5.1 Limitations of Guide-This guide is for use by stakeholders involved with collecting, managing, reporting, and delivering data during oil and gas development operations using hydraulic fracturing. Some data collected for operational and business concerns regarding hydraulic fracturing is classified as proprietary and can be classified as such by individual operators based on state regulatory conditions. Accordingly, this guide will not address the collection, management, and reporting of proprietary operator data other than to note that significant benefits may be achieved by narrowing the classification of proprietary data, and standardizing the definition of "proprietary data" between regulators. Regulators' interests in data vary widely based upon a specific agency's charter, statutory/legislative mandates, legacy requirements, and considerations relating to operator compliance. Depending upon jurisdictional boundaries, multiple regulatory agencies generally have statutory responsibilities regarding oil and gas development operations. These agencies properly determine what information will be collected based on agency specific responsibilities. Accordingly, this guide will not address the selection of data elements to be collected by regulatory agencies other than to note that significant efficiencies may be achieved by using integrated or common, interagency, data management processes, protocols, systems, and best practices and by reviewing data collection activities against those of sister agencies to minimize gaps and overlaps.

5.2 Oil and gas development operations include the entire well life cycle, as shown in Fig. 1.

FIG. 1 Phases of Oil and Gas Development Operations Well Life Cycle

5.3 This guide distinguishes the term hydraulic fracturing from oil and gas development operations. Many consider the terms interchangeable. The industry typically refers to hydraulic fracturing as the explicit act of pressurizing a well in a shale formation to fracture that formation and release oil and gas. However, the public commonly views hydraulic fracturing as the life cycle of activities used to extract oil and gas from shale formations, which include the process of hydraulic fracturing those formations. Hydraulic fracturing is a specific method for stimulating horizontal, vertical, or slanted oil and gas wells that typically only lasts a few days, whereas oil and gas development operations could continue for decades and may include multiple hydraulic fracturing events.

5.4 Implementation of Guide-This guide does not prescribe policy actions, but provides technical suggestions data producers and managers should consider when developing or enhancing data management and reporting mechanisms to satisfy the needs of end users and the public. Stakeholders may implement suggestions presented in this guide as a means of aligning data objectives and supporting improved data analysis and processes. Data management and reporting processes should be periodically evaluated and improvements made to address ongoing stakeholder requirements and needs.

5.5 Data reported to the public should be relevant, timely, accessible, accurate, and verifiable. Unfortunately, in some instances, relevant data are not being collected, received, or stored by the regulatory agencies in a form that allows effective and timely access by the public.

5.6 Anticipated Benefits Expected from the Use of This Guide-Increase public information access by providing stakeholders a self-service area or portal to view accurate and consolidated information regarding oil and gas development operations;

5.6.1 More certain and consistent IT planning and decision making for local, state, and federal agencies and other stakeholders;

5.6.2 Publicly accessible, queryable, spatially distributed databases through an interface supplied by each respective agency;

5.6.3 Improved database accuracy, completeness, and QA verifications are in place for publicly accessible data;

5.6.4 Direct and immediate access to designated health-related data for environmental emergency responses and remediation during oil and gas development including construction, maintenance, decommissioning and monitoring data;

5.6.5 Improved environmental and operational data management by regulators through collaborative inter and intra-state data sharing, reducing duplication of efforts through cross-jurisdictional data protocols, exchanges, integrations, and interoperability among stakeholders;

5.6.6 Comprehensive data reporting, and information delivery regarding new, existing, or refractured oil and gas wells for community awareness of potential areas of concern regarding public health safety and welfare;

5.6.7 Direct and timely access to easily queryable data and reporting for state, regional, and national analyses of potential environmental impacts from oil and gas development.

5.6.8 Data sets linked to related research and development studies conducted by other stakeholders (for example, other agencies, related departments, research and academic sources, and industry sources).