Oil and natural gas extraction results in an estimated co-production of over 20 trillion bbl of water per year in the US (Veil, 2015) that is expensive to dispose of and could be put to a beneficial use under the right circumstances. The desire to put industry waste water to beneficial use to supplement or preserve fresh water resources is growing in regions like the Arid West.<br/>Most western states do not currently have regulations or established criteria for beneficially using oilfield wastes outside of the oilfield in part because questions remain about the quality and consistency of oilfield wastes, and how to determine what waste is of good enough quality to be considered a valuable resource. Because of the uncertainty surrounding the quality of these wastes, most considerations for beneficial use are currently focused on in-field use and other applications that do not result in direct human consumption.<br/>One such use is application to unpaved roads for stabilization and dust suppression. Under certain circumstances, oilfield wastes may provide an economically viable alternative to more conventional road treatments which may also include wetting or mixing salt compounds with fresh water. Some benefits of using oilfield waste for road maintenance applications include cost savings for operators and local road maintenance departments, and the potential for reducing the dependence on fresh water resources for road maintenance activities. However, some states are struggling with identifying the potential implications of this practice and how to effectively manage or regulate it in a way that addresses the potential risks. This presentation will summarize a case study evaluating the pros and cons of using oilfield waste for road maintenance outside of the oilfield.<br/>

Beneficial use of oilfield wastes outside of the oilfield: Road spreading case study

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

[Author Benefits](https://scimeetings.acs.org/?utm_source=pubs_content_marketing&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=0320_MCF_NPI_Launch_Spring_Homepage&ref=pubs_content_marketing)

[How to use SciMeetings](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMeetings-ACSSpring2020-HowToGuide_M3020-Final.pdf)

[Frequently Asked Questions](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMtng_ACSNMSp2020_FAQ_M3120_Final.pdf)

ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.