Water Chemistry Monitoring: Oil Shale Research, Development, and Demonstration Project
Rio Blanco County, Colorado
Western Water & Land provides ongoing water chemistry services to one of the leading oil shale research organizations conducting RD&D operations in the Piceance Creek Basin in northwestern Colorado. Our firm was selected for the project based on our hydrologic expertise, our reputation with the state (Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety) and federal (U.S. Bureau of Land Management) agencies overseeing operations, and our extensive knowledge of geologic and hydrologic conditions within the basin. The protection of water resources is one of the primary elements of RD&D operations in the basin. As the hydrologic consultant on the project, Western Water & Land is responsible for all aspects of water quality monitoring and protection at the site. Our work has included development of a comprehensive analytical program for monitoring surface water and groundwater conditions at the site as well as designing and overseeing installation of onsite monitoring wells and low-flow sampling systems, preparing and implementing sampling and analysis plans for surface water and groundwater monitoring, evaluating analytical results in accordance with strict quality assurance protocols, and developing and managing a water chemistry database for all chemistry data collected at the site. The monitoring program was designed to allow detection of the organic and inorganic constituents that could potentially be liberated in response to in-situ heating of oil shale. In addition, the program includes collection and analysis of gas and groundwater isotopes. The gas isotope analyses are performed to assess the origin of intercepted gas within the monitoring wells, and the groundwater isotope analyses are used to assess unique chemical signatures that will contribute to conceptual hydrochemical flow behavior.
Western Water & Land completed a baseline water-quality monitoring program as required by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, and we continue to provide monitoring through each of the remaining phases of the project. Western Water & Land is responsible for evaluation and interpretation of all water chemistry data and preparation of results reports to support ongoing oil shale research/testing operations and to meet regulatory requirements.
Rio Blanco County, Colorado
Western Water & Land provides ongoing water chemistry services to one of the leading oil shale research organizations conducting RD&D operations in the Piceance Creek Basin in northwestern Colorado. Our firm was selected for the project based on our hydrologic expertise, our reputation with the state (Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety) and federal (U.S. Bureau of Land Management) agencies overseeing operations, and our extensive knowledge of geologic and hydrologic conditions within the basin. The protection of water resources is one of the primary elements of RD&D operations in the basin. As the hydrologic consultant on the project, Western Water & Land is responsible for all aspects of water quality monitoring and protection at the site. Our work has included development of a comprehensive analytical program for monitoring surface water and groundwater conditions at the site as well as designing and overseeing installation of onsite monitoring wells and low-flow sampling systems, preparing and implementing sampling and analysis plans for surface water and groundwater monitoring, evaluating analytical results in accordance with strict quality assurance protocols, and developing and managing a water chemistry database for all chemistry data collected at the site. The monitoring program was designed to allow detection of the organic and inorganic constituents that could potentially be liberated in response to in-situ heating of oil shale. In addition, the program includes collection and analysis of gas and groundwater isotopes. The gas isotope analyses are performed to assess the origin of intercepted gas within the monitoring wells, and the groundwater isotope analyses are used to assess unique chemical signatures that will contribute to conceptual hydrochemical flow behavior.
Western Water & Land completed a baseline water-quality monitoring program as required by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, and we continue to provide monitoring through each of the remaining phases of the project. Western Water & Land is responsible for evaluation and interpretation of all water chemistry data and preparation of results reports to support ongoing oil shale research/testing operations and to meet regulatory requirements.