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)2365946eje1@cdc.gov MichaelBreitenstein, NIOSHDivisionofAppliedResearchandTechnology,Cincinnati,OH (513)5338290mjb1@cdc.gov JohnSnawder,Ph.D.DABT,NIOSHDivisionofAppliedResearchand Technology,Cincinnati,OH (513)5338496jts5@cdc.gov