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  Interpretive/Consulting Services - experience and expertise in gas and groundwater geochemistry
  
  • Fred has more than 30 years of experience as a geologist, and 25 years of experience investigating more than 300 reported incidents of stray gas migration. He is an experienced investigator, and researcher who has helped pioneer the application and advancement of isotope geochemistry to identify and distinguish the origin of different microbial and thermogenic gases in the Appalachian Basin. Fred was the lead author for Pennsylvania's Oil & Gas regulations (25 PA. CODE CH. 78, §78,89) for stray gas incident response, the Marcellus Shale Coalition's technical guidance for stray gas investigations, and co-author of the first comprehensive manual for investigating and characterizing incidents of stray gas migration: Technical Measures For The Investigation And Mitigation Of Fugitive Methane Hazards In Areas of Coal Mining. Fred has authored and co-authored professional papers for peer reviewed journals on the application of isotope geochemistry since 1997. He has taught and lectured internationally, and at his alma maters, Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh.

  • ECHELON provides interpretive analyses and reports of molecular and isotope geochemistry of methane and other alkane gases to identify gas origin and focus on specific gas sources. We have developed a comprehensive and efficient methodology for evaluating gas and groundwater geochemistry and other investigative data. Our process has proven consistently successful to interpret high value data and define complex geochemical interactions to quickly focus the investigation to identify gas origin and potential gas sources. Gas and groundwater geochemistry are synthesized and interpreted to determine gas origin, thermal maturity, mixing, and secondary processes including contemporaneous mixing, oxidation and diffusion fractionation.

  • ECHELON combines strontium (Sr) isotopic data with major and trace element geochemistry to characterize groundwater, surface water, and produced water from various fossil fuel sources. Natural Sr isotope composition can be a sensitive tool in the understanding of complex groundwater interactions and can be used to distinguish between inputs from deep and shallow contamination sources, as well as between groundwater and mineralogically similar but stratigraphically distinct rock units. ECHELON applies Sr isotopes to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources of major elements, as well as the effects of mixing water from different sources.

  • Additional services include:

    • Sample acquisition for molecular & isotopic analyses.
    • Analyses, interpretation, and data base management of pre-drill and post-drill samples for molecular and isotopic analyses.
    • Guidance & oversight for site characterization including soil gas and groundwater sampling & monitoring programs.
    • Guidance & oversight for installation of interim and permanent stray gas remediation strategies.
    • Guidance on the development of mudgas sampling programs
    • Data evaluation/processing & interpretations of gas well mudgas geochemistry.
    • Education and training on emergency response preparedness for stray gas migration incidents.
    • Education and training on the application of geochemical data to identify the origin of gases, elements of site characterization, monitoring, and remediation. Training can be tailored to specific client requirements.
    • Litigation support, expert witness testimony.
    • ECHELON is affiliated with professional firms to provide full service for implementation of pre-drill sampling programs, site characterization, mapping, monitoring, and remediation for stray gas migration.
   
 
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