Those Looking for Geoscience input

[Stewy]

(08-08-2024, 11:51 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Stewey, what can be done with the waste fluids from fracking besides pumping them into the ground? What I'm asking is there a process in place to store/treat/decontaminate those volatile waste products?

Fluids from frac jobs are recovered by the frac company.  It's part of the process.  The operator doesn't want the frac Co. to leave them in the wellbore because then they will mix with and contaminate the hydrocarbons.  The frac co. counts barrels in and barrels out during the job.  While they are never exact, they count them and if there is a huge discrepancy, they know they have a problem.

Now most wells have a pond where waste waters from the drilling operations go.  It is typically large and lined with plastic and either buried on site or removed (depending on state regulations) after it dries out.

Finally, when one produces HC's, late in life of the field, one can also produce vast amounts of water.  These waters which came from the reservoir and typically pumped back into the reservoir.  However, fluids from wellbore operations are NOT disposed of in this manner.