Abstract
Oil and natural gas fields are accompanied by formation waters, usually highly mineralized brines containing a variety of trace elements. Analyses carried out in various sedimentary basins around the world indicate that these waters are often enriched in elements such as iodine, lithium and strontium. Currently, these micronutrients are finding increasing application in the production of lithium-ion batteries and lithium batteries (lithium) and in the pharmaceutical, medical and pharmaceutical industry (iodine). Due to the development of production of LCD displays and batteries (e.g. for electric cars), the expected increase in demand for iodine and lithium is 2% and 1.5%, respectively.
The reserves of these elements are limited and unevenly distributed. Iodine is currently produced in the three countries: Chile (65% of the world production), Japan and the US. Lithium is produced in Argentina, Australia and Chile, while strontium is produced in China (50% of the global production), Spain and Mexico. Iodine, lithium and strontium are not produced in Poland and the total demand is met by imports.
Brines with high iodine content, occurring in the hydrocarbon deposits, have been found in oil basins in the United States, Canada and Germany. In the United States, this element is recovered from formation water. Lithium found in numerous formation waters in the US, Canada, Japan and Germany has not yet been recovered, while the construction of the pilot plant in Canada is underway. The increased strontium content has been found in waters accompanying hydrocarbon deposits in North America and China. However, strontium has not yet been recovered from the aforementioned deposits.
In Poland, the question of possible use of chemical elements dissolved in reservoir brines, with the exception of iodine, has not yet been studied. The above mentioned element (iodine) was recovered from brines in the area of Bochnia (Carpathian Foredeep), the only geological unit where an analysis of iodine content in the formation waters has been carried out in the recent years. The lithium and strontium content in the formation waters, as well as the question of their possible use, have not yet been studied.
Iodine Nutrition: Iodine Content of Iodized Salt in the United States
