Monitoring Waterways for Effects of Oil and Gas Activities
Indicators of surface water quality tied to oil and gas activities, and our monitoring strategy to identify the environmental effects of petroleum production.
Generally, the Railroad Commission of Texas is responsible for preventing and remediating pollution from activities associated with petroleum production.
However, monitoring of air and water quality by the TCEQ may identify adverse conditions due to oil and gas activities. Our Office of Waste has responsibilities related to remediation of pollution from petroleum-related activities.
Water Quality Monitoring
Water quality is a term used to describe the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water, generally in terms of suitability for a particular—or “designated”—use, as defined by the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards. Monitoring is the process of sampling and analyzing water conditions and characteristics.
The TCEQ Surface Water Quality Monitoring Program and Clean Rivers Program routinely monitor the quality of rivers, lakes, bays, and the Gulf of Mexico to determine if standards are being met. Each year, staff of these programs meet to develop a monitoring schedule for each river basin in Texas. The Coordinated Monitoring Schedule is available via an interactive database that contains more than 1,800 sites monitored in Texas.
How Does Oil and Gas Production Affect Water Quality?
The quality of produced water from oil and natural gas extraction is variable depending upon the depth of the production zone, the age of the well and other factors. Activities associated with the production of oil and gas are known to cause or contribute to increased levels of various contaminants in surface water. While the TCEQ’s routine monitoring of waterways does not target specifically for pollutants related to oil and gas production, some constituents routinely monitored can be indicators that oil and gas activities may have affected a water body.
Indicators of Effects from Petroleum Production
High levels of chloride, sulfate, and total dissolved solids are associated with pollution from oil and gas activities, but can also come from a variety of other sources, including natural background concentrations.
Other minerals in high concentrations that might be due to petroleum production include chloride, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Indicators likely to be found in produced water include organic compounds such as benzene, naphthalene, or toluene and inorganic compounds such as lead, arsenic, barium, antimony, sulfur, and zinc. Radionuclides such as uranium, radon, and radium may also be present.
Disposal of produced and flowback water that have high concentrations of total dissolved solids could create problems in a receiving stream, which we might detect through routine monitoring.
Other constituents of concern associated with oil and gas activities, which are not routinely monitored, are benzene, toluene, or xylene. There are currently no concerns in water or sediment for these pollutants in our state.
Effects of Gas Drilling in Shales
The most serious environmental threats from shale gas drilling are related to groundwater contamination, above-ground leaks and spills of wastewater and chemicals, or blowouts. These are the responsibility of the Groundwater Planning and Assessment Team in the Office of Water and the Remediation Division in the Office of Waste.
See information about drilling in the Barnett Shale on the Railroad Commission's website. Our Chief Engineer's office provides information about air quality in the Barnett Shale Geological Area.
For More Information
Please e-mail us at swqm.tceq.texas.gov or call us at 512-239-6682.