Chesapeake Energy 2010 Annual Report Download - page 26

26 | ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH & SAFETY
As we explore for and produce clean, affordable, abundant, American
natural gas, we provide an important solution to our nation’s energy
challenges and its quest for energy independence. With at least a 200-
year supply of natural gas located right here in the U.S., this versatile
fuel can be used to not only heat homes, create electricity and meet
America’s transportation needs, but also to fuel the country’s future
by creating jobs and stimulating local and national economies through
investment and taxes.
Environmentally Friendly Operations
At Chesapeake, we realize that the way a great product is produced is
as important as the product itself. For example, we have helped pioneer
the use of multiwell padsites to drill up to 16 wells from a single loca-
tion, greatly reducing our land and road use and overall environmental
footprint. We use the latest horizontal and directional drilling technology
to place wells at a safe distance from homes, schools and businesses. In
addition, we build and maintain access roads and work to eliminate soil
erosion near our sites, as well as restore local vegetation.
We implement advanced, modern protective measures known as Best
Management Practices (BMPs) to help ensure energy development is con-
ducted in an environmentally responsible manner. Procedures are imple-
mented throughout our operations to protect freshwater aquifers and
reduce environmental impacts. BMPs protect wildlife, air quality, water and
landscapes as we work to develop vitally needed domestic energy sources.
Implemented throughout the entire life cycle of a well, BMPs can be
as simple as strategically placing a berm, or land barrier, on locations
to control surface water runoff. Others involve cutting-edge operational
technologies such as utilizing the most advanced techniques offered in
drilling fluids, well casing and cement design. Regardless of complex-
ity, all BMPs are based on the idea that the environmental footprint of
energy development should be as small and temporary as possible.
These practices are continually evolving and further improving as
Chesapeake and the industry develop new innovative techniques and
approaches to business.
In addition to our BMPs, Chesapeake has also initiated several
innovative internal programs focused on water recycling and greener
hydraulic fracturing processes.
Aqua Renew
®
Created to meet the challenge of reducing our water usage, Chesapeake’s
Aqua Renew® program uses state-of-the-art technology to recycle pro-
duced water. Since the
company’s preliminary
reclamation project in
2006, our focus on water reuse and conservation has become a company-
wide endeavor, stretching from the Barnett Shale of North Texas to the
Marcellus Shale of northern Pennsylvania.
The Aqua Renew program has yet to find a limit to how much
recycled water could be used without compromising well production.
In fact, our Marcellus Shale operations are treating and recycling virtu-
ally 100% of produced water (more than 10 million gallons per month)
for reuse in our hydraulic fracturing operations. Properly conducted
modern fracking is a highly engineered, controlled, sophisticated and
safe procedure.
With such large volumes of recycled water, the company is see-
ing more than just environmental advantages. We estimate that this
INVESTING IN OUR WORLD
AND OUR PEOPLE »
Green operations — Chesapeake’s Best Management Practices ensure our
operations are as environmentally friendly as possible, while protecting
our employees, neighbors and the areas where we operate.