Geological Intelligence Report
Iodine Brine Infrastructure
Monitoring Plan
Northwest Oklahoma · Woodward Trench ·
Morrow Formation · Anadarko Basin
1. Geological Context
The Woodward Trench is a Lower Pennsylvanian (Morrowan) paleovalley running approximately 70 miles from southeast of Vici, Oklahoma to the Kansas border, oriented SW–NE. It is 1–2 miles wide and hosts the world's highest-concentration iodine brines in any commercially producible formation. The iodine's origin is traced to the Woodford Shale, which contains uranium-bearing organic material (Type II kerogen, brown algae, marine organisms). Fissogenic iodine-129 from 238U decay has been confirmed as a primary source.
Key mechanism: Processed
brine effluent is reinjected into the Morrow formation
downgradient from producing wells, creating a hydraulic
displacement that continuously pushes iodine-rich brine toward
production wells — sustaining yields over decades.
| Formation | Avg I₂ (ppm) | Peak I₂ (ppm) | Depth (ft) | Permeability | Commercial? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippian limestone | ~500 | 1,560 | 5,000–8,000 | Low | Limited |
| Morrow Sand (Pennsylvanian) | 300–350 | 700 | 7,000–13,000 | High | Primary ✓ |
| Mississippi Lime (N. OK) | 80–150 | 200 | 4,000–7,000 | Moderate | Iofina SWD |
| Woodford Shale (source) | — | — | 10,000–18,000 | Very low | Source only |
2. Active Producer Profiles
Iofina
Resources
AIM: IOF · Founded 2012 in OK
Active Plants8 IOsorb® plants
NW Oklahoma5 plants
Central Oklahoma3 plants
Brine capacity10k–100k+ bbl/day
H1 2025 growth↑ +11% YoY
StrategySWD-collocated
Iochem
Corporation
Vici, OK · Founded 1987
Production wells16+ active
Injection wells6
Leasehold~25,000 acres
Brine I₂ conc.500–700 ppm
Well depth10,000–12,000 ft
StrategyDedicated brine wells
Woodward
Iodine Corp.
Woodward, OK · Founded 1977 · ISE
Chemicals (JP)
Producing wells10
CountiesWoodward + Harper
Capacity~800 t/year
Brine I₂ conc.300–500 ppm
Well depth7,000–13,000 ft
DistributorMitsubishi International
Woodward Iodine — Named Wells (OCC Records)
| Well Name | API Number | County |
|---|---|---|
| GUTHRIE | 153-227167-0-0000 | Woodward |
| HARRISON 3-1 | 153-204359-0-0000 | Woodward |
| IRWIN 24-1H | 153-124973-0-0000 | Woodward |
| MARTHA | 153-226226-0-0000 | Woodward |
| OLDHAM 1-22 | 153-224890-0-0000 | Woodward |
| PEACH 1-24 | 153-125763-0-0000 | Woodward |
| ROPER | 153-226227-0-0000 | Woodward |
| SHAW | 153-226228-0-0000 | Woodward |
| ELSON #1 | 059-086050-0-0000 | Harper |
| W.I.F. WELL #13,14,15,18 | 059-053190-0-1788 | Harper |
3. Horizontal Drilling Watch Zones
New horizontal wells co-produce large volumes of formation brine routed to saltwater disposal (SWD) sites — exactly where Iofina's IOsorb® plants intercept iodine. Increasing horizontal activity therefore directly expands available brine supply.
| County | Activity | Wells (Feb 2026) | Relevance to Iodine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woods County HIGH | Very active | 4,800+ | Iofina NW core · SWD expansion zone |
| Major County MED | Active | 6,000+ | Highest county well count; Mississippi Lime brine feed |
| Alfalfa County MED | Active | 4,000+ | Iofina IO#1 & IO#5 original core (est. 2012) |
| Harper County EXPANDING | Growing | Active (181k MCF/mo) | Near Woodward Iodine well leases; new brine intercepts possible |
| Woodward County STABLE | Steady | 3,900 | Key reinjection zone; limited new horizontals |
4. Brine Volume Growth Estimates
Iofina Resources — NW Oklahoma (IO#1–IO#5)
| Scenario | Brine Volume Growth | Notes | Projected I₂ Uplift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base (current) | 75,000–150,000 bbl/day combined | 5 plants operating | ~250–350 t/year NW OK |
| +1 new SWD partner | +15,000–30,000 bbl/day | New Hz driller in Woods/Alfalfa signs SWD deal | +50–100 t/year |
| High (Hz boom) | +30,000–60,000 bbl/day | Multiple new Hz wells in 6-month window | +100–150 t/year |
| IO#12 (projected) | +50,000+ bbl/day | NW OK or Permian Basin expansion | +100–150 t/year |
Iochem — Vici / Dewey County
| Scenario | Brine Volume Growth | Notes | Projected I₂ Uplift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base (current) | 5,000–15,000 bbl/day | 16 dedicated wells; closed-loop system | ~250–400 t/year |
| Infill wells (1–2) | +2,000–5,000 bbl/day | Within 25,000-acre leasehold | +15–40 t/year |
| Acreage expansion | +5,000–10,000 bbl/day | New leasehold adjacent to Vici core | +40–80 t/year |
| No new drilling | Flat | Mature system; reinjection sustains pressure | Flat |
Woodward Iodine Corp. — Woodward & Harper Counties
| Scenario | Brine Volume Growth | Notes | Projected I₂ Uplift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base (current) | 3,000–8,000 bbl/day | 10 wells; fixed lease system | ~200–300 t/year |
| Reactivation of idle wells | +1,000–3,000 bbl/day | Multiple numbered WIC wells in records suggest idle capacity | +10–30 t/year |
| Harper County Hz diversion | +5,000–15,000 bbl/day | If Latigo or other operator routes SWD brine to WIC plant | +40–100 t/year |
| No new permits | Flat | ISE Chemicals ownership; conservative capital discipline | Flat |
5. Monitoring Plan
Monthly Data Pulls
| Data Source | What to Monitor | Alert Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) | New drilling permits in Woodward, Dewey, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa counties | Any Morrow/Mississippi Lime Hz permit within Woodward Trench corridor |
| OCC SWD Applications | New saltwater disposal applications | Any new SWD within 5 mi of existing Iofina plant footprint |
| Iofina RNS Announcements (AIM) | New plant agreements, brine supply deals | New plant announcement = brine growth signal |
| ShaleXP / OCC Production Data | Monthly brine (produced water) volumes by operator | >10% MoM increase in produced water in target counties |
Proximity Scoring Model — Well-to-Plant Distance
For each new horizontal well permit, score by proximity to the nearest iodine extraction plant or SWD partner site:
10
0–2 miles from SWD/plant
High probability of new brine
agreement within 12 months
6
2–5 miles
Moderate probability; likely routed to
existing or new SWD
3
5–10 miles
Low-moderate; pipeline economics may
limit viability
1
>10 miles
Monitor only; long-haul trucking or
pipeline required
6. Producer Comparison Summary
| Factor | Iofina Resources | Iochem Corp. | Woodward Iodine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded (OK ops) | 2012 | 1987 | 1977 |
| Parent | Iofina plc (AIM: IOF, UK) | Japanese consortium | ISE Chemicals (JP) |
| Active infrastructure | 8 SWD-collocated plants | 16+ dedicated brine wells | 10 dedicated brine wells |
| Counties | Alfalfa, Woods, Major, Central OK | Dewey (Vici) | Woodward, Harper |
| Avg brine ppm | 100–350 (oilfield mix) | 500–700 (core trench) | 300–500 |
| H1 2025 trajectory | +11% YoY | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Hz drill exposure | HIGH (direct SWD link) | LOW (dedicated system) | MEDIUM (Harper exposure) |
| Monitoring priority | Highest | Moderate | Moderate |
Sources
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 — Iodine
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Iodine
- Oklahoma Geological Survey — Iodine Resource Page
- OneMine — Iodine Geology and Extraction in Northwestern Oklahoma
- Nash, S. — Brine Mining Iodine in Oklahoma: A Little-Known Treasure (2024)
- Iofina Resources — Operations
- Iofina — IO#11 Signed Agreement for New Plant
- Investegate — Iofina: Agreement Signed for Additional Brine Water Supply (Jun 2026)
- Iochem Corporation — History
- ShaleXP — Woodward Iodine Corporation Operator Profile
- OGS / Mining Engineering — Iodine (Krukowski, 2016)
- The Journal Record — Iodine: Oklahoma's Hidden Resource (2016)
