Selective placement disposal of drilling fluids in west Texas

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6997872

McFarland, M L

Burial of spent drilling fluids used in petroleum and natural gas exploration was evaluated as an alternative disposal technique for reducing surface soil contamination in western Texas. Simulated reserve pits were constructed to provide burial depths of 30, 90, and 150 cm below the surface, with orderly replacement of stockpiled subsoil and topsoil. Movement of soluble salts and heavy metals from drilling fluids into the overlying soil was monitored over a 20-month period. The effects of depth of drilling fluid burial on establishment, yields, and chemical composition of transplanted fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.) and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.) were determined for two growing seasons. Sodium, Ca{sup +2}, and Cl{sup {minus}} were the dominant mobile ions, while migration of Mg{sup +2}, K{sup +}, and SO{sub 4}{sup {minus}2} was observed to a lesser degree. Exchangeable sodium percentages in the 15-cm zone immediately above drilling fluid ranged from 1.9 to 19.0 after 20 months. Total concentrations of Ba, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn were greater in drilling fluids than in native soil, but there was no evidence of migration of these metals into overlying soil.

• Research Organization: Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6997872
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
03 NATURAL GAS
030800 -- Natural Gas-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BARIUM
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHROMIUM
CONTAMINATION
COPPER
DRILLING FLUIDS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GRASS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LAND POLLUTION
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MONITORING
NATURAL GAS
NICKEL
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
SHRUBS
SOILS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TEXAS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
ZINC