Produced Water as a New Water Resource - Not A Waste

This paper will discuss our combined experience in the beneficial use of produced water as a new water resource. Produced water is becoming an issue in the extraction and production (E&P) oil industry and is a significant constraint on energy production. We have designed and operated the first treatment plant for an oil field to sell produced water for beneficial use. We are also working on several coal bed methane projects as well in the development of patent pending processes for treating and discharging produced water as a valuable by-product of the operation. We have found that produced water can provide an excess of 20% of the flow of the Colorado River with time.  In addition, produced water can be found to produce for over 300 to 500 years.  This paper will discuss the process on how produced water can become a valuable by-product. The ability of utilizing produced water as a new water resource involves understanding the various water laws of each state, the treatment process of the produced water for both oil and CBM waters and the associated environmental constraints on this process.