Identification of polypropylene glycols and polyethylene glycol carboxylates in flowback and produced water from hydraulic fracturing

JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

卷:323

Article; Proceedings Paper

Thurman, E. Michael¹  Ferrer, Imma¹  Rosenblum, James¹  Linden, Karl¹  Ryan, Joseph N.¹ 

[1] Univ Colorado, Dept Civil Environm & Architectural Engn, Boulder, CO 80303 USA

关键词: Hydraulic fracturing;    Polypropylene glycols;    Accurate mass;    LC/QTOF-MS;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.02.041

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

The purpose of the study was to separate and identify the unknown surfactants present in flowback and produced water from oil and gas wells in the Denver-Julesburg Basin (Niobrara Formation) in Weld County, Colorado, USA. Weld County has been drilled extensively during the last five years for oil and gas between 7000-8000 feet below land-surface. Polypropylene glycols (PPGs) and polyethylene glycols carboxylates (PEG-Cs) were found for the first time in these flowback and produced water samples. These ethoxylated surfactants may be used as friction reducers, clay stabilizers, and surfactants. Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/QTOF-MS) was used to separate and identify the different classes of PPGs, PEG-Cs, and their isomers. The Kendrick mass scale was applied along with mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MS-MS) with accurate mass for rapid and unequivocal identification. The PPGs and their isomers occur at the ppm concentration range and may be useful as fingerprints of hydraulic-fracturing. Comparing these detections to the compounds used in the fracturing process from FracFocus 3.0 (https://fracfocus.org), it appears that both PPGs and polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are commonly named as additives, but the PEG-Cs have not been reported. The PEG-Cs may be trace impurities or degradation products of PEGs. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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