Environmental impacts of petroleum production: The fate of petroleum and other organics associated with produced water from the Osage-Sakiatook Petroleum Environm Environmental Research sites, Osage County, Oklahoma

During a multidisciplinary study at two oil production sites of differing ages near Lake Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma, a series of oil, water, brine, and soil samples were characterized and analyzed for geochemical parameters that are indicative of microbial activity. Characterization of the resident microbial populations was completed for a number of these samples. The area source oils are a paraffinic-naphthenic light oil, containing n-alkanes as the dominant components unimpacted by biodegradation. The oils at the inactive site are similar although vary in stages of biodegradation. Some nearby oils at the active site do not correlate, suggesting that there is not significant subsurface transport of the spilled oils. Microbial [...]