MacDonnell, Lawrence J.; Guerra, Katherine L. --- "Managing Produced Water from Coalbed Methane Production" [2011] ELECD 1024; in Kenney, S. Douglas; Wilkinson, Robert (eds), "The Water–Energy Nexus in the American West" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: The Water–Energy Nexus in the American West

Editor(s): Kenney, S. Douglas; Wilkinson, Robert

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781849809368

Section: Chapter 5

Section Title: Managing Produced Water from Coalbed Methane Production

Author(s): MacDonnell, Lawrence J.; Guerra, Katherine L.

Number of pages: 12

Extract:

5. Managing produced water from
coalbed methane production
Lawrence J. MacDonnell and
Katherine L. Guerra

5.1. INTRODUCTION

Along with the increasing importance of coalbed methane (CBM) as a
source of natural gas has come the challenge of managing the consider-
able quantities of water that are produced with CBM. Here the energy­
water nexus is turned on its head. CBM production does not consume
much water; it produces it. But the water is an unintended consequence
of the production process, not its object. In some cases, substantial
quantities of water are produced. The quality of this produced water
varies widely, but produced water often requires treatment before it can
be disposed of or used. This chapter provides an overview of the CBM
resource, its location, the methods for its production, and the quantities
and qualities of produced water. It summarizes the legal framework gov-
erning the extraction, use, and disposal of produced water and provides
an introduction to the various approaches used to manage produced
water.


5.2. CBM PRODUCTION IN THE WESTERN UNITED
STATES

Nearly 85 percent of CBM production is from the Rocky Mountain
region including Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, and
Utah (Energy Information Administration [EIA], 2007). The major
CBM-producing basins in the western US are the Powder River, Uinta,
Piceance, Raton and San Juan. Other basins that have CBM fields
are the Wind River, Greater Green River and Hannah-Carbon (EIA,
2009).



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