Hydrogeological conditions of the subsalt level of the Mirny arch from the standpoint of using formation waters as a source of hydromineral raw materials

Background. Increasing the profitability of oil and gas fields at the late stages of their life cycle requires the involvement of additional technological solutions for the development of the mineral and energy potential of the geological environment. One of the affordable, low-cost, geologically and economically justified solutions may be the extraction of strategically important components from groundwater infiltrating the deposit in the course of reservoir pressure drop. Objective. To analyze the hydrogeological conditions of the Mirny arch as a region within which combined extraction of hydrocarbons and industrially valuable components of formation waters is possible. Materials and methods. The study drew on the factual data on formation pressures, hydrochemical composition of groundwater of the Mirny arch, which has a high oil and gas potential, as well as the possibility of developing hydromineral resources. Standard methods of processing hydrochemical materials, hydrochemical modeling, calculations of hydrodynamic potentials were used. Results. The main features of the dynamics and composition of groundwater in the Mirny arch, which can be used as hydromineral raw materials, were identified. The waters of the Vendean complex were noted to contain iodine (up to 13.5 mg/dm3) and bromine (up to 5,260 mg/dm3), lithium (up to 10 mg/dm3), strontium (up to 2,500 mg/dm3) and rubidium (up to 3 mg/dm3) in commercially viable concentrations. Conclusions. Significantly, the hydrocarbon fields of the Mirny arch exhibit sharp geofluid dynamic heterogeneity due to tectonic blockiness. This allows simultaneous independent production of hydrocarbon and hydromineral raw materials, as well as solving the problem of utilization of waste water in local conditions. For a full scientific substantiation of the prospects for using the groundwater of the Mirny Dome deposits as hydromineral raw materials, it is necessary to develop and implement a program of detailed work to clarify the hydrochemical and hydrodynamic parameters of the reservoir systems, as well as geological and economic assessment of the profitability of extraction of industrially valuable trace elements.