Context Corner Edition 4 – Monitoring the Electric Frac Fleet
Monitoring of Evolution Well Services’ 100% Electric Frac Fleet will begin soon.
January 23, 2024
By Carrie Crumpton, CNX Vice President of Environmental Strategy
As we begin our Radical Transparency effort on the first hydraulic fracturing phase at MOR9, I’ve received several questions about the equipment that is on location during this phase of development; and curiosity is swirling around what we expect to see by way of air quality data.
Hey Carrie, what do you think the data will show when the electric frac fleet starts up?
Well, the short answer is “I’m not sure” because this is the first time we have monitored this phase of development 24/7 under our new Radical Transparency standards. While relatively short in duration from a well development standpoint, hydraulic fracturing is the most energy intensive phase of well development. This phase of development requires an expansive list of equipment, such as high-pressure, high-volume frac pumps, blenders for fluids, and storage tanks and handling equipment for water and sand. But what I am sure of, is that the air quality contributions are significantly lower today than they were prior to 2018, which is when CNX became a first mover in the Appalachian basin and committed to a long-term agreement with Evolution Well Services on a 100 percent electric fracturing fleet. And I am sure that our team, including our partners at Evolution Well Services, stand ready to monitor and respond to the data we see as a result of this real-time initiative.
What does this mean?
Essentially, it means that CNX has already reduced PM2.5 and other air quality contributors significantly since 2018 by replacing diesel engines with Evolution’s reliable electric frac fleet, which utilizes clean-burning natural gas(1) to run a turbine generator package. Evolution’s patented and innovative designs also reduces the footprint of the frac spread, thereby reducing truck traffic required for mobilization and demobilization, and eliminating crane and forklift needs. All these aspects contribute to significant reductions in Particulate Matter (PM) and greenhouse gas emissions. Evolution has been dedicated to understanding the emissions profile for their equipment and have invested significant resources toward researching a wide spectrum of emissions data (actual operating data). Studies show that PM7 (a particle size of 7 microns in diameter) were 90% lower when an electric fleet was used vs. a traditional Tier IV diesel fleet.
CNX will be monitoring and commenting on site activity on our website/data platform as the data comes in. In the meantime, please check out some of the information on the history our partnership with Evolution Well Services at the following links:
“As a first mover with Evolution’s patented technology in Appalachia, CNX showed its commitment finding the optimal way to complete wells with lower emissions, smaller footprint, and highest efficiencies. Evolution Well Services is proud to partner with CNX Resources on 100% electric hydraulic fracturing, and it is exciting to see CNX’s innovative approach to producing natural gas in Appalachia while also committing to be a great neighbor to the local community.” – Nick Ruppelt, COO at Evolution Well Services
1 – According to US EPA’s AP-42: Compilation of Air Emissions Factors from Stationary Sources, natural gas emits 200x less PM than the same heat input as diesel fuel.
More from Context Corner:
