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Originally Posted by agrarian
Here's some information about water pollution and threats to water quality related to fracking in the Permian Basin:
Wastewater – both the initial flowback and produced water – is pumped from the well with oil and gas and contains salts, minerals, chemicals, and petroleum residues naturally existing in the formation. This water is produced throughout the life of a well where initially, in the Permian Basin, 252 to 336 gallons (6 to 8 barrels) of water are "produced" per gallon of oil (Carr 2017), and the volumes of both produced water and oil decline at relatively the same rate as the well ages (Kondash and Vengosh 2015). Operators must dispose, treat, or reuse this wastewater. In Texas, this is usually done via injection into UIC Class II injection wells (Texas Railroad Commission, and Collins 2017). Yes -- polluted water is often injected into the earth --- the out of sight, out of mind mind set. In addition to posing what must be acknowledged as "unforeseen problems", disposal of produced water in injection wells has been connected to seismic activity in Oklahoma (Walsh and Zoback 2015). If Permian Basin produced water volumes continue to increase, as is projected to happen due to increasing hydraulic fracturing activity, issues related to produced water problems will become even more pronounced.
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This is good news indeed Agrarian. Since 252 to 336 gallons (6 to 8 barrels) of water are produced per gallon of oil in the Permian Basin, capitalism will save the day. Given that disposal costs, if the producer has its own disposal wells, run upwards of $0.30 per barrel, the cost of water disposal exceeds the value of the oil. This isn't the first time I've seen these exact numbers quoted by the way. Apparently those who oppose the right of residents in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico to decide what's in their best interests have taken it and run with it. What probably happened was that Mr. Carr, the RBN Energy analyst who originally put this in a blog, confused barrels and gallons. Six to eight barrels of water per barrel of oil is a reasonable estimate.
This piece was written by someone with no knowledge of Permian Basin geology or regulatory and industry practices. Or someone who's doing a hatchet job because he opposes oil production period.
Disposal wells are carefully regulated and monitored in Texas and New Mexico. The operators inject produced salt water, and comparatively small quantities of drilling and completion fluids and hydrocarbon residue, from deeper intervals back into salt water zones in deeper intervals. Fresh groundwater is not affected. The water people use is not affected.
Yes, it is true that salt water injection, particularly into the Arbuckle formation in Oklahoma, has caused earthquakes. Water injection in high volumes at high rates can cause movement of faults in basement rock. This is a problem that can be largely solved by shutting in the offending disposal wells. The geology of the Permian Basin is totally different. You don't have the same kind of faulting, and the injection zones are mostly way above the basement rock, so that the risk to life and property is minimal, most likely "0" probablity of anything significantly bad happening. There has been an increase in the number of small magnitude quakes in the Permian Basin, mostly in the western part of the basin, and the the state of Texas is looking at regulating injection volumes. The vast majority of residents in the area are not in favor of shutting down the injection wells or the industry.
