Date of Award

1-1-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geography & Geographic Information Science

First Advisor

Gregory S. Vandeberg

Abstract

The rapid expansion of oil and gas production in North Dakota’s Bakken Formation has heightened environmental concerns, particularly groundwater contamination from brine spills. Brine, a highly saline byproduct of oil extraction, poses a serious threat to water quality due to its chemical composition. This study examines brine spill impacts from 2013 to 2024 across Williams, Mountrail, McKenzie, and Dunn counties using GIS and the DRASTIC model, enhanced with Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Overlay techniques. Essential hydrogeological factors were analyzed to produce vulnerability index maps. Furthermore, spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I), Optimized Hot Spot Analysis, and Emerging Hot Spot Analysis were employed to identify spill patterns over time with the total of about 57,013.539 barrels / 2,394,568.64 gallons. Results show a strong spatial correlation between brine spill hotspots and high-vulnerability zones particularly near surface water and shallow aquifers. The findings highlight critical areas for targeted management and inform sustainable groundwater protection in oil-producing regions of North Dakota.

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