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5 Characterization of Flowback and Produced Waters for Potential Use
Pages 39-50

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From page 39...
... The Eagle Ford shale play in Texas produces oil, condensate, wet gas, and dry gas. The average water use for hydraulic fracturing per well is 4.8 million gallons, or about twice that used for hydraulic fracturing in the Bakken.
From page 40...
... Logistically it is almost impossible to reuse water for hydraulic fracturing in the Eagle Ford, she said. The projected water demand for hydraulic fracturing in the Eagle Ford over the next 20 years is 300 billion gallons (see Figure 5.2)
From page 41...
... In areas associated with shale gas production, the majority of fluids reported were actually slickwater-based fluids, she said. In other areas, which were primarily producing tight oil, they saw that the fluid types were mostly gel-based fluids, while in coal-bed methane areas, injected fluids were largely foam-based fluids, often created using carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases.
From page 42...
... Based on the USGS studies, they see differences in constituents in produced waters • As a function of time from hydraulic fracturing and through the life of the well; • From one formation to another, even within the same basin; • From one wellfield to another within the same formation; and • Between conventional, tight oil, shale gas, and coal-bed methane wells. Workshop on Uses of Flowback and Produced Water: Opportunities and Challenges for Innovation Ken Carlson, Colorado State University Carlson began by stating that the goal of his projects is to reduce reliance on saltwater disposal wells for produced water.
From page 43...
... Different data and analytical needs also require a multidisciplinary approach that includes water chemists to understand what is in the final produced water, agronomists to help understand crop management and soil science, and computer scientists to integrate information and provide decision support analysis. He concluded by saying that some areas of the country are appropriate for the use of produced water for agriculture, while other areas are not.
From page 44...
... In Oklahoma, the main source rock is the Woodford shale. He said that unconventional oil and production often targets the source rock itself or a nearby, tight rock formation into which hydrocarbons have migrated, with production achieved through a combination of horizontal or directional wells that have been hydraulically fractured (see Figure 5.4)
From page 45...
... , the water-to-oil ratio on a per-state basis is used to approximate produced water volumes (where the actual volume data themselves are not available)
From page 46...
... . The analysis showed a lot of oil production in northern and southern Oklahoma initially, while gas production was in the Woodford shale in southeastern Oklahoma, southern Oklahoma, and also in the Anadarko Basin.
From page 47...
... The Arbuckle disposal wells are predominantly in the Cherokee platform and the Anadarko shelf, he noted. In conjunction with different Oklahoma workshops on sourcing and transport of water, and volumes of flowback and produced water, Murray has compiled data based on hydraulic fracturing and completion water use values which show that flowback water has to be less than about 100 million barrels per year in Oklahoma.
From page 48...
... Similarly, if produced water is desired as a source for water in a hydraulic fracturing job the water that is to be injected has to be compatible with the water in the formation and the operational parameters of the well. Murray further indicated that aquifer storage and recovery are great ideas because water would not be lost to evaporation; he did indicate some potential regulatory hurdles to implementing an aquifer storage and recovery arrangement in some areas.
From page 49...
... When up and running, the laboratory will be able to systematically work through each of the oil- and gas-producing basins and gain an understanding of the water chemistries from those basins and plays, Gallegos said. A participant asked Murray if he was able to obtain injection water volumes and rates that would help understand injection scenarios and the genesis of earthquakes.
From page 50...
... A participant asked what is needed to ensure that information learned about the content of produced water is incorporated into pilots or other projects that are examining produced water treatment. Gallegos responded that one of the projects on which she is working includes making data on water quality from oil and gas wells available to the public.


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