Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing:
CRS Experts
Mary Tiemann
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Michael Ratner
Specialist in Energy Policy
August 24, 2012
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R42677
CRS Report for Congress
Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress
Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing: CRS Experts
Contents
Tables
Table 1. Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources............................................................................. 1
Table 2. Environmental Management and Regulation..................................................................... 2
Contacts
Author Contact Information............................................................................................................. 4
Congressional Research Service
Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing: CRS Experts
he use of hydraulic fracturing—along with advanced drilling methods—has enabled the
production of oil and gas from unconventional (low-permeability) reservoirs that were
T previously inaccessible. This technique is now used on more than 90% of new wells and
has resulted in the marked expansion of estimated U.S. oil and natural gas reserves in recent
years.1 The rapidly expanding use of hydraulic fracturing has drawn congressional attention to a
range of related issues including potential environmental impacts; state and federal regulatory
requirements; implications for domestic oil and gas supplies and energy independence; pipeline
capacity and development; and others. The following tables provide names and contact
information for CRS experts on major issues associated with hydraulic fracturing and
unconventional oil and gas resource development. (See also CRS Report R42667, Oil, Natural
Gas, and Coal: CRS Experts, by Michael Ratner and Brent D. Yacobucci.)
Table 1. Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone
E-mail
Resource Assessment and Production
Shale gas and other
Michael Ratner
7-9529 mratner@crs.loc.gov
unconventional natural gas
Specialist in Energy Policy
resources
Anthony Andrews
7-6843 aandrews@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy and Defense Policy
Tight oil (shale oil and other
Michael Ratner
7-9529 mratner@crs.loc.gov
unconventional oil resources)
Specialist in Energy Policy
Anthony Andrews
7-6843 aandrews@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy and Defense Policy
Carl E. Behrens
7-8303 cbehrens@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Policy
Technical Issues
Geology (oil and gas formations, Peter Folger
7-1517 pfolger@crs.loc.gov
aquifers)
Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources
Policy
Hydraulic fracturing/well
Anthony Andrews
7-6843 aandrews@crs.loc.gov
stimulation processes
Specialist in Energy and Defense Policy
Peter Folger
7-1517 pfolger@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources
Policy
Natural gas flaring
Michael Ratner
7-9529 mratner@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Policy
Oil and gas drilling and
Anthony Andrews
7-6843 aandrews@crs.loc.gov
production processes
Specialist in Energy and Defense Policy
1 Hydraulic fracturing is done after a well is drilled and involves injecting large volumes of water, sand (or other
propping agent), and specialized chemicals under enough pressure to fracture the formations holding the oil or gas. The
sand or other proppant holds the fractures open to allow the oil or gas to flow freely out of the formation and into a
production well. See CRS Report R42333, Marcellus Shale Gas: Development Potential and Water Management
Issues and Laws, by Mary Tiemann et al., and CRS Report R42032, The Bakken Formation: Leading Unconventional
Oil Development, by Michael Ratner et al.
Congressional Research Service
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Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone
E-mail
Peter Folger
7-1517 pfolger@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources
Policy
Pipelines and distribution
Paul Parfomak
7-0030 pparfomak@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy and Infrastructure Policy
Induced seismicity
Peter Folger
7-1517 pfolger@crs.loc.gov
(earthquakes)
Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources
Policy
Wel construction and
Anthony Andrews
7-6843 aandrews@crs.loc.gov
operation
Specialist in Energy and Defense Policy
Peter Folger
7-1517 pfolger@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources
Policy
Markets and Utilization
Consumption
Robert Pirog
7-6847 rpirog@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Economics
Michael Ratner
7-9529 mratner@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Policy
Imports, Exports, and Trade
Michael Ratner
7-9529 mratner@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Policy
International Issues
Michael Ratner
7-9529 mratner@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Policy
Source: Prepared by Congressional Research Service.
Table 2. Environmental Management and Regulation
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone
E-mail
Air Quality
Clean Air Act (CAA): green
Rick Lattanzio
7-1754 rlattanzio@crs.loc.gov
completions, fugitive emissions,
Analyst in Environmental Policy
life cycle analysis
Jim McCarthy
7-7225 jmccarthy@lawdmc.com
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Chemical Disclosure (Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids)
Federal requirements
Mary Tiemann
7-5937 mtiemann@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Legal aspects, state laws
Brandan Murrill
7-8440 bmurrill@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Chemicals/toxicity
Linda Schierow
7-7279 lschierow@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Regulation of Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal Lands
Bureau of Land Management
Anthony Andrews
7-6843 aandrews@crs.loc.gov
(BLM) well construction
Specialist in Energy and Defense Policy
requirements and proposals
Congressional Research Service
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Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone
E-mail
BLM chemical disclosure
Brandon Murrill
7-8440 bmurrill@crs.loc.gov
proposals
Legislative Attorney
BLM water management
Mary Tiemann
7-5937 mtiemann@crs.loc.gov
proposals
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Oil and gas leases (general)
Marc Humphries
7-7264 mhumphies@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Policy
Oil and gas leasing (legal
Adam Vann
7-6978 avann@crs.loc.gov
aspects)
Legislative Attorney
National Environmental Policy
Linda Luther
7-6852 lluther@crs.loc.gov
Act (NEPA)
Analyst in Environmental Policy
National Environmental Policy
Kristina Alexander
7-8597 kalexander@crs.loc.gov
Act (NEPA) (legal aspects)
Legislative Attorney
Water Quality and Wastewater Management
Clean Water Act (CWA),
Claudia Copeland
7-7227 ccopeland@crs.loc.gov
surface water discharges,
Specialist in Resources and Environmental
flowback and produced water
Policy
treatment
Safe Drinking Water Act
Mary Tiemann
7-5937 mtiemann@crs.loc.gov
(SDWA), protection of drinking
Specialist in Environmental Policy
water and ground water
Underground Injection Control
Mary Tiemann
7-5937 mtiemann@crs.loc.gov
(UIC) program: wastewater
Specialist in Environmental Policy
disposal by injection wells, use
of diesel fuels in fracturing fluid
Legal aspects
Robert Meltz
7-7891 rmeltz@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Water Resources
Water requirements
Nicole Carter
7-0854 ncarter@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Wastewater recycling (flowback Nicole Carter
7-0854 ncarter@crs.loc.gov
and produced water)
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Water rights and allocation,
Cynthia Brougher
7-9121 cbrougher@crs.loc.gov
water law
Legislative Attorney
Interstate water compacts
Cynthia Brougher
7-9121 cbrougher@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Hazardous Substance Releases
“Superfund” (Comprehensive
David Bearden
7-2390 dbearden@crs.loc.gov
Environmental Response,
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Compensation, and Liability Act,
or CERCLA), release
investigation and response
Source: Prepared by Congressional Research Service.
Congressional Research Service
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Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing: CRS Experts
Author Contact Information
Mary Tiemann
Michael Ratner
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Specialist in Energy Policy
mtiemann@crs.loc.gov, 7-5937
mratner@crs.loc.gov, 7-9529
Congressional Research Service
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