Fracking 'saves water' in Texas

The process of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas as an alternative energy source to coal helps to save water. New research has found that Texas', US, fracking operations help reduce the state's sensitivity to drought by using less water than processes used to create electricity from coal.

Currently Texas generates more electricity every year than any other US state. It has also transitioned from producing coal-derived electricity to use natural shale gas, produced by fracking, as the main energy source. Fracking is a controversial method that has raised objections from several environmental groups but the new research from the University of Texas at Austin has found that it is actually beneficial.

The process of fracking does use a significant amount of water, which is mixed with sand and chemicals and blasted at rock formations to release the shale. Although the process does use a lot of water in the state, researchers found that this consumption is offset by the more efficient use of water compared to coal-derived energy generation.

Researchers estimate that by switching generation to natural shale gas to coal, companies are able to save between 25 and 50 times more water than is used throughout the fracking process. The use of natural gas further helps improve drought resilience by complementing the increase in state wind generation through the provision of 'peaking plants' that don't use water. 

The study suggests that in 2011 the state of Texas would have used another 32 billion gallons of water if coal was used to provide power at all of the natural gas plants, even after considering the water used for the fracking process. This is enough to supply water to around 870,000 residents for the year. 

“The bottom line is that hydraulic fracturing, by boosting natural gas production and moving the state from water-intensive coal technologies, makes our electric power system more drought resilient,” says Bridget Scanlon, senior research scientist at the university’s Bureau of Economic Geology, who led the study.