Radioactivity in Marcellus Shale

High radiation concentrationsNeed for additional information

Marvin Resnikoff, Ph.D., RWMA

Areal Extent of Marcellus Shale

Devonian Stratigraphy

Depth of Marcellus Shale

Marcellus Thickness in New York

Feet

Marcellus thickness increases from less than 25 feet to 300 feet

Other layers also vary

Beaver Meadows Core

Organic-rich Marcellus layerof varying thickness

• High GR and TOC% in Shale• Low GR and TOC% in Limestone

• 16.5 GAPI = 1 pCi/gram

• 400 GAPI = 24.2 pCi/gram

Reading the Logs

Marcellus Thickness in Pennsylvania

Counties with Marcellus Shale Wells

Fracking

Radioactivity in Marcellus Shale

Drillers know the Marcellus shale horizon by gamma and total organic content logs.

In 1980, USGS measured 17 logs, found up to 83.7 parts per million (ppm) natural U, which is equivalent to 30 pC/g U-238, and 30 pCi/g Ra-226.

Alchemy

The gas industry commissioned Co-Physics, to study rock cuttings from the Marcellus shale formation.

Results: rock cuttings are about background. Numerous problems with that study. Co-Physics measured the rock cuttings given to them. Not an ELAB-certified laboratory.

If rock cuttings are background, where is the radioactivity from the Marcellus formation?

Radium in Brine WaterWell Town County Ra-226 (pCi/L) Ra-228 (pCi/L)Maxwell 1C Caton Steuben 2,472 874

Frost 2 Orange Schuyler 2,647 782

Webster T1 Orange Schuyler 16,030 912

Calabro T1 Orange Schuyler 13,510 929

Maxwell 1C Caton Steuben 7,885 234

Haines 1 Avoca Steuben 0.195 0.428

Haines 2 Avoca Steuben 0.163 0.0286

Carpenter 1 Troupsburg Steuben 5,352 158

Zinck 1 Woodhull Steuben 4,049 826

Schiavone 2 Reading Schuyler 15,140 957

Parker 1 Oxford Chenango 1,779 201

WGI 10 Dix Schuyler 6,125 516

WGI 11 Dix Schuyler 10,160 1,252

Dewatered brine water can also be accepted in municipal landfills

Rock Cutting Shakers

Steuben County Recommendations

1) To avoid Co-Physics issues. Take moist rock cuttings from drill site. Send to ELAB-certified laboratory. Designate EPA protocols for measuring Ra-226 in Chain of Custody form.

2) Set entry monitors for Ra-226 at 5 pCi/g. 3) Follow B&L buffer suggestions.

RESRAD 6.5 Run Assume 2 meters topsoil at Ra-226

concentration 20 pCi/g Dose to adult, 50 years after disposal Default assumptions: 24-hour resident w/garden,

cattle, cow Result (mrem/yr):

Direct gamma: 110 Garden: 169 Meat: 5 Milk: 4 Incidental soil ingest: 3

West East

Marcellus ShaleOatka Creek Gray ShaleCherry Valley LimestoneUnion Springs Black Mudrock

Onondaga Limestone

Strata

Marcellus Cross Section