Water Availability for Energy Development

Paul Ziemkiewicz, PhD

Director

West Virginia Water Research Institute

West Virginia’s Water SupplyMajor River Discharges

(Million Gallons per Day)

• Ohio River at Point Pleasant 48,000

• Kanawha River 9,700

• Monongahela River at Pt. Marion 3,200

• Potomac at Hagerstown MD 2,700

• Little Kanawha at Parkersburg 1,500

• Total 65,100

Major water use in West Virginia in 2004

Mgal/daySurface withdrawals: 4,641Groundwater: 146Total withdrawals: 4,787

Typical water consumption rates for new coal-based energy projects

Energy Development gal/day gal/min

10,000 bpd CTL plant 3.0M 2,100800 MW PC power plant 9.3M 6,50075 MW FBC power plant 0.9M 600

Water requirements for large well completion projects

gallonsOil well frac, vertical: 1.2MOil well frac, horizontal: 3.6M

Task 1. Water Availability And Use

Assessment

• Evaluate water quantity and quality requirements– CTL or power plants– CCS projects– enhanced oil and gas production– renewable energy plants.

• Survey-level characterization of water resources that could support new energy projects: – surface water– conventional groundwater– unconventional groundwater e.g. flooded mine pools.

• Assessments will be based on known information.

Task 2. Resource Base Development

• Identify and characterize surface and groundwater resources across the State inasmuch as they relate to new energy development

• Incorporate this information into a GIS platform available to interested parties.

Task 3. Focus Group Workshops

• A focused workshop will be held to identify water resources and potential users of this information

• Workshops will be targeted to select individuals who have key insight to the respective technology areas

Deliverables

• Assessment of water requirements for new energy facilities and of available water resources

• A strategy for developing a systematic database for water resource information as it relates to new energy development within the State.