The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) is working towards a better understanding of the geological factors controlling the composition of flowback and produced water from shales. Senior scientist Dr. Vieth-Hillebrand emphasises the importance of this research topic in order to give a first prediction of the solutes in frack fluids. Currently, a PhD student is performing the laboratory work, but an application for additional funding is underway. Below you will find a short research description:

Sediments, such as black shales and coals, contain significant amounts of natural organic matter and heavy metals, as well as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) that are partly soluble in water and can therefore dissolve in frack fluids during stimulation. The composition of natural formation fluids and production fluids is influenced by the mobile fractions of sediments and the in-situ conditions (pressure, temperature) within the reservoir. It is the aim of this project to characterize the relationship between the composition of different sediments (organic and inorganic) and their respective water-soluble fraction, being mobilised by natural waters under in-situ conditions, using short-term and long-term experiments.

In the lab we perform extraction experiments where the water soluble fraction (organic and inorganic) of a large variety of known geological origins (facies, maturity), black shales, coals and lignites is produced and analysed using different chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods. The composition of the water-soluble fractions will be compared with the changes in organic matter and elemental characteristics of the applied sediments.

Contact:
Dr. Andrea Vieth-Hillebrand
Department 4: Chemistry and Material Cycles
Telegrafenberg
14473 Potsdam