Evaluation of Well Logs for Determining the Presence of Freshwater, Saltwater, and Gas Above the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York

Recent technological advances in horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing have made the Marcellus Shale the newest gas-development target or play in the northern Appalachian basin. Protection of freshwater aquifers from contamination by saltwater and gas during the development of the Marcellus Shale play is an issue of concern. Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties are in the southwestern part of the Marcellus Shale play in New York and likely will be the focus of drilling early in development of the play in the State. As a preliminary step in understanding and protecting the groundwater resource in the three-county area, logs of water wells in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System and gas wells in the New York State Museum Empire State Oil and Gas Information System were evaluated for the determination of the presence of freshwater, saltwater, and gas above the Marcellus Shale.