Comparison of histograms of
the total dissolved solids content of produced water records from 6 geologic
provinces as defined by the USGS National Oil and Gas Assessment (Gautier and
others, 1995). The comparison of histograms is intended to note the similar
range of TDS among the basins but the contrast in frequency of occurrence. The
basins compared include the Wind River basin in central Wyoming; the Los Angeles
basin in southern California; the Denver basin in northeastern Colorado, southeastern
Wyoming, and southwestern Nebraska; the Michigan basin in Michigan and northern
Indiana; and the Appalachian basin which covers western New York, western Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee and north-central
Alabama.
Produced
water TDS from the Wind River basin ranges from 1000 to 220,000 mg/L with a
mode of 20,000 mg/L represented by 1600 samples. Los Angeles basin produced
water TDS ranges from 1000 to 76,000 mg/L with a clear maximum of 220 samples
between 25,000 and 50,000 mg/L. Produced water from the Denver Basin ranges
from 1000 to 270,000 mg/L; mode of the histogram is between 1000 and 25,000
mg/L with a count of 890 samples. The next three basins have markedly higher
TDS contents than the first three. Water produced with petroleum in the Michigan
basin ranges from 1000 to 400,000 mg/L. A broad mode ranging from 250,000 to
400,000 mg/L includes about 200 samples. Produced water from the Appalachian
basin ranges from 3000 to 360,000 mg/L with a broad maximum ranging from 200,000
to 360,000 mg/L. The Anadarko basin produced water TDS values range from 1000
to 366,000 mg/L. The distribution for the Anadarko basin is bimodal with one
mode near 25,000 mg/L and the other ranging from 150,000 to 250,000 mg/L.
Gautier, D.L., Dolton, G.L., Takahashi, K.I., and Varnes, K.L.,
1995, National Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources—Results, Methodology,
and Supporting Data, U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series DDS-30 Release
2. Available online at: http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/oilgas/noga
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