After some treatment, most wastewater is disposed of deep underground. Wastewater is often transported by truck to disposal facilities such as this one near Platteville, Colorado. Access to disposal wells, earthquake prevention, water needs for other wells, produced water volumes, and treatment costs are all important factors when deciding how to dispose of or treat and reuse produced water. This has triggered earthquakes in Oklahoma, Kansas, and some other parts of the country. In many places, large amounts of produced water are disposed of through deep underground injection wells. This can affect local air quality, and if pits leak, they can contaminate groundwater supplies. In some cases, produced water is temporarily stored in surface pits to evaporate some of the water. ![]() Re-use typically requires some treatment to remove oil residues, salts, and other chemicals, depending on how the water will be reused. Produced water must be either re-used or disposed of. Nationally, an average of about 10 barrels of water are produced for each barrel of oil. The amount of water produced by a well can vary from almost none to over 100 barrels of water per barrel of oil. It is usually either disposed of deep underground or treated and reused, though some is allowed to partially evaporate in surface pits. Water produced along with oil and gas is often naturally salty and may contain oil residues, chemicals from hydraulic fracturing and drilling fluids, and natural contaminants from the rocks themselves. Tanks like these in the Fayetteville Shale area (Arkansas) are commonly used to supply the water required for hydraulic fracturing operations. Although most wells do not leak, some old or poorly constructed wells may pose a contamination risk to nearby groundwater supplies. For hydraulic fracturing operations, water is mixed with chemicals that improve its ability to create fractures in the rock, and with sand to hold the fractures open and allow oil or gas to flow into the well. Water is used during drilling to lubricate and cool the drill and remove drilling mud and rock debris. In areas with many established wells, pipelines may be installed to transport water, improving efficiency and safety, and decreasing truck traffic. ![]() Water is often transported by trucks, which bring water to the oil or gas well for drilling and hydraulic fracturing, and take used or produced water away for treatment, reuse, and/or disposal. Where fresh water is in high demand for other uses, water reuse and alternative water sources (e.g., brackish groundwater) are attractive options. Water used in the production of oil and gas is often locally sourced from groundwater, rivers, or lakes (both natural and artificial). Many aspects of water use in the oil and gas industry are covered in more detail elsewhere in this series – see the list at the end of this section for more information on each. The quantity and quality of water used, produced, and disposed of or re-used varies enormously depending on local geology, financial constraints, and regulations, with implications for the environmental impacts of oil and gas production. Water is also naturally present in the rocks that contain oil and gas and is extracted along with the oil and gas as “produced water”, sometimes in large quantities. Water is used to drill and hydraulically fracture (“frack”) wells, refine and process oil and gas, and produce electricity in some natural gas power plants. The oil and gas industry consumes and produces water. Mandler for AGI, 2018 Download Print Version Introduction
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