Journal article
Temporal characterization of flowback and produced water quality from a hydraulically fractured oil and gas well
The Science of the total environment, Vol.596-597, pp.369-377
10/15/2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.294
PMID: 28448913
Abstract
This study examined water quality, naturally-occurring radioactive materials (NORM), major ions, trace metals, and well flow data for water used and produced from start-up to operation of an oil and gas producing hydraulically-fractured well (horizontal) in the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin in northeastern Colorado. Analysis was conducted on the groundwater used to make the fracturing fluid, the fracturing fluid itself, and nine flowback/produced water samples over 220days of operation. The chemical oxygen demand of the wastewater produced during operation decreased from 8200 to 2500mg/L, while the total dissolved solids (TDS) increased in this same period from 14,200 to roughly 19,000mg/L. NORM, trace metals, and major ion levels were generally correlated with TDS, and were lower than other shale basins (e.g. Marcellus and Bakken). Although at lower levels, the salinity and its origin appear to be the result of a similar mechanism to that of other shale basins when comparing Cl/Br, Na/Br, and Mg/Br ratios. Volumes of returned wastewater were low, with only 3% of the volume injected (11millionliters) returning as flowback by day 15 and 30% returning by day 220. Low levels of TDS indicate a potentially treatment-amenable wastewater, but low volumes of flowback could limit onsite reuse in the DJ Basin. These results offer insight into the temporal water quality changes in the days and months following flowback, along with considerations and implications for water reuse in future hydraulic fracturing or for environmental discharge.
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•Comparison of ground water, fracturing fluid, flowback, and produced water over time•TDS, metals, and anion data minimally changed over time in this DJ-Basin well.•COD declined overtime and only ~30% of the volume injected returned over the study.•Changing water quality impacts upon treatment and management were described.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Temporal characterization of flowback and produced water quality from a hydraulically fractured oil and gas well
- Creators
- James Rosenblum - Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309, USAAndrew W Nelson - Interdisciplinary Human Toxicology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USABridger Ruyle - Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309, USAMichael K Schultz - Interdisciplinary Human Toxicology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USAJoseph N Ryan - Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309, USAKarl G Linden - Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 607, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Science of the total environment, Vol.596-597, pp.369-377
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.294
- PMID
- 28448913
- NLM abbreviation
- Sci Total Environ
- ISSN
- 0048-9697
- eISSN
- 1879-1026
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Grant note
- name: AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network; DOI: 10.13039/100000001, name: National Science Foundation, award: CBET-1240584
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/15/2017
- Academic Unit
- Radiology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Radiation Oncology
- Record Identifier
- 9984047764702771
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