil engineering and geology from Stanford University and a PhD in geology and geochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Abstract: The well completion process of high-volume hydraulic fracturing has become a touchstone for opposition to the development of oil and gas resources from shale source rocks. Although the development of shale gas and oil has brought substantial economic, geopolitical, and climate change benefits to the United States, hydraulic fracturing has displaced global climate change as the most controversial environmental policy issue. This presentation includes a peer-reviewed study that quantifies the effects of two specific high-volume hydraulic fracturing jobs in 14 environmental resource categories. The goal was to provide factual information supported by a high-quality data set to guide policy making. None of the measurements detected a change due to hydraulic fracturing, including microseismic effects, ground motion and induced seismicity, water quality, methane migration, community health, well integrity, and fracture containment to the target zone.