Selective-placement burial of drilling fluids: 1. Effects on soil chemical properties

Journal Article · · Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1992.00472425002100010020x· OSTI ID:5316486

McFarland, M L; Hartmann, S ^[1]; Ueckert, D N ^[2]; Hons, F M ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Midland (United States)
2. Texas Agricultural Exp Station, San Angelo (United States)
3. Texas A and M Univ., College Station (United States)

Burial of spent drilling fluids used in petroleum and natural gas exploration was evaluated for reducing soil contamination caused by conventional, surface disposal of these wastes on arid and semiarid rangelands. Simulated reserve pits at two locations provided burial depths of 30, 90 (with and without a 30-cm capillary barrier of coarse limestone), and 150 cm below the surface, with sequential replacement of stockpiled subsoil and topsoil. The drilling fluids contained extremely high concentrations of soluble salts, with Na and Cl being the dominant soluble ions. Upward migration of contaminants was evaluated over a 20-month period. Soluble salts migrated upward 15 to 30 cm into the overlying soil, and salt movement appeared to be governed to a greater extent by diffusive rather than convective flow mechanisms. Capillary barriers of coarse limestone effectively reduced salt movement at one of the two sites. Sodium, Ca, and Cl were the dominant mobile ions. Exchangeable Na percentages did not increase in soil increments > 15 cm above buried drilling wastes. Barium, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in drilling fluids did not migrate into overlying soil. Movement of contaminants was similar where fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.), a deep-rooted shrub, and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm), a shallow-rooted grass, were used for revegetation.

• OSTI ID: 5316486
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Vol. 21:1; ISSN 0047-2425
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
DRILLING FLUIDS
GROUND DISPOSAL
SOILS
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
DECONTAMINATION
ARID LANDS
BARIUM
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHROMIUM
COPPER
DIFFUSION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GRAMINEAE
LAND RECLAMATION
NICKEL
SHRUBS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
WASTE DISPOSAL
ZINC
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CLEANING
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
PLANTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects