Petroleum well data used for preliminary regional groundwater salinity mapping near selected oil fields in central and southern California

Publication Date

2018-07-24

Start Date

1930

End Date

2015

Metzger, L.F., Davis, T.A., Peterson, M.F., Brilmyer, C.A, and Johnson, J.C., 2018, Water and petroleum well data used for preliminary regional groundwater salinity mapping near selected oil fields in central and southern California: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7RN373C.

Data were compiled for the purpose of mapping the three-dimensional distribution of protected groundwater in proximity to oil and gas fields in California. Protected waters are defined as those having a total dissolved solids of less than 10,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L), following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency definition of waters potentially used for drinking water supply. In addition, the distribution of waters having TDS of less than (<) 3,000 mg/L, and 3,000-10,000 mg/L was also mapped, as a value of 3,000 mg/L has historically been used as an approximate threshold for waters of potential beneficial use by the California Department of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR). The 31 mapped fields were selected because water sample data were available in proximity to these fields and these fields represent a range of geographic and hydrogeologic settings across major oil producing areas of the Central Valley and coastal southern California. Mapping of waters having TDS >10,000, 3,000-10,000, 1,000-3,000, and <1,000 mg/L using available water sample data near these selected oil fields was intended to provide a reconnaissance assessment of regional variations in the distribution of protected waters near these oil fields.

• USGS California Water Science Center

Data source

Input directly