![Oil pit and tank battery photo](images/oilpit5b.JPG)
Oil and gas exploration and production is an important industry in the Region 6 states
of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Kansas. In many oil fields, water occurs in the oil
reservoir and is extracted along with the petroleum particularly in older wells. Water or
steam is also used in some wells to enhance the extraction of oil. During production, the
process of separating oil and produced water using heat treaters is often ineffective. The
produced water is either discharged into surface waters, injected underground, or
transported to a commercial oil field
waste disposal facility. Commercial oil field waste disposal facilities also pose significant risks to wildlife.
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