Hydrogeologic aspects of brine disposal in the East Poplar oil field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, northeastern Montana

Conference · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5324076

Craigg, S D; Thamke, J N ^[1]

---

1. Geological Survey, Helena, MT (United States)

The East Poplar Oil Field encompasses about 70 square miles in the south-central part of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Oil production began in 1952 from the Mississippian Madison Group. Production depths range from about 5,500 to 6,000 feet below land surface. Large quantities of brine (water having a dissolved-solids concentration greater than 35,000 milligrams per liter) have been produced with the oil. The brine has a dissolved-solids concentration of as much as 160,000 milligrams per liter. Most of the brine has been disposed of by injection into shallower subsurface formations (mainly the Lower Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone at depths of about 3,300 feet and the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation at depths of about 1,000 feet). Smaller quantities of brine have been directed to storage and evaporation pits. Handling, transport, and disposal of the brine have resulted in its movement into and migration through shallow Quaternary alluvial and glacial deposits along the Poplar River valley. Locally, domestic water supplies are obtained from these deposits. The major point, sources of shallow ground-water contamination probably is leakage of brine from corroded disposal-well casing and pipelines. Using electromagnetic geophysical techniques and auger drilling, three saline-water plumes in alluvial deposits and one plum in glacial deposits have been delineated. Dominant constituents in plume areas are sodium and chloride, whereas those in nonplume areas are sodium and bicarbonate.

• OSTI ID: 5324076
• Report Number(s): CONF-9305259--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AQUIFERS
BRINES
CONTAMINATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDIAN RESERVATIONS
INJECTION WELLS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MINERAL RESOURCES
MONTANA
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POLLUTION
RESOURCES
SALINITY
SOLUTES
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WELLS