Saltwater Disposal Facility Remediation Impacted with NORM

Roux performed investigation and remediation at a saltwater disposal facility serving the Barnett Shale oil and gas operations in Texas. The facility was struck by lightning in mid-2020, sparking a fire that destroyed an entire tank battery, spilling oil and produced water that breached a secondary containment infiltrating the surrounding soil. Roux characterized the extent of contamination and removed all burned debris, sludge, and contaminated media. Complicating the remediation of this Site was the additional hazard of naturally-occurring radioactive material (NORM), which is often present in produced waters. The presence of NORM was a significant cost-driver, due to its associated higher handling and disposal costs. To reduce costs, waste materials were segregated and pressure-washed to reduce NORM levels, which allowed a significant portion of waste to be disposed of as non-hazardous NORM-contaminated material. This and other cost-saving measures reduced costs by more than $600K and resulted in regulatory closure from the Texas Railroad Commission.

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