See more from this Division: Joint Sessions
See more from this Session: Biofuels Production: Environmental Challenges for Soil and Water
Abstract:
In this study, we sought to determine the amount of CBNG co-produced water that reaches the Powder River annually using a Bayesian model implemented in WinBUGS. Strontium was selected for modeling because unlike oxygen and hydrogen isotopes, it does not fractionate in nature and it has been shown to be an effective tracer of waters of different origins. Using the 87Sr/86Sr ratio and strontium concentration of water collected from the Powder River at 30 locations, we created a five end-member mixing model that accounts for the 87Sr/86Sr ratio and strontium concentration of the different lithologies encountered in the PRB, as well as rainwater, and CBNG co-produced water. The model allows for all possible combinations of these end-members to account for the 87Sr/86Sr ratio and strontium concentration of the river and incorporates uncertainty in the measurements and process errors. Model results confirm that Beaver Creek is almost entirely composed of CBNG co-produced water and indicates that less than 1% of the Powder River is composed of CBNG co-produced water upstream of Beaver Creek and decreases with distance downstream. These results indicate that CBM co-produced water is volumetrically an insignificant fraction of the water carried by the Powder River.
See more from this Division: Joint Sessions
See more from this Session: Biofuels Production: Environmental Challenges for Soil and Water