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Remediation of salt affected soils: Difference between revisions
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Remediation of salt-affected sites can be performed for a number of reasons. | <span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Water separated from oil and gas during production contains dissolved solids, including salts. </span><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">P</span><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">roduced water with sufficient salt concentrations can damage plants and soils, if improperly handled. </span><span style="line-height: 1.6;">Remediation of salt-affected sites can be performed for a number of reasons.</span><span style="line-height: 20.8px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20.8px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.6;">T</span><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">he driving forces behind the need to assess and restore a site affected by a saltwater release can i</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;">nclude l</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;">andowner claims,</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> lease agreements,</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> federal, state, and local regulations,</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> reduction in long-term liabilities,</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> company policies,</span><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> and/or protection of useable land and water resources.</span><ref name="R1">Health, A.P.I., Department, E.S., Carty, D.J. et al. 1997. Remediation of Salt-affected Soils at Oil and Gas Production Facilities. American Petroleum Institute.</ref><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> </span> | ||
== Remediation goals == | == Remediation goals == | ||
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Revision as of 15:06, 22 September 2015
Water separated from oil and gas during production contains dissolved solids, including salts. Produced water with sufficient salt concentrations can damage plants and soils, if improperly handled. Remediation of salt-affected sites can be performed for a number of reasons. The driving forces behind the need to assess and restore a site affected by a saltwater release can include landowner claims, lease agreements, federal, state, and local regulations, reduction in long-term liabilities, company policies, and/or protection of useable land and water resources.[1]
Remediation goals
Setting reasonable objectives for the remediation effort is critical to developing a viable remediation plan. In some cases, the objectives may be established by legal, regulatory, or lease constraints. In other situations, the objectives may be based on more flexible criteria. It is advisable to, at a minimum, review the following factors prior to initiating any remediation effort:
- Lease requirements
- Regulatory constraints
- Corporate policies
- Environmental conditions
Landowner and lease requirements
Consulting the landowner and lease requirements is crucial before any remediation process starts. Landowners will often have opinions on various remediation options. Cooperation with landowners should be a high priority due to the fact that a dissatisfied landowner may be in a position to complicate a resolution.
Regulatory constraints
Federal, state, and local regulations may pertain to various aspects of remediation of produced water spills, including spill response, vegetation, vadose zone, groundwater or surface water impacts, and possibly air emissions. Regulations may influence the choice of remediation technology and the associated costs. A technology which may be suitable for certain conditions in one state may not be well received in an adjoining state.[1]
Corporate policies
Corporate polices may include certain specific or general protocols and criteria for addressing a spill.[1]
Environmental conditions
Salt concentration
Salt concentrations of produced water from E&P operations vary from low salt concentrations to brackish water. Total dissolved solids (TDS) can range from less than 4,000 parts per million (ppm), to brines with salt concentrations greater than 100,000 ppm.[1]
Saltwater release
Total salt and total sodium concentration in a saltwater release can cause the soil to become saline and sodic. Produced water with high concentrations of total salts (salinity) and sodium (sodicity) can have a detrimental effect on terrestrial and freshwater environments. Excessive salts can create adverse chemical and physical conditions in soils and damage or kill vegetation.
Surface spills of produced water do occur as a result of:
- Equipment failure
- Pipeline corrosion
- Weather
- Human error
Disposal
Disposal of most inland produced waters is by injection into enhanced oil recovery or produced water disposal wells. Some inland facilities may use evaporation pits to dispose of produced water.
Injection
Evaporation pit
There are several types of pits traditionally associated with oil and gas production. Following are three types of salt-related pits:
- Production pit - Used for saltwater storage, oil and water separation, and solids settling.[2]
- Reserve pits - Used for solids separation during drilling and workover operations and for holding waste drilling muds and cuttings.
- Produced water storage (emergency) pits - Also known as Produced water storage are constructed to contain produced waters temporarily in the event of equipment malfunction.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Health, A.P.I., Department, E.S., Carty, D.J. et al. 1997. Remediation of Salt-affected Soils at Oil and Gas Production Facilities. American Petroleum Institute.
- ↑ Moseley, H. R. 1983. Summary and Analysis of API Onshore Drilling Mud and Produced Water Environmental Studies. API Bul. D19. American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.
Noteworthy papers in OnePetro
Carty, D. J., Priebe, W. F., Swetish, S. M., & Crawley, W. W. 1997. An Organized Approach Toward Remediation of Salt-Affected Soils at E & P Sites. Society of Petroleum Engineers. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/37421-MS
Deuel, L. E., & Holliday, G. H. 2003. Remediation of Salt-Impacted Soil and Waste. Society of Petroleum Engineers. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/80947-MS
External links
A guide for remediation of salt/hydrocarbon impacted soil.