Potential environmental impacts from techniques to enhance rock permeability

Reservoir engineering is used to achieve and maintain an adequate flow rate for conventional oil and gas operations, as well as geothermal heat and power. Physical and chemical engineering techniques to increase or restore (rock) formation permeability have been widely used for many years. Using literature, experience and expert elicitation this project will improve our understanding of the physical and/or chemical processes involved with techniques to enhance rock permeability and identify potential environmental impacts by: a) Provide detailed technical definitions of hydraulic fracturing and other physical and chemical techniques to enhance rock permeability. b) Provide a summary of techniques for enhancing rock permeability (for oil/gas/geothermal/other industries) that are, or could be, used in England, including the quantity and composition of any injected fluids, pressures and repeated treatments and surface infrastructure and activities. c) Assess the possible impacts of these techniques on the target and surrounding rock, fate of injected fluids (including by-products of fluid-rock interactions) and identify potential environmental risks.

Additional information: To apply please respond to the attached Invitation to Quote and associated documents. Email your response and/or questions to sian.loveless@environment-agency.gov.uk. Tenders to be received no later than 17:30 on September 1st 2021.