• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • UA Graduate and Undergraduate Research
    • UA Theses and Dissertations
    • Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • UA Graduate and Undergraduate Research
    • UA Theses and Dissertations
    • Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of UA Campus RepositoryCommunitiesTitleAuthorsIssue DateSubmit DateSubjectsPublisherJournalThis CollectionTitleAuthorsIssue DateSubmit DateSubjectsPublisherJournal

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    About

    AboutUA Faculty PublicationsUA DissertationsUA Master's ThesesUA Honors ThesesUA PressUA YearbooksUA CatalogsUA Libraries

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Chemical and Isotopic Characteristics of Sedimentary Basin Formation Waters for Evaluating Cross-Formational Mixing, Tracers of Contamination, and Li Resources

    • CSV
    • RefMan
    • EndNote
    • BibTex
    • RefWorks
    Thumbnail
    Name:
    azu_etd_19479_sip1_m.pdf
    Size:
    14.39Mb
    Format:
    PDF
    Download
    Author
    Marza, Mohammad
    Issue Date
    2022
    Advisor
    McIntosh, Jennifer
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Publisher
    The University of Arizona.
    Rights
    Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction, presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
    Abstract
    Understanding the origin, diagenetic history, chemical composition, and migration pathways of saline fluids in sedimentary basins is important for extraction of subsurface resources (e.g., critical elements, such as Li), storage of alternative energy (e.g., H2) and saline produced waters, and long-term sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 and spent nuclear fuel. The presence of confining units, such as evaporites and shale, may impede basinal-scale fluid flow and can be a source of highly saline fluids to adjacent formations. Upward migration of saline fluids may contaminate surface waters or shallow aquifers. Identifying the source of saline fluids (e.g., fluids sourced from specific oil/gas reservoirs) through unique fluid isotopic signatures may help to remediate contamination. This issue is complicated by the fact that many subsurface reservoirs have been altered by extensive fluid injection activities (e.g., water flooding or disposal of produced, saline waters), which may modify original formation water chemistry. This dissertation aims to evaluate Sr isotopes as an adequate tracer for fingerprinting distinct sources of produced waters from overlapping oil/gas fields, influence of fluid surface storage and subsurface injection activities, and cross-formational fluid migration through evaporite confining units, combined with major ion, Br, and water stable isotope chemistry. Furthermore, this dissertation aims to explore the potential of Li production from sedimentary basin brines.To test the utility of Sr isotopes as a tracer of subsurface, saline fluid sources, Sr isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) of formation waters were evaluated from hydrocarbon reservoirs within three major oil/gas producing regions: the Williston, Appalachian, and Permian basins in North America. Based on a non-parametric statistical test, Sr isotope ratios of formation waters from multiple stacked oil and gas reservoirs within each basin have overlapping (i.e., non-unique) values. In regions where Sr isotope ratios of formation waters overlaps, Sr isotopes alone may not be a sensitive tracer of saline, produced water contamination in near surface environments, as previously proposed. Sr isotopes, along with major ion chemistry, Br, and water stable isotopes, were further applied to investigate the potential of fluid migration across a thick evaporite confining unit (Gotnia Formation) within the Kuwait Basin, as proposed by previous studies. Results indicate that the Pre-Gotnia (below the evaporites) and Post-Gotnia (above the evaporites) sections have distinct Sr isotopes signatures suggesting the Gotnia Formation impedes vertical fluid migration. These results are supported by major ion chemistry, Br, and water stable isotopes. The upward migration or downward leakage of saline water can deteriorate the quality of drinking water and modifies the formation waters chemical and isotopic signature. Interestingly, several of the subsurface reservoirs show extensive mixing with seawater, likely from water flooding activities for enhanced oil recovery. Replacement of formation waters by injection of different fluids may cause difficulties in fingerprinting sources of potential contamination, deteriorate the reservoir quality, lead to borehole scaling, and alter subsurface microbial activity. Li (and other critical elements) extraction from oil-field brines has been proposed, yet relatively little is known about the concentration of Li in various sedimentary basin fluids and potential extraction rates based on fluid fluxes. To address this issue, I investigated Li concentrations and potential Li extraction rates of formation waters from stacked oil/gas reservoirs in sedimentary basins across North America. Six of the basins contained [Li] above 65 mg/L, with the highest Li contents in the Smackover Formation in the Gulf Coast, E. Texas and Arkla basins (up to 1700 mg/L), which has been the focus of previous studies. The Paradox, Appalachian, Williston, Gulf Coast, East Texas, and Arkla basins also contained [Li] above 65 mg/L. In general, the highest Li concentrations are found in basinal brines sourced from highly evaporated seawater (halite to potash salt precipitation stage) from the geologic past. Li was then enriched by interaction with Li-rich rocks and minerals in the subsurface (e.g., detrital sediments, shales, and volcanic ash). Lithium concentrations and potential production rates are most promising in the Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Clinton/Medina Groups in the Appalachian Basin, and Devonian section and Charles Formation in the Williston Basin. Results of this study show that basinal brines may be a competitive resource compared to more traditional continental brines for Li (and possibly other critical elements) production, worthy of further investigation.
    Type
    text
    Electronic Dissertation
    Degree Name
    Ph.D.
    Degree Level
    doctoral
    Degree Program
    Graduate College
    Hydrology
    Degree Grantor
    University of Arizona
    Collections
    Dissertations

    entitlement

     
    The University of Arizona Libraries | 1510 E. University Blvd. | Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
    Tel 520-621-6442 | repository@u.library.arizona.edu
    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2017  DuraSpace
    Quick Guide | Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Open Repository is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV
     

    Export search results

    The export option will allow you to export the current search results of the entered query to a file. Different formats are available for download. To export the items, click on the button corresponding with the preferred download format.

    By default, clicking on the export buttons will result in a download of the allowed maximum amount of items.

    To select a subset of the search results, click "Selective Export" button and make a selection of the items you want to export. The amount of items that can be exported at once is similarly restricted as the full export.

    After making a selection, click one of the export format buttons. The amount of items that will be exported is indicated in the bubble next to export format.