U.S. Geological Survey National Produced Waters Geochemical Database v2.1

(PROVISIONAL)

Documentation

10/16/2014

by Madalyn S. Blondes1*, Kathleen D. Gans2, James J. Thordsen2, Mark E. Reidy1, Burt Thomas2, Mark A. 

Engle1,3, Yousif K. Kharaka2, Elizabeth L. Rowan1

1

U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Energy Resources Science Center, Reston, VA, USA 

2

U.S. Geological Survey, National Research Program, Menlo Park, CA, USA 

3

Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA

*

Corresponding Author: Madalyn S. Blondes, email: mblondes@usgs.gov, telephone: (703) 648-6509

Disclaimers

Disclaimer for Provisional Database:

The data you have secured from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Produced Waters Geochemical 

Database v2.1 are provisional and subject to revision. The data are released on the condition that neither 

the USGS nor the United States Government may be held liable for any damages resulting from its 

authorized or unauthorized use.

Distribution Liability:

Although the data have been processed on computer systems at the USGS, U.S. Department of the Interior, 

no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the Geological Survey regarding the utility of the data on any 

other system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. No responsibility is assumed by 

the USGS in the use of these data.

Additional Limitations: 

The information in the USGS National Produced Waters Geochemical Database v2.1 should be used with 

careful consideration of its limitations. The database is considered sufficiently accurate to provide an 

indication of tendencies in water composition from geographically and geologically defined areas. It is not 

appropriate for depiction of modern produced water compositions or examination of trends on small scales. 

The USGS makes no warranty regarding the accuracy or completeness of information presented in this 

database. Specific limitations of the database should be considered. Much of the information in the 

database cannot be independently verified. Methods of collection, sample preservation, analysis, 

assignment of geologic units and record keeping were not rigorous or standardized. Because of these 

uncertainties, users are advised to check data for inconsistencies, outliers, and obviously flawed 

information. Methods of well construction, sample collection and chemical analysis have changed over 

time. The distribution and relative amount of water produced within a province and among geologic units 

may not be fully represented by the samples in the database. No sampling was planned to accurately depict 

the aggregate water composition of any area whether it be province, state, county or field. The geologic 

unit nomenclature developed for petroleum production may have changed over time. Data from a province 

collected 30 years ago may not resemble current production. The composition of produced water within a 

province, field or even well may change in time as a result of water flooding, recompletion in other 
intervals, and workovers. Water samples are commonly collected when a well has production problems or 

during the initial development of a well. Although criteria were applied to remove the obviously 

contaminated samples, the culling of unrepresentative data is considered incomplete. Most obvious 

redundant entries were removed from this database, many of the records represent multiple samples of the 

same well. Therefore aggregate statistics may be weighted by relatively few wells.

Introduction

During hydrocarbon exploration and extraction, water is typically co-produced from the same subsurface 

geologic formations. Understanding the composition of these produced waters is important to help 

investigate the regional hydrogeology, the source of the water and hydrocarbons, the necessary water 

treatment and disposal plans, potential economic benefits of commodities in the fluids, and the safety of 

potential sources of drinking or agricultural water. Additionally, during geothermal development or 

exploration, other deep formation waters are brought to the surface and may be sampled. This U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) Produced Waters Geochemical Database, which contains geochemical and other 

information for 161,915 produced water and other deep formation water samples of the United States, is a 

provisional, updated version of the 2002 USGS Produced Waters Database (Breit and others, 2002). In 

addition to the major element data presented in the original, the new database contains trace elements, 

isotopes, and time-series data, as well as nearly 100,000 new samples with greater spatial coverage and 

from both conventional and unconventional well types, including geothermal. The database is a compilation 

of 25 individual databases, publications, or reports. The database was created in a manner to facilitate 

addition of new data and fix any compilation errors, and is expected to be updated with new data as 

provided and needed. Table 1 shows the abbreviated names (IDDB) of each input database, the number of 

samples from each, and its reference. Table 2 defines the 241 variables contained in the database and their 

descriptions. The database variables are organized first with identification and location information, 

followed by well descriptions, dates, rock properties, physical properties of the water, and then chemistry. 

The chemistry is organized alphabetically by elemental symbol, each element is followed by any associated 

compounds (e.g. H2S is found after S). After Zr, molecules containing carbon follow, including measures of 

alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and hydrocarbons. Isotopic data are found at the end of the 

dataset. 

Database Compilation Procedure

Modification of the data or variable names is necessary to create a database with consistent headers, 

compositional units, and numeric data that can be plotted or analyzed as a whole. One of the main goals of 

this updated database is to create a compiled dataset where every change to the original datasets is

reversible and recorded. Thus if errors are found, there is a coded record that can be adjusted as needed, 

and the compiled dataset can be easily recreated from scratch. To meet this goal, the USGS National 

Produced Waters Geochemical Database v2.1 is compiled using the statistical and data analysis program,
Stata (StataCorp, 2014)1

. A Stata routine is written for each input database that imports the original data, 

renames the variables to match the template (table 2), and then appends the existing columns to a template 

header. Non-numeric characters within numeric variables (for example, chemistry and pH) are fixed, 

deleted, or replaced with the following numeric codes:

-1 = Trace, minor, present, or a qualitative description of some amount.

-2 = None detected, absent, null, or negative 

-3 = NA, not analyzed, unknown

-4 = Transcription error or otherwise nonsensical entry

Negative values are used for concentration data codes because all true concentrations are positive and 

therefore will not overlap with the codes. Negative values can easily be removed by the user when 

manipulating data. Furthermore, dates are formatted into a consistent date form and extra variables are 

removed. Units for all variables other than the major and minor ions are defined in table 2. The major and 

minor ions are generally reported in units of milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm) on a mass

basis, also defined as milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). If the ion concentrations were originally reported in 

mg/L, a “1” is added to the MGL variable column of the database. If the ion concentrations were originally 

reported in ppm, a “1” is added to the PPM variable column of the database. The user of this database must 

be careful to examine these units when using the data, and can convert between the two using 

measurements or estimates of brine density.

Each individual input database is then appended to the template using a global Stata routine. The database 

is further standardized here with internally consistent 14-digit American Petroleum Institute well 

identification numbers (API), state names (STATE), and one of seven well type (WELLTYPE) designations 

(Conventional Hydrocarbon, Shale Gas, Tight Oil, Tight Gas, Coal Bed Methane, Geothermal, and 

Groundwater). Future standardization will be performed on other important variables such as FORMATION.

Removing duplicates

Duplicates were found within single datasets and between them. Duplicate culling is done using API well 

numbers and the concentrations of variables with large numbers of significant figures because it is highly 

unlikely that even samples taken from the same well at the same time will have the exact same values for

three or more elements. API, Calcium (Ca), Chloride (Cl), and bicarbonate (HCO3) concentrations are used to 

search for duplicates. Care was taken to avoid false duplicates (for example, where all three ions had the 

code of “-4” or all three ions had null data). There were 92,153 unique observations according to these

duplicate search criteria, 8,539 groups of 2 observations (duplicates), 1,179 groups of 3 observations

(triplicates), 157 groups of 4 observations, 13 groups of 5 observations, 5 groups of 6 observations, and 2 

groups of 7 observations (table 3). After locating these duplicates, a second check was often performed 

using Mg, Na, or sample collection date to determine if they were true duplicates. The duplicate 

 1 Disclaimer: Use of brand or trade names are for descriptive purpose and do not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government.
observation retained was generally the one in the database that contained more information. The order of 

which database had primacy follows the order of table 1.

Culling data based on chemistry

Quality control of the dataset can be performed by culling based on geochemical criteria. In this version 2.1

of the provisional database, the data that fall outside of the bounds of the following criteria are flagged, 

rather than culled. There are six temporary columns in the database that represent the failure of specific 

culling criteria, based on those published in Hitchon and Brulotte (1994). An “X” is placed in the columns 

shown in table 2 where the sample falls outside of the pH range of 4.5 – 10.5, where Mg > Ca, K > Cl, K > 

5xNa, and the charge balance is greater than 5%.

Changes in database version 2.1

Version 2.1 corrects errors found in version 2.0 of the database. Incorrect LAT, LONG, or STATE variables 

were updated based on API or other well information. Chemical and well data in incorrect columns were 

placed in the correct columns. Unit problems were fixed for chemistry and specific gravity data. Alkalinity

data were put into the correct columns based on the method of measurement. Certain variables not given in 

the original input datasets, including WELLTYPE and age information were determined based on well and 

formation data. Various other errors noted by users were corrected by referring back to the original source 

of the data. No new datasets were added except IDDB = “WILLISTON,” which is a compilation of the 

EASTPOPLAR and BAKKEN entries from version 2.0 of the database along with unpublished data (Thamke, 

2014, written communication). 

 
References (input databases and a selection of individual reports)

Barton, G.J., Burruss, R.C., and Ryder, R.T., 1998, Water quality in the vicinity of Mosquito Creek Lake, 

Trumbull County, Ohio, in relation to the chemistry of locally occurring oil, natural gas, and brine: U.S. 

Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigation Report 98-4180, 46 p.

Bassett, R.L., and Bentley, M.E., 1983, Deep brine aquifers in the Palo Duro Basin: regional flow and 

geochemical constraints: Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas, Report of Investigations, no. 

130.

Bownocker, J.A., 1906, Salt deposits and the salt industry in Ohio: Ohio Division of Geological Survey 

Bulletin 8, 42 p.

Breen, K. J., Angelo, C.G., Masters, R.W., and Sedam, A.C., 1985, Chemical and isotopic characteristics of 

brines from three oil- and gas-producing sandstones in eastern Ohio, with applications to the 

geochemical tracing of brine sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 

WRI 84-4314, 58 p., Accessed http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/djvu/WRI/wrir_84_4314.djvu. 

Breit G.N., 2002, USGS Produced Waters Database, Accessed http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/prov/prodwat.

Carpenter, A.B., Trout, M.L., and Picket, E.E., 1974, Preliminary report on the origin and chemical evolution 

of lead and zinc-rich oil field brines in central Mississippi: Economic Geology, 1974, v. 69, p. 1191-1206.

Cimerex Energy Company, 2013, written communication.

Clifford, M.J., 1975, Subsurface liquid-waste injection in Ohio: Ohio Division of Geological Survey 

Information Circular 43, 27 p.

Conrey, G.W., 1921, The geology of Wayne County: Ohio Division of Geological Survey Bulletin 24, 155 p.

Dahm, K.G., 2013, written communication: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Dahm, K.G. et al., 2011, Composite geochemical database for coalbed methane produced water quality in 

the Rocky Mountain region: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 45, p. 7655-7663.

Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, NATCARB Brine Database, Accessed 2013 

at www.netl.doe.gov. 

Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Produced Waters 

Database, 2005, Accessed http://www.alrc.doe.gov/technologies/oil-gas/Software/database.html.

Dresel, P. E., and Rose, A. W., 2010, Chemistry and origin of oil and gas well brines in western 

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey,. 4th series, Open-File Report OFOG 10–01.0, 48 p., web 

version, accessed on December 28, 2012, Accessed 

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/pub/openfile/pdfs/ofog10_01.pdf.

Hanshaw, B.B., and Hill, G.A., 1969, Geochemistry and hydrodynamics of the Paradox Basin region, Utah, 

Colorado, and New Mexico: Chemical Geology, v. 4, p. 263-164.

Hayes, T., 2009, Sampling and analysis of water streams associated with development of Marcellus Shale 

gas, Final Report, December 31, 2009: Marcellus Shale Coalition, p. 107-356, Accessed 

http://catskillcitizens.org/learnmore/20100916IOGAResponsetoDECChesapeake_IOGAResponsetoDEC.p

df.

Hitchon, B., and Brulotte, M., 1994, Culling criteria for “standard” formation water analyses: Applied 

Geochemistry, v. 9, p. 637-645.

Hoskins, H.A., 1947, Analyses of West Virginia brines: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 

Report of Investigations, no. 1, p. 1-21.

Keller, S.J., 1983, Analyses of subsurface brines of Indiana: Department of Natural Resources Geological 

Survey Occasional Paper 41.
Lamborn, R.E., 1952, Additional analyses of brines from Ohio: Ohio Division of Geological Survey Report of 

Investigations 11, 56 p.

Lawhead, A.H., no date, Natural brines in the Illuminating Company service area: unpublished, Cleveland 

Electric Illuminating Company report, not paged.

Leahy, J.N., 1996, Abandoned Alpha Portland Cement Company mine facility site, Ironton, Ohio: a 

groundwater flow and brine migration analysis: M.S. Thesis, University of Cincinnati, 246 p.

Lowry, R. M., Faure, G., Mullet, D. I., and Jones, L. M., 1988, Interpretation of chemical and isotopic 

compositions of brines based on mixing and dilution, "Clinton" sandstones, eastern Ohio, U.S.A.: Applied 

Geochemistry, v. 3, p. 177-184.

McDonald, J., Riley, R.A., Wolfe, M.E., Wells, J.G., 2013, written communication, Brine geochemistry 

database of Ohio: Ohio Division of Geological Survey. 

McGrain, P., 1953, Miscellaneous analyses of Kentucky brines: Kentucky Geological Survey- Report of 

Investigations No. 7, p. 1-16.

McGrain, P., and Thomas, G. R., 1951, Preliminary report on the natural brines of eastern Kentucky: 

Kentucky Geological Survey, v. Report of Investigations No. 3, p. 1-22.

Meents, W.F., Bell, A.H., Rees, O.W., and Tilbury, W.G., 1952, Illinois oil-field brines Their geologic 

occurrence and chemical composition: Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois Petroleum no. 66, 38 p.

Meredith, E., Kuzara, S., Wheaton, J.R., Bierbach, S., Chandler, K., Donato, T., Gunderson, .J., and 

Schwartz, C., 2011, 2010 Annual coalbed methane regional groundwater monitoring report: Powder 

River Basin, Montana, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Open File Report 600, 130 p., 6 sheets, 

Accessed http://www.mbmg.mtech.edu/pdf-open-files/mbmg600-2010CBM-Report.pdf. 

Mills, R. V. A., and Wells, R. C., 1919, The evaporation and concentration of waters associated with 

petroleum and natural gas: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 693, 104 p.

Moldovanyi, E.P. and Walter, L.M., 1992, Regional trends in water chemistry, Smackover Formation, 

southwest Arkansas: Geochemical and Physical Controls, AAPG Bulletin, v. 76, no. 6, p 864-894.

New Mexico Water and Information Data System (NM WAIDS), Accessed 2013 at 

http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality.

North Dakota Oil and Gas Division, Accessed 2013 at https://www.dmr.nd.gov/oilgas/.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 2009, Draft supplemental generic 

environmental impact statement on the oil, gas, and solution mining regulatory program, well permit 

issuance for horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing to develop the Marcellus Shale and 

other low-permeability gas reservoirs: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

(DEC), Appendix 13, Accessed http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/58440.html. 

Orton, Edward, 1888, The Trenton Limestone as a source of oil and gas in Ohio: Ohio Division of Geological 

Survey, vol. 6, p. 101-310.

Osborn, S.G., and McIntosh, J.C., 2010, Chemical and isotopic tracers of the contribution of microbial gas in 

Devonian organic-rich shales and reservoir sandstones, northern Appalachian Basin: Applied 

Geochemistry, v. 25, p. 456-471.

Osborn, S.G., McIntosh, J.C., Hanor, J.S., and Biddulph, D., 2012, Iodine-129, 87Sr/86Sr, and trace 

elemental geochemistry of northern Appalachian Basin brines: evidence for basinal-scale fluid migration 

and clay mineral diagenesis: American Journal of Science, v. 312, p. 263-287.

Pashin, J., 2013, written communication.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, 1991, NORM 

Survey Summary, Accessed 

http://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/RadiationProtection/NORM.pdf.

Peterman, Z.E., Thamke, J.N., Futa, K., Oliver, T.A., 2010, Strontium isotope detection of brine 

contamination in the East Poplar Oil Field, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2010-1326, 

20 p., accessed http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1326/.

Poth, C.W., 1962, The occurrence of brine in western Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, v. 

Fourth Series, Bulletin M 47, 53 p.

Preston, T.M., Smith, B.D., Thamke, J.N., Chesley-Preston, T., 2012, Water-quality and geophysical data for 

three study sites within the Williston Basin and Prairie Pothole Region: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 2012-1149, 17 p., accessed http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1149/.

Price, P.H., Hare, C.E., McCue, J.B., and Hoskins, H.A., 1937, Salt Brines of West Virginia: West Virginia 

Geological Survey, v. VIII, 203 p.

Ransome, F.L., 1913, Contributions to economic geology, 1911, Part I, Metals and nonmetals except fuels--

Copper; Lead and Zinc: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 530-B, 400 p.

Reeves, F., 1917, The absence of water in certain sandstones of the Appalachian oil fields: Economic 

Geology, v. 12, p. 354-378. [PA and WV]

Rice, C.A., 2003, Production waters associated with the Ferron coalbed methane fields, central Utah: 

Chemical and isotopic composition and volumes, International Journal of Coal Geology, 56: 141-169.

Rice, C.A., et al., 2000, Water co-produced with coalbed methane in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming: 

preliminary compositional data, United States Geological Survey, Open File Report 00-372.

Root, W.J., 1888, The manufacture of salt and bromine: Ohio Division of Geological Survey, vol. 6, p. 653-

670.

Rowan, E.L., Engle, M.A., Kirby, C., and Kraemer, T.F., 2011, Radium content of oil- and gas-field produced 

waters in the northern Appalachian Basin: Summary and discussion of data: U.S. Geological Survey, 

Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5135, 31 p.

Sanders, L.L., 1986, Geochemistry and paleotemperature of formation waters from the Lower Silurian 

“Clinton” formation, Eastern Ohio: Ph.D. Dissertation, Kent State University, 141 p.

Sanders, L. L., 1991, Geochemistry of formation waters from the Lower Silurian Clinton Formation (Albion 

Sandstone), eastern Ohio: AAPG Bulletin, v. 75, p. 1593-1608.

Shindel, H.S., Stewart, L.J., and Kolva, J.R., 1983, Water Resources Data, Ohio Water Year 1982--volume 2, 

St. Lawrence River Basin Statewide Project Data: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report OH-82-2, p. 

277-286.

Siegel, D. I., Szustakowski, R. J., and Frape, S., 1990, Regional appraisal of brine chemistry in the Albion 

Group sandstones (Silurian) of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio: Association of Petroleum 

Geochemical Explorationists, Bulletin 6, p. 66-72.

SPWLA, no date, RW Catalog database: Ohio Chapter of Society of Professional Well Log Analysts, 

unpublished.

Stith, D.A., and Knapp, N.F., 1989, Characterization of trace metals in Ohio brines, final report: Ohio Division 

of Geological Survey Open-File Report 89-1, unpaginated.

Stith, D.A., Morth, A.H., and Hatch, J.R., 1979, Brine analyses, 1972-1974: Ohio Department of Natural 

Resources, Division of Geological Survey Open-File Report 79-1, 77 p.

Stout, Wilber, and Lamborn, R.E., 1924, The geology of Columbiana County: Ohio Division of Geological 

Survey Bulletin 28, 408 p.
Stout, W.E., Lamborn, R.E., and Schaaf, D., 1932, Brines of Ohio: Geological Survey of Ohio, Bulletin 37, 123 

p.

Sunwall, M. T., and Pushkar, P., 1979, The isotopic composition of strontium in brines from petroleum fields 

of southeastern Ohio: Chemical Geology, v. 24, p. 189-197.

Thamke, J., 2014, written communication.

Thompson, W. E., 1973, Concentration of selected elements in brines of Perry County, Ohio: Ohio State 

University, Columbus Ohio, unpublished Master's thesis, 64 p.

Vugrinovich, 2013, written communication, Office of Oil, Gas, and Minerals, Michigan Department of 

Environmental Quality. 

Walter, L.M., Budai, J.M., Martini, A., and Ku, T., 1997, Hydrogeochemistry of the Antrim Shale in the 

Michigan Basin. Final Report, Gas Research Institute, 5093-220-2704, 98 p.

Warner, N.R., Jackson, R.B., Darrah, T.H., Osborn, S.G., Down, A., Zhao, K., White, A., and Vengosh, A., 

2012, Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow 

aquifers in Pennsylvania: PNAS, v. 109, no. 30, p. 11961–11966, Accessed 

www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/11910.11073/pnas.1121181109.

Wilk, G.B., 1987, Interpretation and geochemical analysis of “Clinton” brines from Mahoning County, Ohio: 

M.S. Thesis, University of Akron, 73 p.

Williams, J.H., Taylor, L.E., and Low, D.J., 1998, Hydrogeology and groundwater quality of the glaciated 

valleys of Bradford, Tioga, and Potter Counties, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Department of Natural 

Resources (DCNR); Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th Ser., Water Resource Report 68, 89 p.

Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Accessed 2013 at wogcc.state.wy.us.

 
Tables

 

Table 1. Short names of input databases, number of samples after removal of duplicates, and references on input 

databases. 

ID of database Samples Reference

USGSMAIN 62,789 Breit and others (2002)

USGSOK 9,304 Breit and others (2002)

USGSARK 1,125 Breit and others (2002)

ROCKIES 3,188 Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (2005)

MICHIGAN 429 Vugrinovich (2013, written communication)

WYOGCC 9,252 Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (2013)

WILLISTON 47 Thamke (2014, written communication), USGS OFR 2010-1326, USGS OFR 2012-1149

PARADOX 89 Hanshaw and Hill (1969)

POWDERRIVERCBM 47 Rice and others (2000)

APPALACHIAN 1,647 multiple – see references

INDIANA 396 Keller (1983)

CBM 3,220 Dahm (2013, writen communication)

OHBRINE 579 McDonald (2013, written communication)

PASHIN 126 Alabama Geological Survey (2013, written communication)

ARKMOLDOVANYI 41 Moldovanyi and Walter (1992)

CIMAREX 2,891 Cimarex Energy Company (2013, written communication)

FERRON 46 Rice (2003)

ILLINOIS 342 Meents and others (1952)

MISSISSIPPI 82 Carpenter and others (1974)

MONTANACBM 20 Meredith and others (2010)

PALODURO 16 Bassett and Bentley (1983)

NORTHDAKOTA 7,334 North Dakota Oil and Gas Division (2013)

ANTRIM 53 Walter and others (1997)

NATCARB 57,208 Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (2013)

Total 161,915

 
Table 2. Variable names and descriptions. 

Variable Name Description

IDORIG ID in original database

IDDB ID of database

SOURCE Source of data

REFERENCE Publication 

LAT Latitude

LONG Longitude

FLAT Field Latitude (estimate)

FLONG Field Longitude (estimate)

API API well number

USGSPROV USGS Province

USGSREGION USGS Region

BASIN Basin

BASINCODE Basin Code

STATE State

STATECODE State Code

COUNTY County

COUNTYCODE County Code

FIELD Field

FIELDCODE Field Code

WELL Well name

WELLCODE Well code

WELLTYPE Well type

WELLCLASS Well class

TOWNSHIP Township

TWNDIR Township Direction

RANGE Range

RNGDIR Range Direction

SECTION Section

QUARTER Quarter

REGDIST Regional District

LOC Location

QUAD Quad

DATESAMPLE Date of sample

DATEANALYS Date of analysis

DATECOMP Date of well completion

METHOD Sample Method

OPERATOR Well operator

DRILLER Well driller

PERMIT Well permit holder

FORMATION Geologic formation name

DFORM Geologic formation name of greatest depth

MEMBER Geologic member name

GEOLAGE Geologic age

AGECODE Geologic Age code

ERA Geologic Era name

SYSTEM Geologic System name

SERIES Geologic Series name

DEPTHUPPER Upper perforation depth

DEPTHLOWER Lower perforation depth

DEPTHSAMP Depth of sample, may be average
Variable Name Description

DEPTHTOTAL Total depth of well

ELEVATION Elevation of well

SUBSEA Depth below seafloor

LAB Laboratory

REMARKS Remarks or comments

LITHOLOGY Lithology

SILT Silt 1 = sample is this rock type

SHALE Shale 1 = sample is this rock type

SAND Sand 1 = sample is this rock type

CHERT Chert 1 = sample is this rock type

CARBONATE Carbonate 1 = sample is this rock type

DOLOMITE Dolomite 1 = sample is this rock type

LIMESTONE Limestone 1 = sample is this rock type

ANHYDRITE Anhydrite 1 = sample is this rock type

OTHERLITH Other Lithology 1 = sample is this rock type

POROSITY Porosity 

PERM Permeability

TEMP Temperature, deg F

PRESSURE Pressure, psi

SPGRAV Specific Gravity

SPGRAVT Temperature of Specific Gravity measurement, deg F

RESIS Resistivity, Ohm m

RESIST Temperature of Resistivity measurement, deg F

PH pH

PHT Temperature of pH measurement, deg F

EHORP Eh / Oxidation Reduction Potential (mV)

COND Conductivity, uS/cm

CONDT Temperature of Conductivity measurement, deg F

TURBIDITY Turbidity

SEDIMENT Sediment

HEM Oil and Grease

MBAS Surfactants and Detergents

MGL Units, mg/L; 1 = data are in these units

PPM Units, mg/kg; 1 = data are in these units

TDS Total Dissolved Solids, measured

TDSCALC Total Dissoved Solids, calculated

TSS Total Suspended Solids

CHARGEBAL Charge Balance (%)

MASSBAL Mass Balance (%)

Ag Silver

Al Aluminum

As Arsenic

Au Gold

B Boron

BO3 Borate

Ba Barium

Be Beryllium

Bi Bismuth

Br Bromide

BrO3 Bromate

CO2 Carbon dioxide

CO3 Carbonate
Variable Name Description

HCO3 Bicarbonate

Ca Calcium

Cd Cadmium

Ce Cerium

ClO3 Chlorate

ClO4 Perchlorate

Cl Chloride

ClO2 Chlorite

ClO Hypochlorite

Co Cobalt

Cr Chromium

Cs Cesium

Cu Copper

F Fluoride

FeTot Iron, total

FeIII Iron, 3+

FeII Iron, 2+

FeS Iron sulfide

FeAl Iron plus Aluminum, reported as elements

FeAl2O3 Iron plus Aluminum, reported as oxides

Ga Gallium

Ge Germanium

Hg Mercury

Hf Hafnium

I Iodine

In Indium

Ir Iridium

K Potassium

KNa Potassium plus Sodium

La Lanthanum

Li Lithium

Mg Magnesium

Mn Mangansese

Mo Molybdenum

N Nitrogen, total

NO2 Nitrite

NO3 Nitrate

NO3NO2 Nitrate plus Nitrite

NH3 Ammonia

NH4 Ammonium

TKN Kjeldahl Nitrogen

Na Sodium

Nb Niobium

Ni Nickel

O Oxygen

DO Dissolved Oxygen

OH Hydroxide

Os Osmium

P Phosphorus

PO4 Phosphate

Pb Lead

Pd Palladium
Variable Name Description

Re Rhenium

Rh Rhodium

Rb Rubidium

Ru Ruthenium

S Sulfide

SO3 Sulfite

SO4 Sulfate

HS Bisulfide

H2S Hydrogen Sulfide

HSO4 Bisulfate

Sb Antimony

Sc Scandium

Se Selenium

Si Silica

Sn Tin

Sr Strontium

Ta Tantalum

Te Tellurium

Th Thorium

Ti Titanium

Tl Thallium

U Uranium

V Vanadium

W Tungsten

Y Yttrium

Zn Zinc

Zr Zirconium

ALKTOTAL Alkalinity, measurement method unknown

ALKCACO3 Alkalinity as CaCO3

ALKHCO3 Alkalinity as HCO3

ALKCO3 Alkalinity as CO3

ACIDITY Acidity as CaCO3

DIC Dissolved Inorganic Carbon

DOC Dissolved Organic Carbon

TOC Total Organic Carbon

CN Cyanide

BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand

COD Chemical Oxygen Demand

CH4 Methane

C2H3O2 Acetate

C2H4O2 Acetic Acid

C2H6O2 Ethylene Glycol

C3H6O Acetone

C6H6 Benzene

C6H6O Phenols

C7H8 Toluene

C8H10_XY Xylene

C8H10_ETH Ethybenzene

ALPHA Alpha particle (4He), pCi/L

BETA Beta particle, pCi/L

dD delta 2H, per mil

H3 Tritium, 3H, tritium units
Variable Name Description

d11B delta 11B, per mil

B11_10 11B / 10B

d13C delta 13C, per mil

C14 14C, pCi/L

d18O delta 18O, per mil

d34S delta 34S, per mil

d37Cl delta 37Cl, per mil

K40 40K, pCi/L

Sr87_86 87Sr / 86Sr

Cs127 127Cs, pCi/L

I129 129I, pCi/L

Tl206 206Tl, pCi/L

Pb210 210Pb, pCi/L

Pb212 212Pb, pCi/L

Ra223 223Ra, pCi/L

Ra226 226Ra, pCi/L

Bi211 211Bi, pCi/L

Bi212 212Bi, pCi/L

Bi214 214Bi, pCi/L

Pb214 214Pb, pCi/L

Rn222 222Rn, pCi/L

Th227 227Th, pCi/L

Ac227 227Ac, pCi/L

Ac228 228Ac, pCi/L

Ra228 228Ra, pCi/L

Th228 228Th, pCi/L

Th230 230Th, pCi/L

Pa231 231Pa, pCi/L

Th232 232Th, pCi/L

Th234 234Th, pCi/L

Pa234 234Pa, pCi/L

U234 234U, pCi/L

U235 235U, pCi/L

Np237 237Np, pCi/L

U238 238U, pCi/L

cull_PH “X” if pH < 4.5 or pH > 10.5

cull_MgCa “X” if Mg > Ca

cull_KCl “X” if K > Cl

cull_K5Na “X” if K > 5xNa

cull_CHARGEB “X” if charge balance > 5%

chargebalance charge balance percentage 
Table 3. Observed duplicates in combined database based on exact same Ca, Cl, HCO3, and API. 

Copies Observations Surplus

1 92153 0

2 17078 8539

3 3537 2358

4 628 471

5 65 52

6 30 25

7 14 12