produced water

The deal sees H2O Midstream increase its produced water gathering network to more than 435,000 B/D of disposal capacity and 190 total miles of pipeline. The Permian water midstream company will add more than 40,000 B/D of recycling capacity with the option to double that capacity over time.

A joint-venture agreement gives Solaris control of Concho’s produced-water infrastructure in New Mexico, and Lagoon Water Solutions closed on a deal with Continental in Oklahoma.

Getting water is a big issue for those who fracture wells, as is the disposal of it. The number of companies investing in water facilities and reuse, though, remains a minority.

The Permian gets the lion’s share of attention when it comes to produced water, but other basins have a need to haul volumes off-site. How has the market changed in these areas recently? Is there a greater enthusiasm for pipelines, and can water midstream thrive?

Not all produced water is the same. A seminar held by SPE and associated with the Water Life Cycle and Strategy Technical Section will look at the different types of produced water and the different ways in which produced water is handled in various regions around the world.

As Permian production ramps up and saltwater disposal well capacity is pushed to its limit, companies see a need to develop collaborative, commercially viable methods of handling produced-water volumes. If reuse remains at its current rate of only 15%, operators could face a $30-billion tab.

The well count and completion intensity of US tight oil and gas operations have grown in recent years, and rising pressure from environmental regulations means that produced water management has become a key focus for operators.

When surface water is scarce, communities and industries typically turn to groundwater to meet their freshwater needs. A new report from the Groundwater Protection Council indicates that produced water may be a new resource to reduce the use of fresh water for some of those needs.

Operators are looking for ways to better handle water coming from subsea wells, which is typically treated at topside facilities. Subsea separation systems are not equipped to discharge water back into the reservoir, so how do companies close the gaps?

A growing sector of water midstream companies is in the Permian Basin looking to take advantage of a business opportunity borne out of rising produced water volumes. Billion-dollar valuations for these companies in the near future could become a reality.