Selective-placement burial of drilling fluids: 2. Effects on buffalograss and fourwing saltbrush. [Atriplex canescens; Buchloe dactyloides]

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

OSTI ID:5456440

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 Station, San Angelo (United States)
3. 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), Vol. 21:1; ISSN 0047-2425
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
DRILLING FLUIDS
GROUND DISPOSAL
TOXICITY
GRAMINEAE
PLANT GROWTH
METALS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
SHRUBS
ARID LANDS
BARIUM
CHROMIUM
COPPER
LAND RECLAMATION
MAGNESIUM
NICKEL
POTASSIUM
REVEGETATION
SODIUM
TEXAS
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
GROWTH
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects