featureenvironmental protection

Chevron uses several measures to protect groundwater during hydraulic fracturing and over the decades-long life of the well in the Marcellus Shale.

Prior to drilling, we test neighboring freshwater resources, including nearby groundwater wells, to establish a baseline for the water quality. Then after drilling, we plan a series of water samplings to continue to monitor water quality.

During well construction, we install layers of steel casing and cement to form multiple barriers between the well and groundwater. We invest in high-quality casing designed for decades of service, and we surround the casing with cement for additional protection.

Chevron works to reduce the potential impact we have on surface land during development and for the long term. We have engineered innovative solutions to reduce our land footprint in the Marcellus region.

We have phased out the use of open, lined water storage pits and replaced them with water storage tanks to reduce the size of temporary drilling and completion sites. They also reduce the amount of time land is under construction—tank assembly can range from a few days to a few weeks compared with three months to dig and line storage pits. This reduces the possibility of habitat disruption and the amount of acreage to reclaim.

As part of our commitment to protect air quality, we design, construct and operate our wells to minimize emissions.

Our drilling rig fleet in the Marcellus includes drilling rigs that run on natural gas for lower air emissions. The rigs also allow the drilling of longer laterals, which requires fewer pads and less time at each location than previous rigs. This results in a smaller physical and carbon footprint.

We reduce the potential for releases by using high-quality production pipe. We also verify the integrity of our wells and production equipment with regular inspections and tests on all safety control equipment to confirm they are working properly.