Impact of One-Time Dormant Season Application of Gas Well Brine to Forest Land

摘要

In order to test the feasibility of forest land disposal of oil and gas wastewaters, forest plots in Pennsylvania were treated with a one-time, dormant season application of gas-well brine equivalent to 1.52, 0.69 and 0.17 kg chloride per square meter. One growing season after treatment, little or no mortality of overstory trees had occurred due to treatment. Understory red maple and dogwood saplings suffered 30-40 percent mortality on the plot receiving 1.52 kg chloride per square meter. Chloride, barium, lead, arsenic, selenium and cadmium in excess of drinking water limits were found in soil water immediately after treatment. Concentrations of all elements, except selenium, declined to safe levels within three months after treatment in zero-tension soil lysimeter water samples.