Potential mineral precipitation and water compatibilities related to the Drunkards Wash project, Carbon County, Utah (RI-241)

By: J. W. Gwynn

River Gas Corporation produces approximately 36,000 barrels per day of saline water from the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale as part of its Drunkards Wash coalbed-methane recovery project. Most of the sodium-bicarbonate-chloride produced water is disposed of by re-injection, the remainder is put into a pond to evaporate. Computer simulations using the PHRQPITZ program were used to evaluate water-chemistry problems.

The purpose of this investigation was to test the applicability of the PHRQPITZ computer program in evaluating water-chemistry problems related to River Gas Corporation's Drunkards Wash coalbed-methane-recovery program. The objectives of this investigation were to: (1) determine, through computer simulation, what salts might be produced from RGC's saline evaporation-pond water through controlled, sequential evaporation, and (2) evaluate, through computer simulation, the compatibility of the injected Ferron Sandstone water and the Navajo and Wingate Sandstone connate brines, and the potential for mineral precipitation, as they are mixed in various ratios under assumed down-hole conditions.

Other Information:
Published: 1998
Pages: 22 p.
Location: Carbon County
Media Type: Paper Publication