High volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) wastewaters contain authigenic hydrophobic organic compounds, industrially sourced additives, and transformation products thereof. Identification of the unanticipated components and their formation pathways is important for (a) predicting impacts on human and ecological health associated with HVHF waste, (b) understanding and engineering time-dependent changes in well characteristics from an industrial performance perspective, and (c) illuminating previously undescribed chemistries. Here, we characterized HVHF flowback water via comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry in a small subset of Fayetteville and Marcellus Shale operations. Several halogenated organic byproducts were identified, putatively via reaction with shale brines that yielded chlorinated, brominated, and iodated materials, including halomethanes. Using a novel high pressure and temperature reactor, we are uncovering the important transformation processes that give rise to these chemicals. Further, using experimental well samples, we seek to determine the quantity and pervasiveness of these transformation byproducts, in order to gauge their overall importance to the HVHF fluid composition. Ultimately, this should enable improved HVHF technologies, water treatment, and <i>a priori </i>risk assessment to minimize the environmental impact of unconventional oil and gas extraction technologies.

Chemical transformations in high volume hydraulic fracturing fluids

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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