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Hydrogeochemical Evaluation of the Uinta Formation and Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Northwestern Colorado, USA

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Hydrogeochemical Evaluation of the Uinta Formation and Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Northwestern Colorado, USA Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses Fall 11-1-2016 Hydrogeochemical Evaluation of the Uinta Formation and Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Northwestern Colorado, USA Megan E. Masterson Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Geology Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Masterson, Megan E., "Hydrogeochemical Evaluation of the Uinta Formation and Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Northwestern Colorado, USA" (2016). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 3317. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.3297 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Hydrogeochemical Evaluation of the Uinta Formation and Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Northwestern Colorado, USA by Megan E. Masterson A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geology Thesis Committee: Robert B. Perkins, Chair Carl Palmer John Bershaw Maxwell Rudolph Portland State University 2016 ABSTRACT The Piceance Creek Basin in northwestern Colorado contains extensive oil shale deposits that produce natural gas and which could potentially yield ~1.5 trillion barrels of shale oil. However, much of the oil shale lies at depths too great for traditional mining practices and various innovative approaches for in situ conversion of kerogen to oil have been proposed. A firm understanding of the existing hydrogeochemistry is needed as resulting mineralogical changes or rock-fluid reactions may affect rock porosity and permeability. Using an existing database complied by the USGS, the water chemistry of 267 surface and groundwater samples in the Piceance Creek primary drainage basin have been evaluated by mapping major ion concentrations and mineral saturation indicies with respect to hydrostratigraphic units and geologic structures. Controlling processes have been further assessed using statistical correlation and factor analysis. Results indicate that shallow waters in recharge zones are dominated by mixed cations (Na, Ca, Mg) and bicarbonate anions but with increased depth, groundwater transition to nearly 100% sodium bicarbonate type water. The chemistry of lower aquifer waters are principally controlled by nahcolite dissolution, but evidence of sulfate reduction and cation exchange aid in maintaining a sodium-bicarbonate water type. Ion evolution in surface and upper aquifer waters are influenced by an increase in sulfate concentration which is necessary to evolve water to an intermediate stage with sulfate-dominant anions. i The source of sulfate is speculative, but likely due in part to the oxidation of sulfide-enriched groundwater and possible dissolution of sulfate-bearing carbonates. Surface and upper aquifer water chemistry in the northern portion of the basin is the result of discharge of deeper groundwater which is controlled to some degree by preferential pathways created by faults. Lower aquifer water migrates upward and mixes with the less-concentrated near-surface water, resulting in sodium bicarbonate type water in all hydrologic units. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Ben Perkins, for his support, guidance, and patience over the duration of this process. Thanks to my committee members, Carl Palmer, John Bershaw, and Max Rudolph for their thoughtful comments and insights. I would also like to thank my family and friends who have been endlessly patient and supportive during this process. I could not have done this without them. Funding for this research was provided by the Geological Society of America and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. iii Table of Contents ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND .................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................. 3 Geology ........................................................................................................................ 3 Lake Evolution.............................................................................................................. 6 Mineralogy ................................................................................................................. 10 Groundwater Characterization and Flow Paths ........................................................ 11 Groundwater Chemistry in the Piceance Basin ......................................................... 13 USGS Database .......................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2 - SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF MAJOR IONS IN PICEANCE BASIN GROUNDWATERS .............................................................................................................. 21 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 21 METHODS ...................................................................................................................... 22 Data Selection ............................................................................................................ 22 Statistical Analysis ..................................................................................................... 25 Ion Concentration Distribution Maps ........................................................................ 28 Evaluation of Groundwater Evolution Along Flow Paths .......................................... 30 RESULTS ......................................................................................................................... 30 Data Selection ............................................................................................................ 30 Piper Diagram ............................................................................................................ 33 Statistical Analysis ..................................................................................................... 43 Concentration Distribution Maps .............................................................................. 50 Dominant Geochemistry Along Groundwater Flow Paths ........................................ 63 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................... 70 iv Groundwater Flow Paths ........................................................................................... 70 Major Geochemistry Overview .................................................................................. 71 Major Ion Evolution ................................................................................................... 72 Discussion Summary .................................................................................................. 80 CHAPTER 3 - MINERALOGICAL CONTROLS ON WATER CHEMISTRY ................................. 82 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 82 METHODS ...................................................................................................................... 83 PHREEQC .................................................................................................................... 83 Ankerite Solubility Product ........................................................................................ 86 Mineral Weighting Scheme ....................................................................................... 90 Mineral Saturation Maps and Cross Sections ............................................................ 91 RESULTS ......................................................................................................................... 92 Ankerite Solubility Product ........................................................................................ 92 Mineral Saturation Indicies Maps.............................................................................. 99 Mineral Saturation Cross Section ............................................................................ 109 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................. 117 Carbonate SI Trends ................................................................................................ 117 Silicate SI Trends ...................................................................................................... 121 CHAPTER 4 – CONCLUSION ............................................................................................
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