1
|
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
|
2
|
Wu F, Zhou Z, Zhang S, Cheng F, Tong Y, Li L, Zhang B, Zeng X, Li H, Wang D, Yu Z, You J. Toxicity identification evaluation for hydraulic fracturing flowback and produced water during shale gas exploitation in China: Evidence from tissue residues and gene expression. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 241:120170. [PMID: 37290192 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing flowback and produced water (HF-FPW) from shale gas extraction processes is a highly complex medium with potential threats to the environment. Current research on ecological risks of FPW in China is limited, and the link between major components of FPW and their toxicological effects on freshwater organisms is largely unknown. By integrating chemical and biological analyses, toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) was used to reveal causality between toxicity and contaminants, potentially disentangling the complex toxicological nature of FPW. Here, FPW from different shale gas wells, treated FPW effluent, and a leachate from HF sludge were collected from southwest China, and TIE was applied to obtain a comprehensive toxicity evaluation in freshwater organisms. Our results showed that FPW from the same geographic zone could cause significantly different toxicity. Salinity, solid phase particulates, and organic contaminants were identified as the main contributors to the toxicity of FPW. In addition to water chemistry, internal alkanes, PAHs, and HF additives (e.g., biocides and surfactants) were quantified in exposed embryonic fish by target and non-target tissue analyses. The treated FPW failed to mitigate the toxicity associated with organic contaminants. Transcriptomic results illustrated that organic compounds induced toxicity pathways in FPW-exposed embryonic zebrafish. Similar zebrafish gene ontologies were affected between treated and untreated FPW, again confirming that sewage treatment did not effectively remove organic chemicals from FPW. Thus, zebrafish transcriptome analyses revealed organic toxicant-induced adverse outcome pathways and served as evidence for TIE confirmation in complex mixtures under data-poor scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Zhimin Zhou
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Shaoqiong Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Fei Cheng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Yujun Tong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Liang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Biao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xiangying Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Huizhen Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Dali Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Zhiqiang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jing You
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
In-situ growth of ZIF-8 nanocrystals on biochar for boron adsorption. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.130504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
4
|
Stolze L, Battistel M, Rolle M. Oxidative Dissolution of Arsenic-Bearing Sulfide Minerals in Groundwater: Impact of Hydrochemical and Hydrodynamic Conditions on Arsenic Release and Surface Evolution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:5049-5061. [PMID: 35377625 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The dissolution of sulfide minerals can lead to hazardous arsenic levels in groundwater. This study investigates the oxidative dissolution of natural As-bearing sulfide minerals and the related release of arsenic under flow-through conditions. Column experiments were performed using reactive As-bearing sulfide minerals (arsenopyrite and löllingite) embedded in a sandy matrix and injecting oxic solutions into the initially anoxic porous media to trigger the mineral dissolution. Noninvasive oxygen measurements, analyses of ionic species at the outlet, and scanning electron microscopy allowed tracking the propagation of the oxidative dissolution fronts, the mineral dissolution progress, and the change in mineral surface composition. Process-based reactive transport simulations were performed to quantitatively interpret the geochemical processes. The experimental and modeling outcomes show that pore-water acidity exerts a key control on the dissolution of sulfide minerals and arsenic release since it determines the precipitation of secondary mineral phases causing the sequestration of arsenic and the passivation of the reactive mineral surfaces. The impact of surface passivation strongly depends on the flow velocity and on the spatial distribution of the reactive minerals. These results highlight the fundamental interplay of reactive mineral distribution and hydrochemical and hydrodynamic conditions on the mobilization of arsenic from sulfide minerals in flow-through systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucien Stolze
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Maria Battistel
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Massimo Rolle
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
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: 4.0] [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
|
6
|
Bondu R, Kloppmann W, Naumenko-Dèzes MO, Humez P, Mayer B. Potential Impacts of Shale Gas Development on Inorganic Groundwater Chemistry: Implications for Environmental Baseline Assessment in Shallow Aquifers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:9657-9671. [PMID: 34251200 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c01172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The potential contamination of shallow groundwater with inorganic constituents is a major environmental concern associated with shale gas extraction through hydraulic fracturing. However, the impact of shale gas development on groundwater quality is a highly controversial issue. The only way to reliably assess whether groundwater quality has been impacted by shale gas development is to collect pre-development baseline data against which subsequent changes in groundwater quality can be compared. The objective of this paper is to provide a conceptual and methodological framework for establishing a baseline of inorganic groundwater quality in shale gas areas, which is becoming standard practice as a prerequisite for evaluating shale gas development impacts on shallow aquifers. For this purpose, this paper first reviews the potential sources of inorganic contaminants in shallow groundwater from shale gas areas. Then, it reviews the previous baseline studies of groundwater geochemistry in shale gas areas, showing that a comprehensive baseline assessment includes documenting the natural sources of salinity, potential geogenic contamination, and potential anthropogenic influences from legacy contamination and surface land use activities that are not related to shale gas development. Based on this knowledge, best practices are identified in terms of baseline sampling, selection of inorganic baseline parameters, and definition of threshold levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Bondu
- BRGM (French Geological Survey), 3 Avenue Claude-Guillemin, 45060 Orléans, France
| | - Wolfram Kloppmann
- BRGM (French Geological Survey), 3 Avenue Claude-Guillemin, 45060 Orléans, France
| | | | - Pauline Humez
- Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Bernhard Mayer
- Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Deng H, Fitts JP, Tappero RV, Kim JJ, Peters CA. Acid Erosion of Carbonate Fractures and Accessibility of Arsenic-Bearing Minerals: In Operando Synchrotron-Based Microfluidic Experiment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:12502-12510. [PMID: 32845141 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Underground flows of acidic fluids through fractured rock can create new porosity and increase accessibility to hazardous trace elements such as arsenic. In this study, we developed a custom microfluidic cell for an in operando synchrotron experiment using X-ray attenuation. The experiment mimics reactive fracture flow by passing an acidic fluid over a surface of mineralogically heterogeneous rock from the Eagle Ford shale. Over 48 h, calcite was preferentially dissolved, forming an altered layer 200-500 μm thick with a porosity of 63-68% and surface area >10× higher than that in the unreacted shale as shown by xCT analyses. Calcite dissolution rate quantified from the attenuation data was 3 × 10-4 mol/m2s and decreased to 3 × 10-5 mol/m2s after 24 h because of increasing diffusion limitations. Erosion of the fracture surface increased access to iron-rich minerals, thereby increasing access to toxic metals such as arsenic. Quantification using XRF and XANES microspectroscopy indicated up to 0.5 wt % of As(-I) in arsenopyrite and 1.2 wt % of As(V) associated with ferrihydrite. This study provides valuable contributions for understanding and predicting fracture alteration and changes to the mobilization potential of hazardous metals and metalloids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Deng
- Energy Geosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jeffrey P Fitts
- Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Ryan V Tappero
- Photon Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Julie J Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Catherine A Peters
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| |
Collapse
|