Developing a method to track oil and gas produced water discharges in estuarine systems using salinity as a conservative tracer. |
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| Authors: | D W Woodall R P Gambrell N N Rabalais R D Delaune |
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| Institution: | Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute, Center for Coastal, Energy and Environmental Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA. dwoodal@lsu.edu |
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| Abstract: | Produced water is a high salinity by-product resulting from oil and gas production. Disposal methods include surface water discharge from a point source. The current field method used for fate and effect determinations in open water estuarine systems involves extending a compass oriented transect (COT) from the point source discharge--a method designed for a uniform offshore environment that might be inappropriate for the hydrologic and geomorphologic complexities found in estuarine systems. Research was conducted in a canal and a small, semi-enclosed bay to observe effluent behaviour and to determine if salinity could be used to track the effluent. A salinity/conductivity/temperature (SCT) probe measured water properties within 1 cm of the sediment surface and identified a thin, bottom salinity plume that would have gone undetected by conventional instruments. The plume flowed across the sediment surface and towards greater depths. Plume-affected sampling stations exhibited higher levels of sediment contaminant indicators (SCIs) and indicated that station location could affect impact conclusions. |
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