Impact of Shale Gas Exploration and Exploitation Activities on the Quality of Ambient Air—The Case Study of Wysin, Poland

Abstract

The continuous two-year monitoring of a set of air pollutants, as well as gases directly related to shale gas exploration processes (methane, non-methane hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide), was carried out at Stary Wiec village in the vicinity (1100 m) of the shale gas wells area in Wysin (Pomeranian voivodeship, north of Poland), covering the stages of preparation, drilling, hydrofracturing and closing of wells. The results of analysis of air pollution data from Stary Wiec and nearby urban and rural stations, over the period 2012–2017 (starting three years before preparations for hydraulic fracturing) indicated that Stary Wiec represents a clean rural environment with an average concentration of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and particulate matter that is one of the lowest in the Pomeranian region. The aim of this study was to explore the range of potential impact of shale gas exploration on local ambient air quality. Analysis of dependence of the concentration level of pollutants on the wind direction indicated that during the drilling period, when the air was coming directly from the area of the wells, nitrogen oxide concentration increased by 13%. Increases of concentration during the hydro-fracturing period, recorded at the Stary Wiec station, were equal to 108%, 21%, 18%, 12%, 7%, 4%, 1% for nitrogen oxide, non-methane hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, carbon dioxide and methane. The results of one-minute concentration values for the period 1–4 September 2016 showed a series of short peaks up to 7.45 ppm for methane and up to 3.03 ppm for non-methane hydrocarbons, being probably the result of operations carried out at the area of the wells.