saltwater disposal

The recent Permian Basin earthquakes in Texas are keeping producers, regulators, and service providers busy in their quest to reduce the intensity and frequency of the induced seismic events.

The Railroad Commission of Texas is inspecting injection wells in the Gardendale Seismic Response Area where a magnitude 5.3 earthquake and multiple aftershocks struck.

Operators will not be able to inject wastewater below 10,000 ft in the Gardendale area.

Operators of unconventional plays face a conundrum—how to dispose of produced water economically without risking seismicity or aquifer contamination. A recent paper and virtual forum offer ideas for optimizing saltwater disposal.

Predictive models may help in the estimation of produced water volumes and the optimization of the locations for water recycling and disposal facilities to reduce truck hauling distances.