Concentration of calcium versus the concentration of sulfate in 1000 produced water records from the Madison Group in the Williston basin 

within eastern Montana. The content of calcium ranges from < 1 to 50 g/L. The content of sulfate ranges from <1 to 14 g/L. The points plot such 

that records with high contents of sulfate have low contents of calcium and visa versa. The array of points define a curved (hyperbolic) upper limit 

between 0 and 8 g/L sulfate and 0 and 20 g/L sulfate. The curved upper limit coincides approximately with the solubility limit for gypsum known to 

occur within parts of the Madison Group. 

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Concentration of calcium versus sulfate in Madison Group, eastern Montana Page 1 of 1

http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/prov/prodwat/caso4.htm 7/21/2011
Comparison of total dissolved solids abundances (mg/L) reported for the Appalachian, Wind River, Anadarko, and Michigan basins in the 

revised database and in the Atlas of Gas Related Produced Water (Daly and Mesing, 1995). The minimum, maximum and mean contents for 

each basin and each dataset are presented. The greater range of values in the revised database relative to the compilation of Daly and Mesing (1995) 

likely reflects the inclusion of records for wells that produce oil, oil+gas, and gas; the Atlas prepared by Daly and Mesing (1995) was restricted to gas

wells. 

Appalachian basin

Revised database: minimum, 3120; maximum, 361,000; mean, 231,000. 

Daly and Mesing (1995): minimum, 1947; maximum, 289,000; mean, 134,000. 

Wind River basin

Revised database: minimum, 1010; maximum, 220,000; mean, 9600. 

Daly and Mesing (1995): minimum, 1364; maximum, 7435; mean, 5276. 

Anadarko basin

Revised database: minimum, 1000; maximum, 366,000; mean, 131,000. 

Daly and Mesing (1995): minimum 7540; maximum, 227,700; mean, 99,950. 

Michigan basin

Revised database: minimum, 1340; maximum, 400,000; mean, 266,000. 

Daly and Mesing (1995): minimum, 130,700; maximum, 390,000; mean, 308,200. 

Daly, D.J., and Mesing, G.E., 1995, Atlas of Gas Related Produced Water for 1990: Chicago, Gas Research Institute Topical Report 95/0016 

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Diagram comparing the range of total dissolved solids contents of records in the produced... Page 1 of 1

http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/prov/prodwat/griusgs.htm 7/21/2011
Comparison of histograms of the total dissolved solids content of produced water records from 6 geologic provinces as defined by the USGS 

National Oil and Gas Assessment (Gautier and others, 1995). The comparison of histograms is intended to note the similar range of TDS among 

the basins but the contrast in frequency of occurrence. The basins compared include the Wind River basin in central Wyoming; the Los Angeles basin 

in southern California; the Denver basin in northeastern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming, and southwestern Nebraska; the Michigan basin in 

Michigan and northern Indiana; and the Appalachian basin which covers western New York, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, western Virginia, 

eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee and north-central Alabama. 

Produced water TDS from the Wind River basin ranges from 1000 to 220,000 mg/L with a mode of 20,000 mg/L represented by 1600 samples. Los 

Angeles basin produced water TDS ranges from 1000 to 76,000 mg/L with a clear maximum of 220 samples between 25,000 and 50,000 mg/L. 

Produced water from the Denver Basin ranges from 1000 to 270,000 mg/L; mode of the histogram is between 1000 and 25,000 mg/L with a count of 

890 samples. The next three basins have markedly higher TDS contents than the first three. Water produced with petroleum in the Michigan basin 

ranges from 1000 to 400,000 mg/L. A broad mode ranging from 250,000 to 400,000 mg/L includes about 200 samples. Produced water from the 

Appalachian basin ranges from 3000 to 360,000 mg/L with a broad maximum ranging from 200,000 to 360,000 mg/L. The Anadarko basin produced 

water TDS values range from 1000 to 366,000 mg/L. The distribution for the Anadarko basin is bimodal with one mode near 25,000 mg/L and the 

other ranging from 150,000 to 250,000 mg/L. 

Gautier, D.L., Dolton, G.L., Takahashi, K.I., and Varnes, K.L., 1995, National Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources—Results, Methodology, and 

Supporting Data, U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series DDS-30 Release 2. Available online at: http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/oilgas/noga

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Comparison of histograms of the total dissolved solids content of produced water records ... Page 1 of 1

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Map of the United States shows the total dissolved solid (TDS) content of waters from oil and gas wells in the USGS produced-water database. The wells 

are distributed across most of the 37 oil- and gas-producing states. Most areas of oil and gas production are well represented in this dataset except the Appalachian 

Basin, which extends from western New York through western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee to northeastern Alabama where 

only a handful of values are present. Data are also present for some wells that proved to be dry holes. 

The TDS values are represented by variously colored dots at the approximate location of each well. The color purple represents wells for which the TDS ranges 

from 0 to 9,999 ppm. The color blue represents wells for which the TDS ranges from 10,000 to 49,999 ppm. The color green represents wells for which the TDS 

ranges from 50,000 to 99,999 ppm. The color yellow represents wells for which the TDS ranges from 100,000 to 199,999 ppm. The color red represents wells for 

which the TDS ranges from 200,000 to 460,000 ppm. 

High TDS values, represented by the color red, occur in abundance throughout most of the state of Michigan in the geologic feature known as the Michigan Basin; 

in eastern Ohio; in the few wells in southwest Florida; in the Williston Basin of northwest North Dakota and northeasternmost Montana; in the salt dome basin of 

south central Mississippi; in southwestern Arkansas; in a broad belt through central Oklahoma that extends from the Kansas border south almost to the Texas 

border; in southeast New Mexico and adjacent parts of Texas; and in southeasternmost Utah in the Paradox Basin area. Other high TDS wells are scattered 

through other producing areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Louisiana. 

Low TDS values, represented by the color purple, occur mainly throughout the producing basins of the Rocky Mountain west extending from northwest Montana, 

southeast through the rest of Montana into Wyoming, westernmost Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and northwest New Mexico. Scattered low TDS wells occur in 

south Texas and central California. 

Most other producing areas in the U.S. show a mix of TDS values in the 10,000 to 200,000 ppm range. Interestingly, in southern Illinois the deepest part of the 

Illinois basin shows values in the 100,000 to 199,999 ppm range (yellow) surrounded by lower mixed TDS values in shallower producing wells that surround the 

deep core of the basin 

For more information about this graphic, contact Jim Otton. Image prepared by Tracey Mercier

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Average total dissolved solid (TDS) content of waters from oil and gas wells Page 1 of 1

http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/prov/prodwat/tds.htm 7/21/2011