Efectos de la estimulación hidráulica (fracking) en el recurso hí- drico: Implicaciones en el contexto colombiano

Abstract

The contribution of shale gas extraction to energy sustainability has been evaluated independently regardless of its relation with water security and its impacts on water sources. For this reason, in the present investigation, we carried out an analysis of these impacts through a bibliographical review of national and international references. Although the analysis made suggests two fundamental aspects: 1) impacts on the water resource associated to the quantity and quality of this and 2) seismic effects or induced seismicity, this research focuses mainly on the first. The results of this review demonstrate a growing increase in research on the impact of fracking; however, it was found that there are deficiencies in the use of numerical models to quantify the environmental effects. Also, the results show that the consumption associated with hydraulic stimulation does not seem to be significant compared to typical uses in other economic practices such as agriculture (irrigation). In this context, in the Colombian context, the challenges are based on consolidating a better network of piezometric information and, in general, a more robust monitoring system to improve decision making regarding fracking, since this type of information represents the first step towards the construction of hydrogeological models that support the risk evaluation and contribute to the reduction of the vulnerability of the water resource in the development of projects of exploitation of shale gas.