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.
How quickly do oil and gas wells “Water Out”? Quantifying and contrasting water production trends
Machine learning approaches to identify lithium concentration in petroleum produced waters
Dissolved organic matter within oil and gas associated wastewaters from U.S. unconventional petroleum plays: Comparisons and consequences for disposal and reuse
Machine learning can assign geologic basin to produced water samples using major ion geochemistry
Insights on geochemical, isotopic, and volumetric compositions of produced water from hydraulically fractured Williston Basin oil wells
Tracing produced water origins from wells hydraulically fractured with freshwater-based fluids is sometimes predicated on assumptions that (1) each geological formation contains compositionally unique brine and (2) produced water from recently hydraulically fractured wells resembles fresher meteoric water more so than produced water from older wells. These assumptions are not valid in Williston Ba
Utica shale play oil and gas brines: Geochemistry and factors influencing wastewater management
The Utica and Marcellus Shale Plays in the Appalachian Basin are the fourth and first largest natural gas producing plays in the United States, respectively. Hydrocarbon production generates large volumes of brine (“produced water”) that must be disposed of, treated, or reused. Though Marcellus brines have been studied extensively, there are few studies from the Utica Shale Play. This study presen
Repetitive sampling and control threshold improve 16S rRNA results from produced waters associated with hydraulically fractured shales
Compositional analysis of formation water geochemistry and microbiology of commercial and carbon dioxide-rich wells in the southwestern United States
Organic compounds in produced waters from the Bakken Formation and Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota
Direct trace element determination in oil and gas produced waters with inductively coupled plasma - Optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES): Advantages of high salinity tolerance
Accuracy of methods for reporting inorganic element concentrations and radioactivity in oil and gas wastewaters from the Appalachian Basin, U.S. based on an inter-laboratory comparison.
Monitoring brine contamination using time-lapse airborne electromagnetic surveys, East Poplar Oil Field, Montana
U.S. Geological Survey National Produced Waters Geochemical Database (ver. 3.0, December 2023) Viewer
The U.S. Geological Survey National Produced Waters Geochemical Database Viewer (ver. 3.0) provides access to an updated compilation of geochemical and related information for water from oil and gas wells in the United States. The information includes identification and location information, well descriptions, dates, rock properties, physical properties of the water, organic chemistry and more.
- 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: 28How quickly do oil and gas wells “Water Out”? Quantifying and contrasting water production trends
Water production from petroleum (oil and natural gas) wells is a topic of increasing environmental and economic importance, yet quantification efforts have been limited to date, and patterns between and within petroleum plays are largely unscrutinized. Additionally, classification of reservoirs as “unconventional” (also known as “continuous”) carries scientific and regulatory importance, but in soAuthorsSeth S. Haines, Brian A. Varela, Marilyn Tennyson, Nicholas J. GianoutsosMachine learning approaches to identify lithium concentration in petroleum produced waters
Prices for battery-grade lithium have increased substantially since 2020, which is propelling the search for additional sources of this important element. Battery-grade lithium is predominately recovered from continental brines. Most crude oil and natural gas wells recover briny formation water, which may represent an additional source. Chemical analysis of these waters has been shown to indicateAuthorsE. D. Attanasi, Timothy Coburn, Philip A. FreemanDissolved organic matter within oil and gas associated wastewaters from U.S. unconventional petroleum plays: Comparisons and consequences for disposal and reuse
Wastewater generated during petroleum extraction (produced water) may contain high concentrations of dissolved organics due to their intimate association with organic-rich source rocks, expelled petroleum, and organic additives to fluids used for hydraulic fracturing of unconventional (e.g., shale) reservoirs. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) within produced water represents a challenge for treatmenAuthorsBonnie McDevitt, Aaron M. Jubb, Matthew S. Varonka, Madalyn S. Blondes, Mark A Engle, Tanya J. Gallegos, Jenna L. SheltonMachine learning can assign geologic basin to produced water samples using major ion geochemistry
Understanding the geochemistry of waters produced during petroleum extraction is essential to informing the best treatment and reuse options, which can potentially be optimized for a given geologic basin. Here, we used the US Geological Survey’s National Produced Waters Geochemical Database (PWGD) to determine if major ion chemistry could be used to classify accurately a produced water sample to aAuthorsJenna L. Shelton, Aaron M. Jubb, Samuel Saxe, Emil D. Attanasi, Alexei Milkov, Mark A Engle, Philip A. Freeman, Christopher Shaffer, Madalyn S. BlondesInsights on geochemical, isotopic, and volumetric compositions of produced water from hydraulically fractured Williston Basin oil wells
Tracing produced water origins from wells hydraulically fractured with freshwater-based fluids is sometimes predicated on assumptions that (1) each geological formation contains compositionally unique brine and (2) produced water from recently hydraulically fractured wells resembles fresher meteoric water more so than produced water from older wells. These assumptions are not valid in Williston Ba
AuthorsTanya J. Gallegos, Colin A. Doolan, Rodney R. Caldwell, Mark A Engle, Matthew S. Varonka, Justin E. Birdwell, Glenn D. Jolly, Tyler B. Coplen, Thomas A. OliverByUtica shale play oil and gas brines: Geochemistry and factors influencing wastewater management
The Utica and Marcellus Shale Plays in the Appalachian Basin are the fourth and first largest natural gas producing plays in the United States, respectively. Hydrocarbon production generates large volumes of brine (“produced water”) that must be disposed of, treated, or reused. Though Marcellus brines have been studied extensively, there are few studies from the Utica Shale Play. This study presen
AuthorsMadalyn S. Blondes, Jenna L. Shelton, Mark A Engle, Jason Trembly, Colin A. Doolan, Aaron M. Jubb, Jessica Chenault, Elisabeth L. Rowan, Ralph J. Haefner, Brian E. MailotRepetitive sampling and control threshold improve 16S rRNA results from produced waters associated with hydraulically fractured shales
Sequencing microbial DNA from deep subsurface environments is complicated by a number of issues ranging from contamination to non-reproducible results. Many samples obtained from these environments - which are of great interest due to the potential to stimulate microbial methane generation - contain low biomass. Therefore, samples from these environments are difficult to study as sequencing resultAuthorsJenna L. Shelton, Elliott Barnhart, Leslie F. Ruppert, Aaron M. Jubb, Madalyn S. Blondes, Christina A. DeVeraCompositional analysis of formation water geochemistry and microbiology of commercial and carbon dioxide-rich wells in the southwestern United States
Studies of naturally occurring subsurface carbon dioxide (CO2) accumulations can provide useful information for potential CO2 injection projects; however, the microbial communities and formation water geochemistry of most reservoirs are understudied. Formation water and microbial biomass were sampled at four CO2-rich reservoir sites: two within Bravo Dome, a commercial CO2 field in New Mexico; oneAuthorsJenna L. Shelton, Robert S. Andrews, Denise M. Akob, Christina A. DeVera, Adam C. Mumford, Mark Engle, Michelle R. Plampin, Sean T. BrennanOrganic compounds in produced waters from the Bakken Formation and Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota
The organic composition of produced waters (flowback and formation waters) from the middle member of the Bakken Formation and the Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota were examined to aid in the remediation of surface contamination and help develop treatment methods for produced-water recycling. Twelve produced water samples were collected from the Bakken and Three Forks FormAuthorsMatthew S. Varonka, Tanya Gallegos, Anne L. Bates, Colin A. Doolan, William H. OremDirect trace element determination in oil and gas produced waters with inductively coupled plasma - Optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES): Advantages of high salinity tolerance
Waters co-produced during petroleum extraction are the largest waste stream from oil and gas development. Reuse or disposal of these waters is difficult due to their high salinities and the sheer volumes generated. Produced waters may also contain valuable mineral commodities. While an understanding of produced water trace element composition is required for evaluating the associated resource andAuthorsAaron M. Jubb, Mark Engle, Jessica Chenault, Madalyn Blondes, Cloelle G. Danforth, Colin Doolan, Tanya Gallegos, Dan Mueller, Jenna SheltonAccuracy of methods for reporting inorganic element concentrations and radioactivity in oil and gas wastewaters from the Appalachian Basin, U.S. based on an inter-laboratory comparison.
Accurate and precise analyses of oil and gas (O&G) wastewaters and solids (e.g., sediments and sludge) are important for the regulatory monitoring of O&G development and tracing potential O&G contamination in the environment. In this study, 15 laboratories participated in an inter-laboratory comparison on the chemical characterization of three O&G wastewaters from the Appalachian Basin and four soAuthorsTravis L. Tasker, William D Burgos, Moses A Ajemigbitse, Nancy E. Lauer, Alen V Gusa, Maksat Kuatbek, Dustin May, Joshua D. Landis, Daniel S. Alessi, Amanda M Johnsen, James M Kaste, Kurt Headrick, Franziska DH Wilke, Mark McNeal, Mark A. Engle, Aaron M. Jubb, Radisav Vidic, Avner Vengosh, Nathaniel R. WarnerMonitoring brine contamination using time-lapse airborne electromagnetic surveys, East Poplar Oil Field, Montana
Integrated geophysical and water-quality studies have been used to delineate areas of saline groundwater in shallow unconfined aquifers underlying the East Poplar oil field in northeastern Montana. In 2004, a RESOLVE survey was conducted over the oil field to identify high conductivity areas potentially associated with brine contamination and to map the shale unit comprising the base of aquifer. IAuthorsLyndsay Ball, Maria Deszcz-Pan, Joanna Thamke, Bruce Smith - Web Tools
U.S. Geological Survey National Produced Waters Geochemical Database (ver. 3.0, December 2023) Viewer
The U.S. Geological Survey National Produced Waters Geochemical Database Viewer (ver. 3.0) provides access to an updated compilation of geochemical and related information for water from oil and gas wells in the United States. The information includes identification and location information, well descriptions, dates, rock properties, physical properties of the water, organic chemistry and more.