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Fate and transport of oil-field brine at the OSPER Sites, Oklahoma

This study examines the fate and transport of oil-field brine at the OSPER sites in Skiatook Lake, Oklahoma. It investigates how the brine got there, what will happen to it, and how long it will last.

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Fate and transport of oil-field brine at the OSPER Sites, Oklahoma

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  1. Fate and transport of oil-field brine at the OSPER Sites, Oklahoma William Herkelrath and Yousif Kharaka U.S. Geological Survey

  2. Google Earth is an amazing tool!

  3. Skiatook Lake

  4. Skiatook Lake

  5. Skiatook Lake

  6. Skiatook Lake What is it? How did it get there? What will happen to it? How long will it last? 100 m

  7. Oil wells at Skiatook Lake

  8. Time line of events at Skiatook Lake “A” Site: 1912 - Oil production begins 1937 – Major oil production stopped; site was abandoned; about 100,000 barrels were produced. 1987 – Skiatook Lake filled 2000 – USGS studies began

  9. By Jim Otton Skiatook Lake “A” Site map

  10. A’(c’) c c’’ A Geoprobe (1”) Rotary (2”) Skiatook Lake “A” Site well locations

  11. By Jim Otton

  12. Total dissolved solids concentration distribution Transect parallel to the stream 230 A A’ pits AE07 AE55 AA10 AA04 AE06 225 salt scar erosion AA02 50-100 Skiatook Lake AA01 1820 4720 AA06 AE51 DRY 220 AA61 AE13 4810 2,000 11,300 22,400 16,100 10,000 9,700 Altitude, in meters above sea level 15,000 10,000 215 Skiatook Lake levels ?? 10,800 19,100 high: 219.1 m (3/2004) 15,000 low: 215.8 m (2/2003) 10,000 29,900 20,000 2,000 210 1950 1670 26,100 205 (Thordsen, et al.) TDS (mg/L) 200 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 Distance along traverse, in meters

  13. Total dissolved solids concentration distribution Transect perpendicular to the stream W-E traverse, TDS 2-05 data 230 c'' c c' (Thordsen, et al.) salt scar erosion AA09 225 AA05 AA13 AA07 AA08 AA06 AA61 AE53 220 6,200- 16,900 AE13 Skiatook Lake levels 10,000 high: 219.1m (3/2004) 5,000 low: 215.8m (2/2003) Altitude, in meters above sea level 9,700- 14,000 2,500 215 5,690 5,000 19,100 11,800 14,900 SO4 > Cl 29,900 10,000 10,000 1,330 15,000 1480 210 SO4 > Cl 20,000 2,500 26,100 205 16,000 1,710 2,460 2,480 TDS (mg/L) 200 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 Distance along traverse, in meters

  14. Barometric pressure Depth to water

  15. Skiatook monitoring well results: There is a large salt water plume (~200x200x30 m) Wells have high barometric efficiency. Recharge is low. Slug tests indicate permeability is low (hydraulic conductivity ~ 1.0 cm/day).

  16. If recharge and permeability are so low, how did the brine get there, and why is it still there? During the oil production era, the recharge was increased because the pits and the creek were full of salt water (up to 150,000 mg/liter). Salt water infiltrated for 25 years. After abandonment, recharge reverted to low levels and fresh water flushing was slow The filling of Skiatook Lake reduced the lateral hydraulic gradient and ground water flow velocity

  17. A primitive flow and brine transport model of the Skiatook Lake “A” Site Model used – STOMP (Subsurface Transport Over Multiple Phases) by White and Oostrom, Pacific Northwest National Lab Modeled flow and transport along a two-dimensional vertical slice running parallel to the stream (A-A’ transect).

  18. Primitive model assumptions –model set up and initial conditions Uniform sandstone formation ~ 30 meters thick Sandstone hydraulic conductivity = 1 cm/day Sandstone porosity = 0.10 Recharge is steady at 1 cm/year Water table parallel to sloping ground surface at a depth of 5 meters Lateral head gradient is ~ 0.035 m/m Longitudinal dispersion = 1.0 m, lateral dispersion 10.0 cm

  19. Primitive model assumptions –Boundary conditions During oil productions, (1912-1937) brine infiltrated beneath the pits at 0.33 meter/year. Brine TDS concentration 60,000 mg/L Oil production stopped in 1937, recharge conditions returned to ~ 1 cm/year. Skiatook Lake was filled in 1987, which raised the water table on the down slope end of the domain about 10 meters.

  20. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1914 Pit Lake

  21. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1918 Pit Lake

  22. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1926 Pit Lake

  23. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1937 Pit Lake

  24. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1947 Pit Lake

  25. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1967 Pit Lake

  26. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1987 Pit Lake

  27. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1990 Pit Lake

  28. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 1995 Pit Lake

  29. 50-100 4720 1820 11300 16,100 4810 22,400 9,700 10,800 19,100 29,900 1950 1670 26,100 TDS concentration (mg/liter) Year 2005 Pit Lake

  30. Final comments: If the rocks and soils at the Skiatook A site were more permeable, the salt probably would have been flushed out long ago (and we wouldn’t be talking about it!) Because of the low permeability, site remediation by water pumping/flushing is impractical. Left as it is, the salt scar will last many years.

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