Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID WRI-337

Long-term trends in Marcellus Shale produced water chemistry

Institute: West Virginia
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $50,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $51,044

Principal Investigators: Rachel Spirnak

Project Summary: Oil and gas drilling produces large amounts of wastewater called "produced water," which contains salts, metals, chemicals, and sometimes radioactive elements. Treating this water is expensive, and while some of it can be reused, much is stored or disposed of deep underground. This project will study produced water from long-running wells in the Marcellus Shale region of West Virginia to understand how its chemical makeup changes over time. We will utilize existing data from the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory (MSEEL) study from 2015 to 2021, while also collecting new data at the previously established study sites located in Monongalia County, West Virginia. By combining past and new data, we aim to identify trends and make predictions. The findings will help industry, scientists, and regulators make better decisions about treating and reusing this water in safe and environmentally friendly ways.