Chemical characterization in hydraulic fracturing flowback and produced water (HF-FPW) of shale gas in Sichuan of China

Large amounts of fracturing flowback and wastewater with complex compositions are produced during hydraulic fracturing. Characterization of hydraulic fracturing flowback and produced water (HF-FPW) is an important initial step in efforts to determine a suitable treatment method for this type of wastewater. In the present study, fracturing flowback and produced water samples were obtained from well CN-F and well CN-E in the prophase and anaphase stages of the Changning shale gas mining area. Chemical characterization of inorganic and organic substances was then conducted. Metal contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and all inorganic anions involved were determined by ion chromatography. The organic pollutant components were analyzed in detail by combining Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Results showed that samples contained salt (TDS = 30,000-50,000 mg/L), metals (e.g., 650 +/- 50 mg/L calcium), and total organic carbon (TOC = 32-178 mg/L). The organic substances detected in all samples could be divided into six categories, alkanes, aromatics, halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, and ketones. C-6-C-21 straight-chain alkanes and C-7-C-13 naphthenes had the highest amount of organic matter, reaching more than 48%. The organic matter contained fracturing fluid additives, such as surfactants (e.g., ethylene glycol), and nitrotrichloromethane, which is a chlorinated product of some additives. These results provide information on the chemical composition of HF-FPW in Sichuan, China, as well as a basis for subsequent processing.