Emerging investigator series: radium accumulation in carbonate river sediments at oil and gas produced water discharges: implications for beneficial use as disposal management

Abstract

In the western U.S., produced water from oil and gas wells discharged to surface water augments downstream supplies used for irrigation and livestock watering.

Mutagenicity assessment downstream of oil and gas produced water discharges intended for agricultural beneficial reuse

“…Only radium concentrations decreased with distance downstream, thereby following the trend observed in mutation rates (Table S4; McLaughlin et al, 2020). Radium was also present above the MCL at the discharge (McDevitt et al, 2019). Arsenic, cadmium and lead were not detected at the NPDES discharge but were detected downstream, suggesting that these species were already present in the soil or were concentrated due to evaporation downstream (Table S4; McLaughlin et al, 2020).…”

“…There is little precipitation in the region (average 230 mm/year) (NOAA, 2018) and no additional tributaries. A previous study conducted at this site analyzed 228 Ra/ 226 Ra in water samples which indicated that the discharge was sourced from oil and gas reservoirs and that additional sources of water had minimal to no impact on inorganic chemistry downstream (McDevitt et al, 2019). Additionally, during sampling, no other sources of surface water were observed entering the stream.…”

Concentrations of TENORMs in the petroleum industry and their environmental and health effects

“…Disposal of hazardous waste from petroleum industries by burying them in the ground or dumping them into the sea leads to the possibility of pollution of air, soil, groundwater, surface and sea water, which leads to possible adverse effects on the environment, animals, plants and sh, and thus on the health of man himself. [230][231][232][233][234][235][236][237][238][239][240] Perhaps the most prominent of these forms are: Impact on water. [236][237][238][239][240][241] The extractive oil industry is highly inuential in water as it is reected in groundwater, surface water, rivers, oceans and seas, as a result of the waste generated from the exploration and extraction (drilling uids and waste water), as well as extraction of oil through water injection in order to increase the withdrawal of oil and improve productivity.…”

“…[230][231][232][233][234][235][236][237][238][239][240] Perhaps the most prominent of these forms are: Impact on water. [236][237][238][239][240][241] The extractive oil industry is highly inuential in water as it is reected in groundwater, surface water, rivers, oceans and seas, as a result of the waste generated from the exploration and extraction (drilling uids and waste water), as well as extraction of oil through water injection in order to increase the withdrawal of oil and improve productivity. 242 In this way, the water works to remove oil from the porous medium through the separation processes, which keeps oil in the reservoir.…”

“…Impact on soil. 211, [236][237][238][254][255][256][257][258][259][260][261] It is known that the drilling process directly affects the soil because it causes large impacts in the ground, and the drilling machines may cause leaking the fuel through the pores of the soil, as well as the oil residues. 242,[258][259][260][261] Then, radionuclides are transferred to the soil and then to the plants and living cells.…”