Civil Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 4-15-2018

Abstract

There is increasing need to understand the interdependencies between energy resource development and water resources, particularly in arid regions with vast energy reserves like New Mexico. The state has a long history of energy resource development, including both uranium and fossil fuels. These activities have and continue to impact scarce water resources. There exist gaps in knowledge regarding the drivers of historic uranium mining and the uncertainties inherent in past estimates of groundwater impacts because of mining activity and in current understanding of the energy required to manage water in the oil and gas industry. Although uranium has not been mined in the state for decades there is increasing interest in sourcing uranium domestically, for which the state ranks second in national reserves. While historic mining had extensive impacts on water resources, past estimates have not considered uncertainty when evaluating the range of potential impacts in the future. Addressing these gaps will improve our understanding of the connections between energy resource development and water resources and add to existing knowledge by developing modeling methods and tools. This research addresses these gaps by developing modeling approaches to improve understanding of the interrelationships between energy development and water resources and to aid in future decision-making. The three objectives of this research are to 1) improve understanding of the roles that economics and policy played in the operation of U mines in New Mexico using a system dynamics modeling (SD) framework; 2) to develop a decision support tool to evaluate the impacts on and uncertainties associated with renewed uranium mining on groundwater in the San Juan Basin, NM; and to 3) to evaluate the energy required to manage fresh and produced water associated with oil and gas production in NM. This work was developed using SD modeling and incorporated optimization techniques to understand how changes in economics and federal energy policy influenced uranium mining operations, and geospatial modeling uncertainty analyses to identify a range of prospective hydrologic impacts of renewed uranium mining. Geospatial modeling was also utilized to evaluate the energy footprint of alternative water management strategies in the oil and gas industry. The results of this work further existing knowledge regarding the connections between water and energy resource development. First, historic uranium mining operations were increasingly influenced by policy as compared to economics, indicating that future uranium mining decisions will be driven by federal energy policy. Second, the potential impacts of renewed uranium on groundwater including dewatered volume and drawdown of the potentiometric surface in the San Juan Basin vary by location. By addressing uncertainty associated with these impacts, this work indicated the importance of uncertainty evaluation in future site-specific analyses. Third, alternative water management strategies in the oil and gas field can be less energy intensive than conventional management methods. These strategies have the potential to reduce demands on limited fresh water resources and risks associated with deep well disposal. Last, the methods developed as a result of this research address the diverse needs of decision makers and are applicable to other industries, locations, and water resources investigations[TVC1] [KZ2] .

[TVC1]I think it would be good to have a few key findings here!

[KZ2]First, historic uranium mining operations were increasingly influenced by policy as compared to economics, indicating that future uranium mining decisions will be driven by federal energy policy. Second, the potential impacts of renewed uranium on groundwater including dewatered volume and drawdown of the potentiometric surface in the San Juan Basin vary by location. By addressing uncertainty associated with these impacts, this work indicated the importance of uncertainty evaluation in future site-specific analyses. Third, alternative water management strategies in the oil and gas field can be less energy intensive than conventional management methods. These strategies have the potential to reduce demands on limited fresh water resources and risks associated with deep well disposal. Last, the methods developed as a result of this research address the diverse needs of decision makers and are applicable to other industries, locations, and water resources investigations.

Keywords

uranium mining, produced water, hydraulic fracturing, energy

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Civil Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Civil Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Kerry J. Howe

Second Committee Member

Bruce M. Thomson

Third Committee Member

Janie Chermak

Fourth Committee Member

Vincent C. Tidwell

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