Module 6 Oil and Gas Report
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Augusta University *
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8700
Subject
Geography
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
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2
Uploaded by ProfBook14313
Module 6 Oil and Gas Report
Instructions
Conduct an online search of credible resources and identify the top five states in the U.S. with the highest number of oil and gas wells (Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Colorado, Alaska). Select two states and provide a short background on the oil and gas industry in those states. Include a comparison of the two states in the context of the following questions and provide examples where appropriate.
1.
What is the estimated number of active and inactive wells in the two states?
1.
Texas ~300,000 active, ~10,000 inactive as of 2016
2.
Alaska ~1,800 active, ~725 inactive as of 2017
2.
What types of chemicals are used or emitted from the oil and gas wells?
1.
Abandoned oil and gas wells can contaminate nearby water supplies and soil if they are not appropriately plugged. Abandoned wells in Texas can have sulfur, toxic minerals, and brine leaking from them, making water in some areas salty, smelly, and corrosive. Chemicals emitted from oil and gas wells can include rigwash, used equipment lubrication oils, used hydraulic fluids, and radioactive tracer wastes. 3.
What environmental, human health, and ecosystem effects have the oil and gas wells had on the surrounding communities? (
Include an example.
)
1.
Abandoned oil wells in Texas have had an effect on the water of different Texas communities. A notable example would be “Boehmer Lake”, a few miles south of a small town called Imperial. With water testing over three times saltier than the average in the Gulf of Mexico and sulfur creating a putrid stench that permeates in the air, it is an example of an oil well that has been left abandoned with no one willing to claim responsibility for plugging it. Boehmer Lake has a sulfur content that is 25 times greater than the limit allowed for drinking, and it has had an effect
on local wildlife. High levels of hydrogen sulfide have the ability to kill waterfowl and wildlife that use the lake, and the salt content can be hazardous for animals who drink the water . Most of the water of the lake either evaporates or seeps into a shallow aquifer, fouling one of the main sources of water for the area.
4.
What efforts have been undertaken to protect the environment and the people in the surrounding community? (
Include an example.
) Are the efforts adequate? What more could be done?
5.
Describe one major incident (water, air, or soil pollution) that resulted in legal action or changes in drilling and extraction policies in the 2 states you selected.
SOURCES USED SO FAR
Analysis of the United States documented unplugged orphaned oil and gas well dataset (usgs.gov)
Alaska Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Permitting Project | netl.doe.gov
Hundreds of unused oil and gas wells dot Alaska. The state wants many closed. - Anchorage Daily News (adn.com)
Abandoned Texas oil wells seen as "ticking time bombs" of contamination | The Texas Tribune
U.S. oil & gas rigs in use per month 2023 | Statista
Where our oil comes from - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
https://pstrust.org/enlink-midstreams-chickadee-pipeline-ruptured-and-spilled-402486-gallons-
of-crude-oil-just-south-of-midland-texas/
https://www.tpr.org/news/2022-01-27/report-texas-railroad-commission-is-failing-to-regulate-
deadly-h2s-sour-gas
https://brakerwhite.com/texas-leads-the-nation-in-oil-field-accident-deaths/
https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/lake-boehmer-dead-sea-west-texas/
https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/lake-boehmer-hydrogen-sulfide-railroad-
commission/
https://portalvhdskzlfb8q9lqr9.blob.core.windows.net/media/7146/wastemin.pdf
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