Surface Discharge of Coalbed Methane Produced Waters in the Warrior Basin of Alabama, the Cedar Cove Model

Recent implementation of water quality-based control of effluents, with toxicity testing requirements and possible biocriteria requirements, is evidence of a more comprehensive regulatory environment in the future for discharge of wastewaters. For the gas industry to successfully respond to these changes, research efforts should be directed at fully defining the characteristics of their wastewaters relative to new regulatory initiatives and in context with toxicity testing and biological sampling methodologies now proposed. The Gas Research Institute in conjunction with the Geological Survey of Alabama and ENSR Consulting and Engineering have completed a series of studies that analyzed coalbed methane produced waters from the perspective of effluent and receiving stream chemical characteristics, aquatic toxicity, and instream biological effects. Information from these studies has been incorporated into the regulatory process by defining how coalbed methane produced water effluents can be controlled and monitored when surface discharged. These studies successfully demonstrated that, when properly monitored and controlled, certain produced waters can be discharged to surface waters in a biologically and toxicologically acceptable manner.