fracking

Making Produced Water More Productive

Friday, December 11, 2015

Overarching questions addressed in this webinar include:

  • What is produced water and how is it commonly disposed?
  • What environmental concerns does produced water pose?
  • What factors are influencing the demand for alternate applications of produced water?
  • What alternate uses for produced waters exist? What challenges do these alternatives face?

Our speakers include:

  • Kyle E. Murray, Ph.D., Oklahoma Geological Survey & University of Oklahoma | pdf download icon Slides YouTube download icon Video
  • Jeri Sullivan Graham, Los Alamos National Laboratory | pdf download icon Slides YouTube download icon Video
  • Holly Pearen, Environmental Defense Fund | Slides YouTube download icon Video

Webinar Co-Sponsors:
Association of American State Geologists, American Association of Petroleum Geologists

CEU Credits

To earn CEU credits, please complete the associated on-demand GOLI course that was developed from this webinar with a grade of 70% or higher and then submit your application for CEUs. CEUs are awarded from the American Institute of Professional Geologists. To view the full list of on-demand GOLI courses, please browse the GOLI course catalog.

Resources to learn more:

Search the Geological Surveys Database for reports and factsheets about produced water.

Making Produced Waters More Productive: Perspectives on produced water and saltwater disposal

EARTH Magazine: New Tracers Can Identify Fracking Fluids

Hydraulic fracturing, the natural gas extraction method known popularly as fracking, has been controversial in large part to the concern about groundwater contamination by the fluids used in the process, especially the so-called flowback fluids that re-emerge at the surface from fracking wells and are usually disposed of by waste water fluid injection into other formations. Now, researchers have developed a geochemical method of identifying fracking fluids in the environment. The tool could be used to identify hazardous spills in the future and may even lead to better use and disposal of fracking wastewater.

What is frac sand?

Frac sand is a type of sand with small, uniform particles. It is injected into the rock formation along with the water used to fracture the rock in the process known as hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). The sand is used to prop open the fractures that are created. Because the particles are uniform, fluids like water, oil, and gas are able to flow through the spaces between the particles.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - fracking