Oil and Gas Waters Project Active
The primary objective of this project is to provide information on the volume, quality, impacts, and possible uses of water produced during generation and development of energy resources (particularly hydrocarbons) as well as related fluids injected into reservoirs for energy development and associated waste disposal. The purpose of this work is to address scientific and societal questions regarding the linkage between energy development and water resources, and the characteristics and effects of aqueous fluids in hydrocarbon systems.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Mapping protected groundwater adjacent to oil and gas fields, San Joaquin Valley, California
The isometric log-ratio (ilr)-ion plot: A proposed alternative to the Piper diagram
Oil and gas development footprint in the Piceance Basin, western Colorado
Assessment of water and proppant quantities associated with petroleum production from the Bakken and Three Forks Formations, Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota, 2016
Data cleaning methodology for monthly water-to-oil and water-to-gas production ratios in continuous resource assessments
Geochemistry of formation waters from the Wolfcamp and “Cline” shales: Insights into brine origin, reservoir connectivity, and fluid flow in the Permian Basin, USA
A practical guide to the use of major elements, trace elements, and isotopes in compositional data analysis: Applications for deep formation brine geochemistry
Methodology for assessing quantities of water and proppant injection, and water production associated with development of continuous petroleum accumulations
Hydraulic fracturing water use variability in the United States and potential environmental implications
The water-energy nexus: an earth science perspective
USGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development
Delineation of brine contamination in and near the East Poplar oil field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, northeastern Montana, 2004-09
- Overview
The primary objective of this project is to provide information on the volume, quality, impacts, and possible uses of water produced during generation and development of energy resources (particularly hydrocarbons) as well as related fluids injected into reservoirs for energy development and associated waste disposal. The purpose of this work is to address scientific and societal questions regarding the linkage between energy development and water resources, and the characteristics and effects of aqueous fluids in hydrocarbon systems.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 28Mapping protected groundwater adjacent to oil and gas fields, San Joaquin Valley, California
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys are a major component of a regional study of groundwater quality adjacent to oil and gas fields in the San Joaquin Valley of California, USA. AEM resistivity models are being used to delineate groundwater salinity in an effort to locate groundwater adjacent to oil and gas fields that could have future beneficial use. AEM models are also being used to improveAuthorsLyndsay B. Ball, Janice M. Gillespie, Burke Minsley, Tracy Davis, Matthew K. LandonThe isometric log-ratio (ilr)-ion plot: A proposed alternative to the Piper diagram
The Piper diagram has been a staple for the analysis of water chemistry data since its introduction in 1944. It was conceived to be a method for water classification, determination of potential water mixing between end-members, and to aid in the identification of chemical reactions controlling a sample set. This study uses the information gleaned over the years since the release of the Piper diagrAuthorsJenna L. Shelton, Mark A. Engle, Antonella Buccianti, Madalyn S. BlondesOil and gas development footprint in the Piceance Basin, western Colorado
Understanding long-term implications of energy development on ecosystem functionrequires establishing regional datasets to quantify past development and determine relationships to predict future development. The Piceance Basin in western Colorado has a history of energy production and development is expected to continue into the foreseeable future due to abundant natural gas resources. To facilitaAuthorsCericia D. Martinez, Todd M. PrestonAssessment of water and proppant quantities associated with petroleum production from the Bakken and Three Forks Formations, Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota, 2016
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed an assessment of water and proppant requirements and water production associated with the possible future production of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Three Forks and Bakken Formations (Late Devonian to Early Mississippian) of the Williston Basin Province in Montana and North Dakota. This water and proppant assessment is directly linked toAuthorsSeth S. Haines, Brian A. Varela, Sarah J. Hawkins, Nicholas J. Gianoutsos, Joanna N. Thamke, Mark A. Engle, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Christopher J. Schenk, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Kristen R. Marra, Scott A. Kinney, Tracey J. Mercier, Cericia D. MartinezData cleaning methodology for monthly water-to-oil and water-to-gas production ratios in continuous resource assessments
Petroleum production data are usually stored in a format that makes it easy to determine the year and month production started, if there are any breaks, and when production ends. However, in some cases, you may want to compare production runs where the start of production for all wells starts at month one regardless of the year the wells started producing. This report describes the JAVA program thAuthorsBrian A. Varela, Seth S. Haines, Nicholas J. GianoutsosGeochemistry of formation waters from the Wolfcamp and “Cline” shales: Insights into brine origin, reservoir connectivity, and fluid flow in the Permian Basin, USA
Despite being one of the most important oil producing provinces in the United States, information on basinal hydrogeology and fluid flow in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico is lacking. The source and geochemistry of brines from the basin were investigated (Ordovician- to Guadalupian-age reservoirs) by combining previously published data from conventional reservoirs with geochemical resulAuthorsMark A. Engle, Francisco R. Reyes, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem, Ma Lin, Adam J. Ianno, Tiffani M. Westphal, Pei Xu, Kenneth C. CarrollA practical guide to the use of major elements, trace elements, and isotopes in compositional data analysis: Applications for deep formation brine geochemistry
In the geosciences, isotopic ratios and trace element concentrations are often used along with major element concentrations to help determine sources of and processes affecting geochemical variation. Compositional Data Analysis (CoDA) is a set of tools, generally attuned to major element data, concerned with the proper statistical treatment and removal of spurious correlations from compositional dAuthorsMadalyn S. Blondes, Mark A. Engle, Nicholas GeboyMethodology for assessing quantities of water and proppant injection, and water production associated with development of continuous petroleum accumulations
The quantities of water and hydraulic fracturing proppant required for producing petroleum (oil, gas, and natural gas liquids) from continuous accumulations, and the quantities of water extracted during petroleum production, can be quantitatively assessed using a probabilistic approach. The water and proppant assessment methodology builds on the U.S. Geological Survey methodology for quantitativeAuthorsSeth S. HainesHydraulic fracturing water use variability in the United States and potential environmental implications
Until now, up-to-date, comprehensive, spatial, national-scale data on hydraulic fracturing water volumes have been lacking. Water volumes used (injected) to hydraulically fracture over 263,859 oil and gas wells drilled between 2000 and 2014 were compiled and used to create the first U.S. map of hydraulic fracturing water use. Although median annual volumes of 15,275 m3 and 19,425 m3 of water per wAuthorsTanya J. Gallegos, Brian A. Varela, Seth S. Haines, Mark A. EngleThe water-energy nexus: an earth science perspective
Water availability and use are closely connected with energy development and use. Water cannot be delivered to homes, businesses, and industries without energy, and most forms of energy development require large amounts of water. The United States faces two significant and sometimes competing challenges: to provide sustainable supplies of freshwater for humans and ecosystems and to ensure adequateAuthorsRichard W. Healy, William M. Alley, Mark A. Engle, Peter B. McMahon, Jerad D. BalesUSGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development
Significant quantities of water are present in hydrocarbon reservoirs. When brought to the land surface during oil, gas, and coalbed methane production, the water—either naturally occurring or injected as a method to enhance production—is termed produced water. Produced water is currently managed through processes such as recycling, treatment and discharge, spreading on roads, evaporation or infilAuthorsMark A. Engle, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Bruce D. SmithDelineation of brine contamination in and near the East Poplar oil field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, northeastern Montana, 2004-09
The extent of brine contamination in the shallow aquifers in and near the East Poplar oil field is as much as 17.9 square miles and appears to be present throughout the entire saturated zone in contaminated areas. The brine contamination affects 15–37 billion gallons of groundwater. Brine contamination in the shallow aquifers east of the Poplar River generally moves to the southwest toward the rivAuthorsJoanna N. Thamke, Bruce D. Smith - Web Tools