1. Political Backdrop As non-geologists and seeming without Professional Geology consultation individuals make the following types of comments: "We have a very unique geology here," “Fragile limestone beds beneath our soil would not be able to withstand the practice of shooting chemicals into it at high pressure.” "Our geology does not allow for fracking to be done safely." “Our water will be contaminated” “Earthquakes and radiation will be around the corner”

2. Professional Geology in Florida AIPG membership was highly encouraged in the early 1970s in Florida First PG legislation proposed in 1977 Passage of Chapter 492 Florida Statutes in 1987 Mission of PG licensure is to provide and assure knowledgeable individuals contribute to geologic understanding and policy debates over geoscience issues To date, the debate over oil formation stimulation has been dominated by non geoscience individuals

3. Background Since 1943, 718 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) have been produced with conventional methods and no commercial oil has been attributed to hydraulic fracturing efforts attempted at two locations. Fear is focused on water quality issues imported from other geologic settings where development water is hard to come by often requiring trucking and harder still to dispose of produced water. A typical conventional well uses less than 10 million gallons from wells on location for installation Class II UIC wells are available for disposal. Pressure leaks to the surface are envisioned from zones where static fluid levels from formation zones are a mile or more beneath the surface.

4. Well Cleanup versus Hydraulic Stimulation in Florida Wells Wells drilled in carbonate rocks create lime mud that forms a wall cake in the well; bore and importantly in the producing zone Well clean up or “conditioning” has been used on all Florida wells to date includes flushing with 15-30% HCL and swabbing to clear and dissolve the wall cake Once conditioned, the oil well (or water well) produces freely by pumping In the acid-base reaction the acid solution is neutralized quickly to form water as it dissolves the base material (lime mud) The amount of acid for this operation is three or four tankers (8,000 gallons each) Fluids are removed from the well and placed down a Class II Underground Injection Control well permitted by EPA and the FDEP

5. Water Used for Drilling Floridan Aquifer is the source Water supply wells are drilled at oil well site – Industrial use water does not need to be potable – Usually two wells of 600 gpm each – Source can be beneath drinking water zone – Duration of use is 45-60 days Consumptive use permits are for 1 million gallons per day A typical oil well uses 5-6 million gallons

6. Drinking Water Protection Drinking water is from the uppermost portion of the Floridan Aquifer Below about 500 feet (still in the Flordian) the water is brackish Below 2,300 feet (still in the Floridan) the salinity exceeds seawater

7. Oil Well Fluids Production Producing oil wells in Florida and most other geographic areas also bring connate formation water to the surface --- called “formation water” In the Sunniland Trend of south Florida wells are pumped at a rate of 1,500-3,000 barrels of fluids per day 90-95% of the fluids are concentrated saltwater and 5-10% is oil The oil and water is separated with the oil being sold and the water returned to the subsurface

8. Florida Oil Production Sunniland limestone oil in the South Florida Basin is recovered by pumps Smackover limestone and Norphlet sandstone in the Conecuh Embayment of West Florida and the Apalachicola Embayment of the Panhandle is recovered by gas drive and pumping 741 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) all produced by conventional methods 460 total producing wells 1943 to date Two attempts in Florida to stimulate with pressure and acid failed – The 2013 failed attempt in Collier County created the popular story line that all wells will be “fracked” in the future; – Exxon tried to stimulate a well in Jay Field in 2003 that failed We live in “conventional formation” basins: from the geologic setting situation so hydraulic stimulation is not the recovery method of to use

9. Geoscience Fear Issue #1: Mystery Chemicals Used Hydraulic fracturing has been discussed in a recent EPA review Chemicals used are listed with the majority by volume being: – Fresh water – Gelling agent – Biocides – Other chemicals

10. Geoscience Fear Issue #2: Floridan Aquifer Contamination (from drilling and stimulation) Water of drinking quality is from the upper few hundred feet of the aquifer (SAS) Within the USDW in the middle and lower Floridan Aquifer System, naturally occurring dissolved solids increase to the 10,000 mg/l level at depths of 1,200 to 2,000 feet BLS Fears that hydraulic pressure will force contaminants into the aquifer Steel well casing and annular cement prevents migration -- Static reservoir pressure levels are a mile beneath USDW

11. Geoscience Fear Issue #3: Floridan Aquifer Contamination (injection fluids) Injection of oilfield waste fluids is in to Class II UIC wells regulated by EPA and FDEP (43 permitted in Florida) Receiving zone is the vuggy, karstic Boulder Zone interval (2,300-3,600 feet bls) Within the LFA the Boulder Zone >34,000 TDS is beneath a thick anhydrite confining layer

12. Geoscience Fear Issue #4: Earthquakes Florida is not earthquake active The are no active faults that could be impacted by fluid injection and cause tremblors (mild quakes) In earthquake prone areas like California or Oklahoma injected fluids are associated with tremblors