Oil and gas producers will benefit from NETL’s aptitude as its researchers share their expertise regarding water and the Marcellus Shale during the upcoming Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) Waste and Water Technical Session.

Scheduled for Aug. 19, the Water and Waste Management Training Session comes as part of PIOGA’s Technical Seminar Series which will be held in a virtual format due to COVID-19.

NETL’s presentations will provide attendees with information that can improve the outcomes of their production operations.

NETL’s Alexandra Hakala and Nicholas Siefert will present “Influence of colloids on mineralization in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs and wellbores: A case study with Marcellus Shale.” Results from this study show that existing modeling approaches may be used to predict mineral precipitates that may impact flow from unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, and that these approaches can be used to identify the appropriate base water pre-treatment and chemical additives required to control mineral precipitation in the subsurface.

Research scientist Justin Mackey will present “Generating high resolution geochemical models from publicly available residual waste profiles.” This session will detail how chemical profiles of produced water submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as part of operator waste profile reporting can be used to predict changes in reservoir properties, cross-formational flow, mineral scale formation, and permeability.

NETL has also identified several other potential research topics to present at future PIOGA conferences and technical sessions.

“Developing and testing the Lab’s innovations at our facilities is one part of a multi-step process,” NETL State & Local Partnerships Manager James Ferguson said. “Opportunities such as this to share our work across a wide spectrum of attendees is one of the avenues by which the work of our talented researchers makes its way to where they can do the most good. By networking with everyone from natural gas producers to end users, groups like PIOGA can help us spread the word across a wide spectrum.

The Lab’s participation in the technical session is a follow-up to the partnership that began in November 2019 during which PIOGA representatives were welcomed for a meet-and-greet along with a tour of the facilities at NETL Pittsburgh. The attendees proposed several opportunities for collaboration between PIOGA and NETL, such as presenting at the Water and Waste Management Training Session.

More information regarding PIOGA’s Technical Seminar Series can be viewed here.

PIOGA represents nearly 500 members, including oil and natural gas producers, drilling contractors, service companies, manufacturers, distributors, professional firms and consultants, pipelines, end users, royalty owners, and others with interests in the success of Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry. PIOGA member companies drill and operate the majority of the state’s crude oil and natural gas wells, including those targeting the Marcellus and Utica Shale.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that produces technological solutions for America’s energy challenges. From developing creative innovations and efficient energy systems that make coal more competitive, to advancing technologies that enhance oil and natural gas extraction and transmission processes, NETL research is providing breakthroughs and discoveries that support domestic energy initiatives, stimulate a growing economy, and improve the health, safety, and security of all Americans. Highly skilled men and women at NETL’s sites in Albany, Oregon; Anchorage, Alaska; Houston, Texas; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania conduct a broad range of research activities that support DOE’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.