--> Abstract: Geochemical Evaluation of Ground-Water Contamination Associated with Oil Field Operations, by Charles W. Kreitler; #90039 (2005)

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Geochemical Evaluation of Ground-Water Contamination Associated with Oil Field Operations

Charles W. Kreitler
LBG-Guyton Associates, 1101 S. Capital of texas Highway, Suite B-220, Austin, TX

Ground-water contaminants associated with oil field operations commonly are hydrocarbons and associated subsurface brines. Identification and delineation of this type of contamination may be difficult, because the oil field “contaminants” may already be naturally occurring in a suspected aquifer under investigation. In studies of non oil-field related ground-water contamination (e.g. industrial sources), the contaminant is often easily identified because of its anthropogenic origin and chemical signature (e.g. chlorinated hydrocarbons). In oil field contamination studies, the potential contaminant species often considered are: sodium chloride, radium, radon, other NORM species, natural gas, hydrocarbons, barium, arsenic, BTEX and hydrocarbon gases. All these chemical species have the potential of occurring naturally. Background occurrences of an alleged contaminant must be separated from actual contamination before actual extent of contamination can be determined. For example, in many areas of the western United States, aquifers are naturally brackish and the presence of elevated salinity may be related to various geochemical processes and not oil field operations. Detailed geochemical, hydrogeological and geophysical evaluations often are needed to differentiate the impact of oil field operations from naturally occurring geochemical phenomena. Several examples will be provided to exemplify this approach.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005