NIOSHFieldEfforttoAssessChemical ExposuresinOilandGasWorkers:Health HazardsinHydraulicFracturing
Eric J. Esswein Michael Breitenstein John Snawder
Disclaimer:ThefindingsandconclusionsinthispresentationhavenotbeenformallydisseminatedbyNIOSH andshouldnotbeconstruedtorepresentanyagencydeterminationorpolicy.
Why?
1. NIOSHO&GSafety&HealthProgram 2. Lackofinformation:diversity,magnitudeof potentialchemicalexposurestoworkers 3. Unknowns:workpractices,products,formulations, equipment,wherechemicalexposuresmostlikely tooccur 4. EmphasisO&G,H&S:S &h 5. Betterunderstandtheh aspectsofO&G
Websearch:NIOSHFieldEffort,OilandGas
How?
1. Developpartnershipswithoilandgasindustry
5currentMOUs(Producers&Contractors)
2. Reviewworkprocesses
11sites,5states,4seasons,varyingclimates,elev.
3. Identifypotentialchemicalhazards 4. Characterizerisksforexposure
exposureassessments
5. Evaluatesignificanceofrisks,developcontrols 6. Communicatefindings
PotentialChemicalExposures
Silica Dieselparticulate Volatileorganiccompounds(NBTEX) Hydrogensulfide(H2S) Acidgases(HCL) Aldehydes(biocides) Metals(Pb)
Notaninclusivelist
20102011FieldWork
11sites,5states CO(7sites),AR,PA,TX,ND Winter,spring,summerandfall
30113F
Elevation:246 4,813ft. Singlestagerefracs,multistage,zipperfracs Slickwater&gel Silica,resincoatedandceramic
Baaken
EagleFord
HydrogenSulfide(H2S)
PEL:20ppm(C)50ppm (1xper8hr.shift) NIOSH:10ppm(C)100 ppmIDLH TLV:1ppm,5ppm (STEL)
Flowbackoperations,pitaeration
Volatileorganiccompounds(VOCs) Napthalene,benzene,toluene,ethylbenzene,xylenes(NBTEX)
RealtimeVOCsatflowbackpond
Dieselparticulate (DPM)
Photo: courtesy of Jeff Swenson, for the NY Times
Photo: courtesy of Jeff Swensen, NY Times
Dieselparticulate(DPM)
Midday: Daytime
Early morning
RealtimeDPMtrends,risks
DJBasin,2011
13PBZsamples,3/13(23%)> 20g/m3timeweighted average 4samples(2PBZ,2area)>40 g/m3 TWA
Chemicals
Chemicalstransported,containedonsiteintotes,carboys,etc.
AirborneAldehydes
Groundlevelnearfrac tank:<0.2ppm(<0.82mg/m3) Topfrac tankopening:0.21ppm(0.85mg/m3)* Headspace:0.44ppm(1.76mg/m3)
*NIOSHRecommendedExposureLimit(REL)glutaraldehyde=0.2ppm (0.8mg/m3)ceiling
Silica(Quartz)
Silicon(Si)anelement SiO2 (silicondioxide=silica,quartz) Respirablecrystallinesilica(finedusts) ExposuresregulatedbyOSHA Silicosis,lungcancer Occupationalhazardofantiquity 200workersdeathsperyearU.S.
SEMimagecourtesy: GeoffPlumlee,Ph.D.,HeatherLowers,MS,USGS2011
Sanduse
Completions(hydraulicfracturing) Upto4Mlbs.perwell Proppant Variousshapesandsizes Virtually100%silica
SandRespirableSilica(Quartz)
SEMimagecourtesy:GeoffPlumlee,Ph.D.,HeatherLowers,MS,USGS2011
Whyissilicaanoccupationalhealthhazard?
Silicosis OccupationalCarcinogen Incurable Irreversible Progressive
Photo:ValVallyathan,Ph.D.NIOSH
Wherecanexposuresoccur?
Cementingjobs
Ifyoucanseesilicacontaining dustintheair,exposurescanbeahealthrisk
Duringallsandmovingoperations
Sandmover
Sandrefilltruck Blenderhopper Dragonstail
RespirableDustcontainingSilica(Quartz)
Refillhose
Sandtruckrefillingsandmover,pressurizationofsandmovercausesdust tobereleasedfromthiefhatches
Duringloadingoperations
Hotloading
Hotloading,sandtransferoperations
Pressurizationofsandmovercausesdusttobeejectedfromfillnozzles
Sandfillnozzles
Whensilicacontainingdustsarevisible,workplaceoverexposuresarelikely
Sandtransferoperations silica
Sandmover
Transferbelt
Operator Exposure 27XPEL
Multiplesandmoversdeliveringsandtotransferbelt, increasedsandhandlingmeansincreasedairbornedusts
Sandtransferoperations silica
Sandmover
Multiplesandmoversdeliveringsandtotransferbelt,visibledustssuggests workplaceexposurerisksforRCS
Not moving sand Notmovingsand
Operating
OccupationalExposureCriteria
RespirabledustcontainingSilica(Quartz)
ACGIHTLV:0.025mg/m3 TWA NIOSHREL:0.05mg/m3TWA OSHA:10mg/m3Resp.dustdustcontainingsilica
(%silica+2)
TLV=Amer.Conf.ofGovtIndustrialHygienists,ThresholdLimitValue REL=NIOSHRecommendedExposureLimit PEL=OSHAPermissibleExposureLimit TWA=Timeweightedaverage
Howmuchrespirablecrystallinesilica istheNIOSHREL?
500micrograms(gs) NIOSHREL=0.05mg/m3 TWA 0.05mg/m3=50micrograms(g) mg/m3 500micrograms 1m3 ofair=1,000liters Normalbreathingrate(moderate work,1workday)=10m3(10,000 litersofair) 50microgramsx10m3 =500gs
Photo:GeoffPlumlee,USGS
SilicaExposures,hydraulicfracturing
DJBasin,CO(6sites,3days) 21PBZsamples
43%(9/21)>OSHAPEL 71%(15/21)>NIOSHREL
Fayettevilleshale,Arkansas (1site,3days) 26PBZsamples
46%(12/26)>OSHAPEL 81%(21/26)>NIOSHREL
2samples>20,29XPEL 2samples89,137XREL
Dust:1777%quartz
31%(8/26)>10XNIOSHREL
15 66timesREL Dust:36100%quartz
Singlewell,eachsite Nohotloading, Winter,moderatewind
Hotloadingoccurring Spring Calmwinds(13mph)w
PBZ=personalbreathingzonesample
SilicaExposures,hydraulicfracturing
Marcellusshale,PA(1site,3 days) 27PBZsamples
67%(18/27)>OSHAPEL 92.6%(25/27)>NIOSHREL
DJBasin,CO(1site,3days) 18PBZsamples
61.1%(11/18)>OSHAPEL 94.4%(17/18)>NIOSHREL
55%(15/27)>10XNIOSHREL
21,24,30timesREL dust3088%quartz
44.4%(8/18)>10XNIOSH REL
1344timesNIOSHREL
Hotloading,multiplewells Dustysiteconditions Summer,calmwinds(15 mph)winds
Hotloading Dustysiteconditions Summer,gustywinds(57 mph)winds
SilicaExposures,hydraulicfracturing
Baakenformation,ND(1sites,3 EagleFordShale,TX(1sites,3 days) days) d8 PBZsamples 11PBZsamples
0%(11/11)>OSHAPEL 82%(9/11)>NIOSHREL
50%(4/8)>OSHAPEL 62.5%(5/8)>NIOSHREL
0>10XNIOSHREL 58%ceramicproppant Lesshotloading Thiefhatcheskeptclosed Latesummer
1sample>10XOSHAPEL Dust3065%quartz Hotloading Thiefhatcheskeptclosed NoworkersatopSandmasters Latesummer Constantwinds s
11Sitevisits,116PBZsamplesforsilica
54/116(47%)>OSHAPEL 92/116(79%)>NIOSHREL 36/116(31%)>10XNIOSHREL
PEL=OSHAPermissibleExposureLimit REL=NIOSHRecommendedExposureLimit
7Primarydustgenerationpoints
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Releasefromtophatches,sandmovers Transferbeltundersandmovers Sitetraffic Sanddroppinginblenderhopper ReleasefromTbeltoperations Releasefromdragonstail Dustejectedfromfillportsonsandmovers
Controlofdustgeneration
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. PreventionthroughDesign(PtD) Remoteoperations Substitution(ceramicvs.sand) Minibahouse,screwaugurassemblies Passiveenclosures
Stilling(staging)curtains
Minimizedistancethatsandfalls Endcapsonfillnozzles Amendedwater Effectiverespiratoryprotectionprogram
ProposedControls
NIOSHMinibaghouseretrofitassembly
ProposedControls
NIOSHscrewaugurretrofitassembly
Conclusions
Respirablecrystallinesilica:occupationalhealthhazard Dieselparticulate:likelyhealthhazard Silicaexposures>MUCforhalfmaskandFFrespirators numerouspointsourcesofdustgeneration PPE:workersnotcleanshaven Simplecontrols: capsonnozzles,dustcontrolforworksite,closethief hatches,shave Moreinvolved: developmentofNIOSHcontrols,reconfigurationofsand movers. PreventionthroughDesign(PtD)
MUC=maximumuseconcentration
NIOSHFieldEfforttoAssessChemical ExposureRiskstoOilandGasWorkers
Contacts: EricEsswein,MSPH,CIH NIOSHWesternStatesOffice (303)[email protected] MichaelBreitenstein, NIOSHDivisionofAppliedResearchandTechnology,Cincinnati,OH (513)[email protected] JohnSnawder,Ph.D.DABT,NIOSHDivisionofAppliedResearchand Technology,Cincinnati,OH (513)[email protected]
