WATER POLLUTION CONTROL RESEARCH SERIES
I6060HIJ 02/72
EVALUATION OF SALT WATER DISPOSAL
INTO POTENTIAL GROUND-WATER RESOURCES
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
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WATER POLLUTION CONTROL RESEARCH SERIES
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The Water Pollution Control Research Series describes the
results and progress in the control and abatement of
pollution in our Nation's waters. They provide a central
source of information on the research, development, and
demonstration activities in the water research program
of the Environmental Protection Agency, through inhou.se
research and grants and contracts with Federal, State,
and local agencies, research institutions, and industrial
organizations.
Inquiries pertaining to Water Pollution Control Research
Reports should be directed to the Chief, Publications
Branch (Water), Research Information Division, RSM,
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
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EVALUATION OF SALT WATER DISPOSAL
INTO POTENTIAL GROUND-WATER RESOURCES
by
Fred A. Norris
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
380 Jim Thorpe Building
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
for the
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND MONITORING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Project 16060 HIJ
February 1972
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402 - Price 35 cents
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EPA Review Notice
This report h~.s been reviewed by the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency and approved for publication. Approval does
net signify that the contents 'necessarily reflect the
views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency,
nor dees mention of trace names or commercial products
constitute endorsement or recommendation, for use.
ii
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Abstract
The Glorieta Sandstone was developed and tested for water quality
in an abandoned oil test located in western Texas County, Oklahoma
to evaluate the use of the formation as a potential water source.
Results of chemical analyses (e.g. , chloride content is 9,400 mg/1)
support previous conclusions that water from the Glorieta is high in
chloride and dissolved solids and cannot be used for most beneficial
purposes without being desalinized or being mixed with a high propor-
tion of water of low dissolved solids content.
iii
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CONTENTS
Section Page
CONCLUSIONS 1
INTRODUCTION 3
FIELD PROCEDURES 5
ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES 9
RESULTS 11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 15
REFERENCES 17
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FIGURES
Number Title Page
1 Vicinity Map 7
VI
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TABLES
Number Title Page
1 Chemical Analysis of Water From the Glorieta
Sandstone 13
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CONCLUSIONS
1. The use of an abandoned oil test proved satisfactory in determining
the quality of the water in the Glorieta Formation penetrated by this
well. The test was made to obtain data which would be used in evaluat-
ing the potential of the formation as a water source.
2. The chemical analysis of water from the Glorieta Sandstone indi-
cates that the water in the formation is high in dissolved solids and
would have to be either desalted or mixed with a high proportion of
good-quality water before the water could be used for such purposes as
irrigation or municipal supply.
3. The Glorieta Formation is composed of very fine unconsolidated sand.
Completion and pumping of water wells in the formation would be diffi-
cult and considerably more expensive than present water wells in the
High Plains area.
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INTRODUCTION
This project was conducted as a continuation of other work enti-
tled "Determination of Pollutional Potential of the Ogallala Aquifer
by Salt Water Injection".^ Both projects are concerned with the
injection of oil field brines into the Glorieta Formation which lies
a few hundred feet below the Ogallala Formation, a major fresh water
aquifer in several states. Both projects were conducted in Texas
County in the Panhandle of Oklahoma.
The first project dealt primarily with the pollutional potential
by establishing the relationship of the hydraulic potentials of each
geologic formation. In the report of that project, it was stated that
the quality of native water in the Glorieta was not adequately estab-
lished and an evaluation of that formation as a potential water re-
source could not be made.
This report, therefore, presents findings and recommendations
relative to water quality information in the Glorieta in an area where
there has been no previous brine disposal.
The project was designed to provide water quality information at
the lowest possible cost. It entailed perforating and testing the
Glorieta Section in an existing but abandoned oil-test well in the
western part of Texas County, Oklahoma. The well was ideally suited
for this purpose in that it was drilled and plugged recently by a major
oil company and has casing extending through the Glorieta Formation.
The Glorieta Sand is extremely fine-grained sand, rounded and
completely unconsolidated (like beach sand). Electrical logs indicate
that very thin lenticular shale lenses exist throughout the Glorieta
Section.
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FIELD PROCEDURE
The well used in this project was the Texaco No. 1 H.C. Hitch,
Jr. As shown in Figure 1, it is located in the NE 1/4 of Section 5,
Township 2 North, Range 10 ECM. It was completed in May of 1968 to a
depth of 5509 feet and found to be a dry hole. The well was subse-
quently plugged in September, 1969. The well is cased with 1596 feet
of 8 5/8" casing which extends from the land surface through and be-
low the Glorieta Formation. The casing at the beginning of this test
was plugged with cement and heavy mud.
The field phase of this project was performed during the eight-day
period, September 27 to October 4, 1971. The principal steps of this
phase are listed and discussed as follows:
1. The cement plugs and mud in the casing were removed by rotary
drilling and bailing.
2. A new plug consisting of 35 sacks of cement was set in the
casing from 1475 feet to 1589 feet below land surface.
3. The hole was swabbed and bailed dry.
4. Observations were made for two hours to see whether or not
there would be leakage past the new cement plug. No fluid
entered the hole during this observation period.
5. A Gamma Ray-Collar Log was run from 1450 feet to surface.
This log provided the basis for determining the position and
thickness of the Glorieta Formation and the interval to be
perforated. The log showed that the top of the Glorieta is
993 feet below land surface and the base of the formation is
at 1176 feet.
6. The well was jet perforated with four shots at 1003 feet,
which is ten feet below the formation top. The perforations
were made while the hole was still dry.
7. After the casing was perforated, fluid entered the well and
rose to 790 feet. The well was left in this condition for
about sixteen hours before the process of removing water from
the well was begun.
8. To assure that the water samples collected for chemical analy-
sis were not contaminated with drilling fluids, a large amount
of water was removed from the well. This water removal was
achieved by bailing. While bailing, 36 trips were made, re-
presenting approximately 23 barrels of water. During the
bailing operations, water quality parameters were monitored
until the quality stabilized thereby assuring that Glorieta
water was indeed being sampled.
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9. A large amount of sand entered the well during the bailing opera-
tions. This condition resulted largely because the sand compos-
ing the formation was fine grained and unconsolidated. The
condition necessitated that all samples had to be filtered
thoroughly to remove the suspended fine sand and silt before
chemical analysis could be performed. Measurements revealed that
185 feet of sand settled out on top of the plug in the well; this
represents about 65 cubic feet of sand.
10. After completion of the tests, the well was plugged in compliance
with the Rules and Regulations of the Oklahoma Corporation
Commission.
11. All equipment, debris, and drilling mud were removed from the pro-
ject site; the casing was cut off three feet below ground level
and was capped with a steel plate; then the location and access
road were leveled.
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KANSAS
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TEXAS COUNTY
V Hooker
OKLAH OMA
* Hordesty
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TEXAS
Test Site
Figure I VICINITY MAP
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ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES
Throughout the swabbing and bailing operations, water samples
from the well were periodically analyzed in the field for pH, specific
conductance, chlorides, and total alkalinity. These samples, which
were quite turbid, were filtered through a Millipore glass-fiber pre-
filter before analysis. Specific conductance and pH were determined
respectively by means of an Industrial Instruments Model RB-3 conduc-
tivity meter and an Orion Model 901 Research lonalyzer. Chlorides
were determined by titration of samples with mercuric nitrate.&j
Total alkalinity was determined by the mixed bromcresol green-methyl
red indicator method.'•*)
When chlorides and total alkalinity of water from the test well
had remained essentially constant for approximately three hours, indi-
cating that water truly representative of that in the Glorieta Aquifer
was being obtained, samples were collected for shipment to the labora-
tory to be analyzed for sulfate, total hardness, total dissolved solids,
nitrate, nitrite, total kjeldahl nitrogen, phosphorus, and selected
metals. These samples were initially collected in stainless steel
buckets and then were further processed after allowing a short period
for settling of suspended matter.
Samples to be analyzed for sulfate, total hardness, and total
dissolved solids were decanted from the stainless steel buckets
directly into suitable containers for shipment to the laboratory, with
no further treatment in the field. Before analysis in the laboratory,
these samples were filtered through Whatman No. 566 filter paper.
Sulfate was determined by the standard turbidim'etric method, employing
Sulfaver (Hach Chemical Company) as conditioning reagent.™' The com-
plexometric titration method was employed for total hardness determin-
ation with cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid being utilized as the
titrant.'-*' Total dissolved solids were determined by evaporating
100 ml aliquots of the filtered samples to dryness on a steam bath,
and weighing after further oven drying at 103°C.'"'
For determination of nitrates, nitrites, total Kjeldahl nitrogen,
and total phosphorus, samples were decanted from the stainless steel
collection buckets into shipping containers and then were "fixed" by
addition of 2 ml H^SO^/liter in the field, before return to the labora-
tory. Nitrates and nitrites were determined by the automated hydra-
zine reduction method,''' with the method of standard additions being
employed to compensate for interferences produced by other components
of the samples. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen was determined by a stand-
ardized procedureRfor water analysis, employing titration as the final
analytical step. For determination of total phosphorus, all phos-
phorus was first converted to orthophosphate by digestion of samples
with sulfuric acid-ammonium persulfate.™) in order to eliminate
potential interferences and increase sensitivity of the analyses, the
orthophosphate was then determined by a procedure utilizing organic
solvent extraction. This procedure was essentially that of Jenkins,^10'
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with the following exceptions: (1) benzene-isobutyl alcohol (1:1) was
used as extracting solvent; (2) 15 drops of dilute solution of stannuous
chloride in glycerol'^' were employed as reducing agent; (3) 12 - 15 min
utes were allowed for color development before determination of absorb-
ance.
Samples to be analyzed for metals were filtered through 0.45u
Millipore filters and "fixed" by adding 2 ml concentrated nitric acid
per liter of filtered sample in the field. Sodium, potassium, calcium,
magnesium, aluminum, strontium, and barium were determined by atomic
absorption spectrophotometry, utilizing a Perkin-Elmer Model 403 atomic
absorption spectrophotometer and standardized analytical procedures.
To obviate potential interferences in analysis of barium and strontium,
standard addition was employed for determination of these metals.
Zinc, cadmium, iron, tin, manganese, copper, nickel, lead, and hexa
valent chromium were determined by emission spectroscopy, employing a
Jarrell-Ash Mark IV Ebert convertible plane grating spectrograph with
rotating disc attachment for sampling and a high voltage spark for exci-
tation. The metals were concentrated for analysis by chelating with
ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and extracting the metal chelates
from the water samples with chloroform.^ '
Boron was determined by the Curcumin method.
10
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RESULTS
The results of this project are expressed as water quality informa-
tion for native water in the Glorieta Formation at the test site. This
information is shown in Table 1, along with the United States Public
Health Service Drinking Water Standards for comparative purposes. It
can be seen by examining Table 1 that 50 percent of the applicable stand-
ards are exceeded by a considerable margin.
This chemical analysis of Glorieta water is in line with data which
the U.S. Geological Survey collected for six different locations in Texas
County. These six analyses show the Glorieta water to range in chloride
concentration from 10,196 to 31,028 parts per million. On the basis of
these analyses and several others collected in other parts of Oklahoma,
Kansas, and Texas, the U.S. Geological Survey concluded that "the water
is high in chloride and dissolved solids".
11
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Table 1
Chemical Analysis of Water
From the Glorieta Sandstone*
Parameter
Temperature
Specific Conductance
PH
Cl
Total Alkalinity as CaCO-
Total Dissolved Solids
Total Hardness
so4
NO -N
NO^-N
Total Kjeldahl N
P
Na
Ca
Mg
Sr
Ba
Al
Zn
Cd
Fe
Sn
Mn
Cu
Ni
Pb
Cr
B
Glorieta
Water
21.0°C
34,000 umhos/cm
7.5
9,400 mg/1
1,740 mg/1
22,649 mg/1
2,400 mg/1
3,475 mg/1
0.5 mg/1
<0.1 mg/1
2.7 mg/1
0.1 mg/1
7,700 mg/1
112 mg/1
163 mg/1
12 mg/1
<10 mg/1
<1 mg/1
0.34 mg/1
<0.05 mg/1
1.6 mg/1
<0.1 mg/1
0.11 mg/1
0.05 mg/1
0.14 mg/1
0.10 mg/1
<0.05 mg/1
0.1 mg/1
USPHS Drinking
Water Standards
(16)
250 mg/1
500 mg/1
250 mg/1
45.0 mg/1
1.0 mg/1
5.0 mg/1
0.01 mg/1
0.3 mg/1
.05 mg/1
1.0 mg/1
0.05 mg/1
0.05 mg/1
*Sample collected October 1, 1971, from Texaco Oil Test, Hitch No. 1,
located NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Sec. 5, T2N, R10ECM, Texas County, Oklahoma.
13
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A project of this nature necessarily involves the energy, talent,
and cooperation of a number of people to whom proper credit should be
given.
Special acknowledgement is made of Dan R. Dunnett and W. H. Bowers
of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission staff for all assistance in
preparation of plans, securing bids and supervising actual testing
operations. Appreciation is expressed to H. H. Smith for his help in
arranging and conducting field phases of the project.
Special acknowledgement is also made of Texaco, Inc., who made the
project possible by allowing their oil test to be utilized for this
purpose.
Henry C. Hitch, Jr., is acknowledged for his cooperation in granting
access to the project site.
Our special thanks to George Freeman, Jr., and Virgil Higgins of the
Texas County Irrigation Association for their assistance in obtaining
temporary road (provided by county) and their encouragement and advice
during testing.
Leslie G. McMillion, who served as Project Officer from the
Environmental Protection Agency, is acknowledged with thanks for
his assistance in all phases of this project. Recognition of others
in the Environmental Protection Agency who participated are: Messrs.
W. J. Dunlap, Roger Cosby, James McNabb, and Jack 'Keeley, members of
the National Ground Water Research Program of the Robert S. Kerr Water
Research Center. Their assistance was invaluable in both the field
and laboratory phases of analytical determinations.
DeWayne Reeves, Supervisor for the prime contractor, for all his
suggestions and assistance in securing conclusive tests is also
acknowledged.
15
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REFERENCES
1. McMillion, Leslie G. and Bruce W. Maxwell, "Determination of
Pollutional Potential of the Ogallala Aquifer by Salt Water
Injection," EPA, Robert S. Kerr Water Research Center, Ada,
Oklahoma, June 1970.
2. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,
13th Edition, American Public Health Association, New York,
1971, p. 97.
3. Ibid, p. 54.
4. Ibid, p. 334.
5. Ibid, p. 179.
6. Ibid, p. 535.
7. Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes, Environmental
Protection Agency, Analytical Quality Control Laboratory, Cincinnati,
Ohio, 1971, p. 185.
8. Ibid, p. 149.
9. Ibid, p. 254.
10. Jenkins, David, "A Study of Methods Suitable for the Analysis
and Presentation of Phosphorus Forms in an Estuarine Environment,"
Sanitary Engineering Research Laboratory Report No. 65-18,
University of California, Berkeley, 1965, p. 45.
11. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,
13th Edition, American Public Health Association, New York,
1971, p. 530.
12. Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes, Environmental
Protection Agency, Analytical Quality Control Laboratory, Cincinnati,
Ohio, 1971, p. 83.
13. Analytical Methods for Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, The.
Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Norwalk, Connecticut, 1964.
14. Kopp, John F. and Robert C. Kramer, "A Concentration Method for
the Spectrochemical Determination of Minor Elements in Natural
Waters," Environmental Protection Agency, Analytical Quality
Control Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio.
17
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15. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,
13th Edition, American Public Health Association, New York,
1971, p. 69.
16. Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards, 1962, U. S.
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health
Service Publication No. 956.
17. Irwin, James H. and Robert B. Morton, "Hydrogeologic Information
on the Glorieta Sandstone and the Ogallala Formation in the
Oklahoma Panhandle and Adjoining Areas as Related to Underground
Waste Disposal," Geological Survey Circular 630, 1969.
18
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1
.Access/on Number
w
5
n Subject Field & Group
07B
SELECTED WATER RESOURCES ABSTRACTS
INPUT TRANSACTION FORM
Organization
Title
Evaluation of Salt Water Disposal into Potential Ground Water Resources
10
Authors)
Fred A. Norris
Field Operations of
Oil & Gas Division of
Oklahoma Corporation
Commission
16
Project Designation
EPA Project 16060 HIJ
21 Note
22
Citation
23
Descriptors (Starred First)
*Brackish Water, *Water Analysis, *0n Site test, Well Casing
25
Identifiers (Starred First)
*Brackish Ground Water, *Potential Ground Water Source, Test Well
27
Abstract
The Glorieta Sandstone was developed and tested for water quality
in an abandoned oil test located in western Texas County, Oklahoma
to evaluate the use of the formation as a potential water source.
Results of chemical analyses (e.g., chloride content is 9,400 mg/1)
support previous conclusions that water from the Glorieta is high in
chloride and dissolved solids and can not be used for most beneficial
purposes without being desalinized or being mixed with a high proportion
of water of low dissolved solids content.
Abstractor
Fred A. Norris
Institution
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
WR:102 (REV. JULY 1969;
WRSIC
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