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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Oil and Gas Technology Feasibility Studies

The optimal recovery and use of U.S. oil and gas resources requires energy policies and environmental regulations based on credible scientific data, assumptions, and analyses. Before new technologies can be moved into commerce, their capabilities, cost, risk, and legality need to be determined. Argonne's Environmental Science Division (EVS) conducts independent feasibility studies of the technical, regulatory, economic, and risk aspects of promising oil field technologies to foster technology evaluation and implementation. Examples of technologies that EVS has recently evaluated include:

Synthetic-based drilling fluids that offer both good drilling performance and low environmental impacts;
The use of underground salt caverns for disposing of oil field waste well below drinking water supplies;
Downhole oil/water separators that offer cost savings through lower produced water management costs and fewer environmental impacts;
The use of treated drill cuttings to restore coastal wetlands; and
Slurry injection for disposal of drilling wastes.

In addition to preparing feasibility studies on these topics, EVS has conducted extensive outreach to regulatory agencies and the oil and gas industry in the United States and abroad, through conference presentations and publications.

Related EVS Developed/Hosted Web Sites

Drilling Waste Management Information System (DWMIS)
Salt Cavern Information Web Site
Related Web Sites

Ohio Oil and Gas Well Emergency Response System
Related Publications

Produced Water Volumes and Management Practices in the United States
Thermal Distillation Technology for Management of Produced Water and Frac Flowback Water
Water Issues Associated with Heavy Oil Production
Testimony of John A. Veil, Argonne National Laboratory, Before the House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Concerning: "Research to Improve Water-Use Efficiency and Conservation: Technologies and Practice"
Life-Cycle Thinking for the Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Industry
Trip Report for Field Visit to Fayetteville Gas Wells
Potential Ground Water and Surface Water Impacts from Oil Shale and Tar Sands Energy-Production Operations
Exploration and Production Waste Disposal Database
Offsite Commercial Disposal of Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Waste: Availability, Options, and Costs
Summary of DOE/PERF Water Program Review, November 1-4, 2005, Annapolis, Maryland
Characteristics of Produced Water Discharged to the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone
Downhole Separation Technology Performance: Relationship to Geologic Conditions
A White Paper Describing Produced Water from Production of Crude Oil, Natural Gas, and Coal Bed Methane
An Introduction to Salt Caverns and Their Use for Disposal of Oil Field Wastes
An Introduction to Slurry Injection Technology for Disposal of Drilling Wastes
Evaluation of Slurry Injection Technology for Management of Drilling Wastes
Compendium of Regulatory Requirements Governing Underground Injection of Drilling Wastes
Analysis of Data from a Downhole Oil/Water Separator Field Trial in East Texas
Regulatory Issues Affecting Management of Produced Water from Coal Bed Methane Wells
Information on Commercial Disposal Facilities That May Have Received Offshore Drilling Wastes
Summary of Data from DOE-Subsidized Field Trial #1 of Downhole Oil/Water Separator Technology, Texaco Well Bilbrey 30-Federal No. 5 Lea County, New Mexico
Update on Onshore Disposal of Offshore Drilling Wastes
Data Summary of Offshore Drilling Waste Disposal Practices
Disposal of NORM-Contaminated Oil Field Wastes in Salt Caverns
Risk Analyses for Disposing of Nonhazardous Oil Field Wastes in Salt Caverns
Preliminary Technical and Legal Evaluation of Disposing of Nonhazardous Oil Field Waste into Salt Caverns
Potential environmental benefits from regulatory consideration of synthetic drilling muds.
Feasibility Evaluation of Downhole Oil/Water Separator (DOWS) Technology
Costs for Off-Site Disposal of Nonhazardous Oil Field Wastes: Salt Caverns versus Other Disposal Methods
Surface Water Discharges from Onshore Stripper Wells
Contact

John Veil
(202)488-2450
jveil@anl.gov

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