Petroleum produced water disposal: Mobility and transport of barium in sandstone and dolomite rocks

Abstract

To assess the risk of underground sources of drinking water contamination by barium (Ba) present in petroleum produced water disposed into deep saline aquifers, we examined the effect of salinity (NaCl), competition of cations (Ca, Mg), temperature (22 and 60°C), and organic fracturing additives (guar gum) on the sorption and transport of Ba in dolomites and sandstones. We found that at typical concentration levels of NaCl, Ca, and Mg in petroleum produced water, Ba sorption in both dolomites and sandstones is inhibited by the formation of Ba(Cl)+ complexes in solution and/or the competition of cations for binding sites of minerals. The inhibition of Ba sorption by both mechanisms is greater in dolomites than in sandstones. This is reflected by a larger decrease in the breakthrough times of Ba through dolomites than through sandstones. We found that the presence of guar gum has little influence on the sorption and thus the transport of Ba in both dolomites and sandstones. Contrary to most heavy metals, Ba sorption in both dolomites and sandstones decreases with increasing temperature, however the reducing effect of temperature on Ba sorption is relevant only at low salinity conditions. Higher inhibition of Ba sorption in dolomites than in sandstones is due to the greater reactivity of dolomite over sandstone. The results of this study which includes the formulation of a reactive transport model and estimation of partition coefficients of Ba in dolomites and sandstones have significant implications in understanding and predicting the mobility and transport of Ba in deep dolomite and sandstone saline aquifers.