Selective‐Placement Burial of Drilling Fluids: II. Effects on Buffalograss and Fourwing Saltbush

Abstract

Surface disposal of spent drilling fluids used in petroleum and natural gas exploration causes surface soil contamination that severely inhibits secondary plant succession and artificial revegetation efforts. Selective‐placement burial was evaluated at two locations in western Texas for on‐site disposal of drilling fluids in arid and semiarid regions. Establishment, yield, and chemical composition of fourwing saltbush [Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.] and buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] transplants on undisturbed soils and plots with spent drilling fluids and cuttings buried 30, 90 (with and without a 30‐cm coarse limestone and capillary barrier) and 150 cm were compared. Survival of boths pecies was 97 to 100% 17 months after planting on plots with buried drilling wastes. Canopy cover and aboveground biomass of fourwing saltbush were greater over buried drilling wastes than on untreated plots, whereas canopy cover and aboveground biomass of buffalograss were not affected by the treatments. Significant increases in Na, K, and Mg concentrations in buffalograss after 17 months on plots with drilling fluids buried 30 cm deep at one location indicated plant uptake of some drilling fluid constituents. Elevated Zn concentrations in fourwing saltbush indicated that a portion of the Zn in the drilling fluids was available for plant uptake, while no evidence of plant accumulation of Ba, Cr, Cu, or Ni from drilling fluids was detected. Selective‐placement burial of drilling fluids offers an environmentally sound technique that will enhance revegetation efforts.

Soil Properties Affecting Wheat Yields following Drilling‐Fluid Application

“…However, the levels were not detrimental to crop yield at the rates used. Situations where much higher application rates were used resulted in harmful levels are documented in the literature (Miller and Pesaran, 1980; Nelson et al, 1984; McFarland et al, 1992a, 1992b; Younken and Johnson, 1980). Using the new methods, lower rates were obtained that will lessen salt and Na effects.…”

“…Few studies have addressed the impact of drilling‐fluid land application on plant growth and soil properties. Previous research indicates that the drilling‐fluid impact on plant growth is largely negative due to high plant available trace metals and soluble salts (Nelson et al, 1984; Miller et al, 1980; McFarland et al, 1992a, 1992b, 1994; Younken and Johnson, 1980). However, some researchers (Nelson and Mikesell, 1982) also found positive or no impact from drilling fluids applied at lower rates or drilling fluids produced with more benign materials.…”

Selective-Placement Burial of Drilling Fluids: Effects on Soil Properties, Buffalograss and Fourwing Saltbush after 4 Years

“…However, biomass production in the fourth growing season was 12 to 75% less than that after 2 growing seasons (McFarland et al 1992b). In contrast to fourwing saltbush, lower yields of buffalograss were attributed to the combined effects of shallow rooting of this species and below average rainfall received during the 1989 growing season.…”

“…Engelm.) were not affected by depth of drilling fluid burial 17 months after planting, although significant increases in Na and K concentrations in both species at I location indicated plant uptake of drilling fluid constituents occurred where burial depth was 30 cm (McFarland et al 1992b). A more significant finding was evidence of elevated Zn concentrations in fourwing saltbush leaf and stem tissue on plots where drilling fluid was buried 30 or 90 cm.…”

Impacts of application patterns and incorporation rates of dredged Yellow River sediment on structure and infiltration of saline-alkali soil

“…Currently, studies on the remediation of saline-alkali soil mainly focus on two aspects, namely, cutting off the rising capillarity, and improving the physical properties of these soils' degradation. Previous studies mainly adopted different particle sizes, thickness and materials to achieve the barrier design to cut off capillarity [7][8][9][10] . Although this measure effectively blocked the rise of groundwater, there are also reports on the failures of these barriers in reducing salinization [11,12] .…”