1
|
Makki S, Maalouf E, Yehya A. Review of the environmental and health risks of hydraulic fracturing fluids. Heliyon 2025; 11:e40883. [PMID: 39758417 PMCID: PMC11699328 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 11/30/2024] [Accepted: 12/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/07/2025] Open
Abstract
The composition of hydraulic fracturing (HF) fluid poses risks to human health and the environment by impacting drinking water sources. Fracturing fluid recovery rate is highly variable, and the fact that a high percentage of the injected HF fluid is not produced back to the surface in some areas raises questions about its fate and possible migration into aquifers. In this paper, the composition of the HF fluid and related toxicity are described, along with insights about the environmental impact linked with HF fluid, synthesized spill data, main factors affecting the flow-back ratio, and induced seismicity related to HF activities. The environmental and health hazards posed by HF fluid are concerning due to the high concentration of toxic chemicals, the limited data on toxicity, the high probability of spills, and the reported cases of aquifer contamination. Furthermore, low load recovery values (10%-50 %) suggest that a significant volume of fracturing fluids may remain in the subsurface, thereby potentially increasing the likelihood of fluid migration towards drinking water sources under certain conditions. Hence, the fate of HF fluid is explained by establishing correlations between fluid flow (i.e., flow-back and migration to the subsurface) and different operation and formation parameters. For example, a negative correlation was detected between HF fluid recovery and shut-in period, fracture network complexity, and induced seismicity, while a positive correlation was observed between HF fluid migration speed and permeable pathways. Moreover, it is shown that the main handicap in assessing related risks is the scarcity of disclosure and monitoring data. Consequently, future work must focus on imposing strict disclosure and incident-reporting regulations, and more publications should be dedicated to inspecting the composition and impact of HF fluid.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Makki
- Baha and Walid Bassatne Department of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Elsa Maalouf
- Baha and Walid Bassatne Department of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Alissar Yehya
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Spielman-Sun E, Bland G, Wielinski J, Frouté L, Kovscek AR, Lowry GV, Bargar JR, Noël V. Environmental impact of solution pH on the formation and migration of iron colloids in deep subsurface energy systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:166409. [PMID: 37597537 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Deep subsurface stimulation processes often promote fluid-rock interactions that can lead to the formation of small colloidal particles that are suspected to migrate through the rock matrix, partially or fully clog pores and microfractures, and promote the mobilization of contaminants. Thus, the goal of this work is to understand the geochemical changes of the host rock in response to reservoir stimulation that promote the formation and migration of colloids. Two different carbonate-rich shales were exposed to different solution pHs (pH = 2 and 7). Iron and other mineral transformations at the shale-fluid interface were first characterized by synchrotron-based XRF mapping. Then, colloids that were able to migrate from the shale into the bulk fluid were characterized by synchrotron-based extended X-ray absorption structure (EXAFS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and single-particle inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (sp-icpTOF-MS). When exposed to the pH = 2 solution, extensive mineral dissolution and secondary precipitation was observed; iron-(oxyhydr)oxide colloids colocated with silicates were observed by SEM at the fluid-shale interfaces, and the mobilization of chromium and nickel with these iron colloids into the bulk fluid was detected by sp-icpTOF-MS. Iron EXAFS spectra of the solution at the shale-fluid interface suggests the rapid (within minutes) formation of ferrihydrite-like nanoparticles. Thus, we demonstrate that the pH neutralization promotes the mobilization of existing silicate minerals and the rapid formation of new iron colloids. These Fe colloids have the potential to migrate through the shale matrix and mobilize other heavy metals (such as Cr and Ni, in this study) and impacting groundwater quality, as well produced waters from these hydraulic fracturing operations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Spielman-Sun
- Environmental Geochemistry Group at SLAC, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Garret Bland
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15289, USA
| | - Jonas Wielinski
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15289, USA
| | - Laura Frouté
- Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anthony R Kovscek
- Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gregory V Lowry
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15289, USA
| | - John R Bargar
- Environmental Geochemistry Group at SLAC, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Vincent Noël
- Environmental Geochemistry Group at SLAC, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Esteves BF, Druhan JL, Jew AD. Controls on Barite (BaSO 4) Precipitation in Unconventional Reservoirs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12869-12878. [PMID: 37586073 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Barite (BaSO4) precipitation is one of the most ubiquitous examples of secondary sulfate mineral scaling in shale oil and gas reservoirs. Often, a suite of chemical additives is used during fracturing operations to inhibit the accumulation of mineral scales, though their efficacy is widely varied and poorly understood. This study combines experimental data and multi-component numerical reactive transport modeling to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the geochemical behavior of barite accumulation in shale matrices under conditions typical of fracturing operations. A variety of additives and conditions are individually tested in batch reactor experiments to identify the factors controlling barite precipitation. Our experimental results demonstrate a pH dependence in the rate of barite precipitation, which we use to develop a predictive model including a pH-dependent term that satisfactorily reproduces our observations. This model is then extended to consider the behavior of three major shale samples of highly variable mineralogy (Eagle Ford, Marcellus, and Barnett). This data-validated model offers a reliable tool to predict and ultimately mitigate against secondary mineral accumulation in unconventional shale reservoirs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara F Esteves
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Jennifer L Druhan
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Adam D Jew
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Xie W, Wang H, Chen S, Gan H, Vandeginste V, Wang M. Water Adsorption and Its Pore Structure Dependence in Shale Gas Reservoirs. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023. [PMID: 37463463 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Investigating the occurrence characteristics of water molecules in shale is of great resource, economic, and environmental significance. In this work, the adsorption behavior of water vapor on Longmaxi shale samples is tested, and several isothermal adsorption models are employed to fit the experimental data and primary and secondary adsorption processes. Furthermore, the influence of organic matter content, mineralogical composition, and pore structure on the adsorption process is discussed, and their special combination relationship is revealed correspondingly. The results indicate that the Dent model is suitable for the experimental data with excellent goodness of fit, and the Langmuir and Freundlich models are suitable for the primary and secondary adsorption processes, respectively. The adsorption of water vapor is controlled by the pore volume and specific surface area (SSA) of shale. Mesopore structure parameters mostly determine the water adsorption amount. Massive micropores developed in organic matter with a huge SSA contribute strongly to the primary adsorption process. In general, the combination of organic matter and clay minerals controls the pore structure of shale, which further controls the primary and secondary adsorption processes of water vapor. These findings contribute to a better understanding of water adsorption in different adsorption carriers and in microscopic pores of different sizes occurring in shale gas reservoirs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Xie
- Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
- School of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
- Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Bruges, Bruges BE 8200, Belgium
| | - Hua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
- School of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Si Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
- School of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Huajun Gan
- Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
- School of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Veerle Vandeginste
- Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Bruges, Bruges BE 8200, Belgium
| | - Meng Wang
- School of Resources and Geosciences, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wu G, Pan J, Anwaier M, Wu J, Xiao P, Zheng L, Wang W, Meng X, Wang P, Liu J, He S, Yan X, Zeng M, Zhu D. Effect of nano-SiO2 on the flowback-flooding integrated performance of water-based fracturing fluids. J Mol Liq 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.121686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
|
6
|
Zhang H, Han X, Wang G, Mao H, Chen X, Zhou L, Huang D, Zhang F, Yan X. Spatial distribution and driving factors of groundwater chemistry and pollution in an oil production region in the Northwest China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 875:162635. [PMID: 36889386 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Concerns have been raised on the deterioration of groundwater quality associated with anthropogenic impacts such as oil extraction and overuse of fertilizers. However, it is still difficult to identify groundwater chemistry/pollution and driving forces in regional scale since both natural and anthropogenic factors are spatially complex. This study, combining self-organizing map (SOM, combined with K-means algorithm) and principal component analysis (PCA), attempted to characterize the spatial variability and driving factors of shallow groundwater hydrochemistry in Yan'an area of Northwest China where diverse land use types (e.g., various oil production sites and agriculture lands) coexist. Based on the major and trace elements (e.g., Ba, Sr, Br, Li) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), groundwater samples were classified into four clusters with obvious geographical and hydrochemical characteristics by using SOM - K-means clustering: heavily oil-contaminated groundwater (Cluster 1), slightly oil-contaminated groundwater (Cluster 2), least-polluted groundwater (Cluster 3) and NO3- contaminated groundwater (Cluster 4). Noteworthily, Cluster 1, located in a river valley with long-term oil exploitation, had the highest levels of TPH and potentially toxic elements (Ba, Sr). Multivariate analysis combined with ion ratios analysis were used to determine the causes of these clusters. The results revealed that the hydrochemical compositions in Cluster 1 were mainly caused by the oil-related produced water intrusion into the upper aquifer. The elevated NO3- concentrations in Cluster 4 were induced by agricultural activities. Water-rock interactions (e.g., carbonate as well as silicate dissolution and precipitation) also shaped the chemical constituents of groundwater in clusters 2, 3, and 4. In addition, SO42--related processes (redox, precipitation of sulfate minerals) also affected groundwater chemical compositions in Cluster 1. This work provides the insight into the driving factors of groundwater chemistry and pollution which could contribute to groundwater sustainable management and protection in this area and other oil extraction areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Xu Han
- Geology Institute of China Chemical Geology and Mine Bureau, Beijing 100028, China
| | - Guangcai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China.
| | - Hairu Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Xianglong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Ling Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Hydrological Cycle and Sponge City Technology, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Dandan Huang
- School of Water Resources & Environment Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, PR China
| | - Fan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Xin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Khan HJ, Al-Abdrabalnabi R, Al-Jawad MS. Fracture Surface Evolution During Acidized Brine Injection in Calcareous Mudrocks. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:18626-18636. [PMID: 37273595 PMCID: PMC10233824 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c00543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
During hydraulic fracturing, the oxic hydraulic fracturing fluid physically and chemically alters the fracture surface and creates a "reaction-altered zone". Recent work has shown that most of the physicochemical changes occur on the shale fracture surface, and the depth of reaction penetration is small over the course of shut-in time. In this work, we investigate the physicochemical evolution of a calcite-rich fracture surface during acidized brine injection in the presence of applied compressive stress. A calcite-rich Wolfcamp shale sample is selected, and a smooth fracture is generated. An acidized equilibrated brine is then injected for 16 h, and the pressure change is measured. A series of experimental measurements are done before and after the flood to note the change in physicochemical properties of the fracture. High resolution computed tomography scanning is conducted to observe the fracture aperture growth, which shows an increase of ∼8.3 μm during the course of injection. The fracture topography, observed using a surface roughness analyzer, is shown to be smoother after the injection. The calcite dissolution signature, i.e., surface stripping of calcite, is observed by X-ray fluorescence, and mass spectrometry of the timer-series of the effluent also points in the same direction. We conclude that mineral dissolution is the primary mechanism through which the fracture aperture is growing. The weakening of the fracture surface, along with the applied compressive stresses, promotes erosion of the surface generating fines which reduce the fracture conductivity during the course of injection. In this work, we also highlight the importance of rock mineralogy on the fracture evolution mechanism and determine the thickness of the "reaction altered" zone.
Collapse
|
8
|
Bañuelos JL, Borguet E, Brown GE, Cygan RT, DeYoreo JJ, Dove PM, Gaigeot MP, Geiger FM, Gibbs JM, Grassian VH, Ilgen AG, Jun YS, Kabengi N, Katz L, Kubicki JD, Lützenkirchen J, Putnis CV, Remsing RC, Rosso KM, Rother G, Sulpizi M, Villalobos M, Zhang H. Oxide- and Silicate-Water Interfaces and Their Roles in Technology and the Environment. Chem Rev 2023; 123:6413-6544. [PMID: 37186959 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Interfacial reactions drive all elemental cycling on Earth and play pivotal roles in human activities such as agriculture, water purification, energy production and storage, environmental contaminant remediation, and nuclear waste repository management. The onset of the 21st century marked the beginning of a more detailed understanding of mineral aqueous interfaces enabled by advances in techniques that use tunable high-flux focused ultrafast laser and X-ray sources to provide near-atomic measurement resolution, as well as by nanofabrication approaches that enable transmission electron microscopy in a liquid cell. This leap into atomic- and nanometer-scale measurements has uncovered scale-dependent phenomena whose reaction thermodynamics, kinetics, and pathways deviate from previous observations made on larger systems. A second key advance is new experimental evidence for what scientists hypothesized but could not test previously, namely, interfacial chemical reactions are frequently driven by "anomalies" or "non-idealities" such as defects, nanoconfinement, and other nontypical chemical structures. Third, progress in computational chemistry has yielded new insights that allow a move beyond simple schematics, leading to a molecular model of these complex interfaces. In combination with surface-sensitive measurements, we have gained knowledge of the interfacial structure and dynamics, including the underlying solid surface and the immediately adjacent water and aqueous ions, enabling a better definition of what constitutes the oxide- and silicate-water interfaces. This critical review discusses how science progresses from understanding ideal solid-water interfaces to more realistic systems, focusing on accomplishments in the last 20 years and identifying challenges and future opportunities for the community to address. We anticipate that the next 20 years will focus on understanding and predicting dynamic transient and reactive structures over greater spatial and temporal ranges as well as systems of greater structural and chemical complexity. Closer collaborations of theoretical and experimental experts across disciplines will continue to be critical to achieving this great aspiration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Leobardo Bañuelos
- Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Eric Borguet
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| | - Gordon E Brown
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Randall T Cygan
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - James J DeYoreo
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Patricia M Dove
- Department of Geosciences, Department of Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Marie-Pierre Gaigeot
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CNRS, LAMBE UMR8587, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Franz M Geiger
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Julianne M Gibbs
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2Canada
| | - Vicki H Grassian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, United States
| | - Anastasia G Ilgen
- Geochemistry Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, United States
| | - Young-Shin Jun
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Nadine Kabengi
- Department of Geosciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, United States
| | - Lynn Katz
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - James D Kubicki
- Department of Earth, Environmental & Resource Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, United States
| | - Johannes Lützenkirchen
- Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung─INE, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
| | - Christine V Putnis
- Institute for Mineralogy, University of Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany
| | - Richard C Remsing
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Kevin M Rosso
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Gernot Rother
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Marialore Sulpizi
- Department of Physics, Ruhr Universität Bochum, NB6, 65, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mario Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y del Suelo, LANGEM, Instituto De Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Huichun Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Dick JM, Tan J. Chemical Links Between Redox Conditions and Estimated Community Proteomes from 16S rRNA and Reference Protein Sequences. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:1338-1355. [PMID: 35503575 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-01988-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Environmental influences on community structure are often assessed through multivariate analyses in order to relate microbial abundances to separately measured physicochemical variables. However, genes and proteins are themselves chemical entities; in combination with genome databases, differences in microbial abundances directly encode for chemical variability. We predicted that the carbon oxidation state of estimated community proteomes, obtained by combining taxonomic abundances from published 16S rRNA gene sequencing datasets with reference microbial proteomes from the NCBI Reference Sequence (RefSeq) database, would reflect environmental oxidation-reduction conditions. Analysis of multiple datasets confirms the geobiochemical predictions for environmental redox gradients in hydrothermal systems, stratified lakes and marine environments, and shale gas wells. The geobiochemical signal is largest for the steep redox gradients associated with hydrothermal systems and between injected water and produced fluids from shale gas wells, demonstrating that microbial community composition can be a chemical proxy for environmental redox gradients. Although estimates of oxidation state from 16S amplicon and metagenomic sequences are correlated, the 16S-based estimates show stronger associations with redox gradients in some environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Dick
- Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring, Ministry of Education, School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
| | - Jingqiang Tan
- Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring, Ministry of Education, School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kurotori T, Zahasky C, Gran M, Kovscek AR, Benson SM. Comparative Analysis of Imaging and Measurements of Micrometer-Scale Fracture Aperture Fields Within a Heterogeneous Rock Using PET and X-ray CT. Transp Porous Media 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-023-01922-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
|
11
|
Sun Z, Ni Y, Wu Y, Lei Y. Impact of Pyrite Oxidation on the Pore-Structure Characteristics of Shale Reservoir Rocks under the Interaction of Fracturing Fluid. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:26549-26559. [PMID: 35936473 PMCID: PMC9352226 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c02690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing combined with horizontal drilling is widely used to develop shale gas resources, and huge amounts of fracturing fluid are injected into shale reservoirs. However, the fracturing fluid is ineluctably retained in reservoir rocks after fracturing, resulting in the alteration of shale pore systems and further affecting the hydrocarbons production efficiency. In this work, two types of shales with different pyrite contents, namely, pyrite rich (PR, Niutitang Formation) and pyrite poor (PP, Xiamaling Formation), were emphasized to illustrate the effect of pyrite oxidation on pore structure after fracturing operation. Slickwater fracturing fluid was used to treat the shale samples for a period of 3 days, under the condition of 100 °C and 50 MPa. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were utilized to determine the surface morphology and mineral composition. The low-temperature N2 adsorption was performed to quantify the pore structure. The results showed that the pyrite oxidation induced the dissolution of both the pyrite and calcite and generated many dissolution pores for the pyrite-rich shale after slickwater treatment. The mineral dissolution led to an increase in the number of mesopores, enlarged the total specific surface area (TSSA) and total pore volume (TPV), and strengthened the pore-structure complexity. On the other hand, the pyrite-poor shale only experienced clay swelling after slickwater treatment. Its pore surface roughness and pore-structure complexity degraded with the loss of nanopores and the reductions in TSSA and TPV. The results of this study enhance the understanding of the impact of pyrite oxidation on the pore structure and provide new insight into the optimization of fracturing operation conditions based on shale's mineral composition characteristics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zepeng Sun
- College
of Resource and Environment, Shanxi Agricultural
University, Taigu, Jinzhong 030801, China
| | - Yue Ni
- College
of Resource and Environment, Shanxi Agricultural
University, Taigu, Jinzhong 030801, China
| | - Yuandong Wu
- Shenzhen
Institute, Peking University, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Yong Lei
- College
of Resource and Environment, Shanxi Agricultural
University, Taigu, Jinzhong 030801, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Experimental Setup for Evaluating Rock Volume Alteration and Its Application for Studying Shale Rock Swelling in Various Fluids. MINERALS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/min12060714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Rock swelling and rock disintegration in the presence of drilling, stimulation and completion fluids are considered to be the main reasons for operational and production problems for wells in clay-rich formations. The impact of these fluids on rock properties shall be established for the effective treatment design. This paper describes the development of the experimental setup for studying rock swelling in reservoir conditions and the application of this setup for the evaluation of swelling mechanisms of shale rock samples. Swelling quantification was performed using measuring piston displacement that was caused by rock swelling in a piston accumulator during pressure maintenance. We studied the interaction of the disintegrated rock samples with water-based and hydrocarbon-based fluids and supercritical CO2. It was found that alkaline water solution in reservoir conditions causes swelling of the used rock samples in the amount of 1–3% vol. with a direct correlation between the rock swelling magnitude and the total clay content. The change in the rock volume in the presence of the used hydrocarbon-based fluid depends on the content of organic matter, its distribution in the rock, and the clay content. The observed swelling degree in the hydrocarbon fluid and CO2 was significantly lower (0–0.5% vol.) than in water. The proposed methodology and obtained results can further be used for the optimization of various operations in clay-rich formations.
Collapse
|
13
|
Jew AD, Druhan JL, Ihme M, Kovscek AR, Battiato I, Kaszuba JP, Bargar JR, Brown GE. Chemical and Reactive Transport Processes Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing of Unconventional Oil/Gas Shales. Chem Rev 2022; 122:9198-9263. [PMID: 35404590 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing of unconventional oil/gas shales has changed the energy landscape of the U.S. Recovery of hydrocarbons from tight, hydraulically fractured shales is a highly inefficient process, with estimated recoveries of <25% for natural gas and <5% for oil. This review focuses on the complex chemical interactions of additives in hydraulic fracturing fluid (HFF) with minerals and organic matter in oil/gas shales. These interactions are intended to increase hydrocarbon recovery by increasing porosities and permeabilities of tight shales. However, fluid-shale interactions result in the dissolution of shale minerals and the release and transport of chemical components. They also result in mineral precipitation in the shale matrix, which can reduce permeability, porosity, and hydrocarbon recovery. Competition between mineral dissolution and mineral precipitation processes influences the amounts of oil and gas recovered. We review the temporal/spatial origins and distribution of unconventional oil/gas shales from mudstones and shales, followed by discussion of their global and U.S. distributions and compositional differences from different U.S. sedimentary basins. We discuss the major types of chemical additives in HFF with their intended purposes, including drilling muds. Fracture distribution, porosity, permeability, and the identity and molecular-level speciation of minerals and organic matter in oil/gas shales throughout the hydraulic fracturing process are discussed. Also discussed are analysis methods used in characterizing oil/gas shales before and after hydraulic fracturing, including permeametry and porosimetry measurements, X-ray diffraction/Rietveld refinement, X-ray computed tomography, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, and laboratory- and synchrotron-based imaging/spectroscopic methods. Reactive transport and spatial scaling are discussed in some detail in order to relate fundamental molecular-scale processes to fluid transport. Our review concludes with a discussion of potential environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing and important knowledge gaps that must be bridged to achieve improved mechanistic understanding of fluid transport in oil/gas shales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Jew
- DOE EFRC─Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Jennifer L Druhan
- DOE EFRC─Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Departments of Geology and Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Matthias Ihme
- DOE EFRC─Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Anthony R Kovscek
- DOE EFRC─Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Department of Energy Resources Engineering, School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2220, United States
| | - Ilenia Battiato
- DOE EFRC─Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Department of Energy Resources Engineering, School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2220, United States
| | - John P Kaszuba
- Department of Geology and Geophysics and School of Energy Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
| | - John R Bargar
- DOE EFRC─Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Gordon E Brown
- DOE EFRC─Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States.,Department of Geological Sciences, School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2115, United States
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Esteves BF, Spielman-Sun E, Li Q, Jew AD, Bargar JR, Druhan JL. Geochemical Modeling of Celestite (SrSO 4) Precipitation and Reactive Transport in Shales. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:4336-4344. [PMID: 35297619 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Celestite (SrSO4) precipitation is a prevalent example of secondary sulfate mineral scaling issues in hydraulic fracturing systems, particularly in basins where large concentrations of naturally occurring strontium are present. Here, we present a validated and flexible geochemical model capable of predicting celestite formation under such unconventional environments. Simulations were built using CrunchFlow and guided by experimental data derived from batch reactors. These data allowed the constraint of key kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for celestite precipitation under relevant synthetic hydraulic fracturing fluid conditions. Effects of ionic strength, saturation index, and the presence of additives were considered in the combined experimental and modeling construction. This geochemical model was then expanded into a more complex system where interactions between hydraulic fracturing fluids and shale rocks were allowed to occur subject to diffusive transport. We find that the carbonate content of a given shale and the presence of persulfate breaker in the system strongly impact the location and extent of celestite formation. The results of this study provide a novel multicomponent reactive transport model that may be used to guide future experimental design in the pursuit of celestite and other sulfate mineral scale mitigation under extreme conditions typical of hydraulic fracturing in shale formations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara F Esteves
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Eleanor Spielman-Sun
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Qingyun Li
- Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Adam D Jew
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - John R Bargar
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Jennifer L Druhan
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| |
Collapse
|