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 presents new brine chemical analyses from 16 Utica Shale Play wells in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Results from Na–Cl–Br systematics and stable and radiogenic isotopes suggest that the Utica Shale Play brines are likely residual pore water concentrated beyond halite saturation during the formation of the Ordovician Beekmantown evaporative sequence. The narrow range of chemistry for the Utica Shale Play produced waters (e.g., total dissolved solids = 214–283 g/L) over both time and space implies a consistent composition for disposal and reuse planning. The amount of salt produced annually from the Utica Shale Play is equivalent to 3.4% of the annual U.S. halite production. Utica Shale Play brines have radium activities 580 times the EPA maximum contaminant level and are supersaturated with respect to barite, indicating the potential for surface and aqueous radium hazards if not properly disposed of.
- Digital Object Identifier: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02461
- Source: USGS Publications Warehouse (indexId: 70215394)
Related Content
Madalyn S Blondes
Research Geologist
Jenna L Shelton, Ph.D.
Associate Program Coordinator, U.S. GeoFramework Initiative & STATEMAP
Mark A Engle (Former Employee)
Supervisory Research Geologist
Colin Doolan
Research Geologist
Jessica M Chenault
Laboratory Manager
Elisabeth L Rowan
Scientist Emeritus
Related Content
- Connect
Madalyn S Blondes
Research GeologistEmailPhoneJenna L Shelton, Ph.D.
Associate Program Coordinator, U.S. GeoFramework Initiative & STATEMAPEmailPhoneMark A Engle (Former Employee)
Supervisory Research GeologistColin Doolan
Research GeologistEmailPhoneJessica M Chenault
Laboratory ManagerEmailPhoneElisabeth L Rowan
Scientist EmeritusEmailPhone