Fluids
Produced water
Water brought to the surface along with oil and gas during production; often salty.
Flowback
Fluid that returns to the surface after hydraulic fracturing.
Condensate
Light liquid hydrocarbons that condense from natural gas.
API gravity
A measure of how heavy or light a petroleum liquid is compared with water; higher API means lighter.
Measurement & paperwork
Barrel (bbl)
42 US gallons.
Run ticket
Document recording the volume and quality of oil removed from a tank.
Manifest
Shipping document that tracks waste or fluid from origin to disposal.
Equipment & sites
Frac tank
Large portable steel tank for temporary fluid storage.
SWD
Saltwater disposal well — a permitted facility that injects produced water underground.
Tank battery
Group of tanks at a well site that store production.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between flowback and produced water?
Flowback returns soon after fracturing; produced water comes up throughout the life of the well.