Unconventional oil and gas resources, especially shale gas and enhanced oil recovery (EOR), have many unresolved questions regarding environmental and public safety.  One of these concerns is the migration of unwanted chemicals into overlying aquifers serving as sources of potable water.  Another concern is the fate of these chemicals in the treatment of produced waters.  Addressing these concerns requires identification of acceptable tracers indicting contamination, fundamental knowledge of the reactivity of chemicals of concern, e.g. biocides, and the partitioning behavior of organic compounds in mixtures of super critical CO<sub>2</sub> and brine. Determining the factors controlling the fate of selected compounds will improve understanding of the interactions between injected fluids and the subsurface formation fluids and rocks. Here, we present work on solubility measurements for selected organic compounds in high salt environments including up to 5M NaCl, 2M CaCl<sub>2</sub>, and mixtures of these salts.  Both hydrophobic and moderately hydrophilic organic compounds are assessed.  Measured solubility is compared with estimates from Setchenow constants measured at lower salt concentrations, and a published linear free energy relationship developed for other types of compounds. Deviations from predicted behaviors are discussed.  Finally, the fate of selected biocides and their reactivity with pyrite in shales during hydraulic fracturing is discussed.

Partitioning and reactivity of trace organics in unconventional oil and gas plays

249th National Meeting (2015)

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