Selective-placement burial of drilling fluids: 2. Effects on buffalograss and fourwing saltbrush. [Atriplex canescens; Buchloe dactyloides]
- Univ. of Texas, Midland (United States)
- Texas Agricultural Station, San Angelo (United States)
- Texas A and M Univ., College Station (United States)
Surface disposal of spent drilling fluids used in petroleum and natural gas exploration causes surface soil contamination that severely inhibits secondary plant succession and artificial revegetation efforts. Selective-placement burial was evaluated at two locations in western Texas for on-site disposal of drilling fluids in arid and semiarid regions. Establishment, yield, and chemical composition of fourwing saltbrush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh Nutt.)) and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.) transplants on undisturbed soils and on plots with spent drilling fluids and cuttings buried 30, 90 (with and without a 30-cm coarse limestone capillary barrier) and 150 cm were compared. Survival of both species was 97 to 100% 17 months after planting on plots with buried drilling wastes. Canopy cover and aboveground biomass of fourwing saltbrush were greater over buried drilling wastes than on untreated plots, whereas canopy cover and aboveground biomass of buffalograss were not affected by the treatments. Significant increases in Na, M, and Mg concentrations in buffalograss after 17 months on plots with drilling fluids buried 30 cm deep at one location indicated plant uptake of some drilling fluid constituents. Elevated Zn concentrations in fourwing saltbush indicated that a portion of the Zn in the drilling fluids was available for plant uptake, while no evidence of plant accumulation of Ba, Cr, Cu, or Ni from drilling fluids was detected.
- OSTI ID:
- 5456440
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States) Vol. 21:1; ISSN JEVQA; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ARID LANDS
BARIUM
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
CHROMIUM
COPPER
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRILLING FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
GRAMINEAE
GROUND DISPOSAL
GROWTH
LAND RECLAMATION
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNESIUM
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MANAGEMENT
METALS
NICKEL
NORTH AMERICA
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
POTASSIUM
REVEGETATION
SHRUBS
SODIUM
TEXAS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT