VOC Emission Monitoring at Eagle Ford Shale Drill Sites Using Wireless Sensor Network for Understanding Emission Generation and Dispersion

Abstract

With the exploration of the Eagle Ford Shale drill sites, challenges come in disguise. The emission of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may have serious environmental and health impacts. A high level of exposure to VOCs can also happen in high traffic areas and cities having a larger percentage of older vehicles. This paper presents methods used for development of improved understanding of VOC sources and dispersion at hydraulic fracturing sites. A coherent infrastructure is needed to treat sensors and the generated data in an interoperable, platform-independent and uniform way. The composite ambient air total non-methane hydrocarbons (TNMH) levels can be effectively monitored. The authors also integrate a weather station to gather information on wind speed/direction at the fracturing site to build a correlation between the VOC and its dispersion in surrounding air. The ability to efficiently and effectively measure the concentrations of VOCs leads to a better understanding of reducing the VOC imprint and its adverse effect on individuals working at the drill site.