Optimizing Reuse of Produced Water from Oil and Gas Extraction in the U.S.

There is increasing pressure to reuse/recycle produced water related to oil and gas production because of potential induced seismicity from subsurface disposal and to mitigate water depletion to support hydraulic fracturing. In this study we evaluated the potential to reuse/recycle produced water (PW) by comparing the quantity and quality of produced water relative to water demands for different sectors using data from major U.S. shale and coal bed methane (CBM) plays. Results show that the volumes of produced water increased substantially in unconventional shale plays but declined in CBM plays (2009 - 2016). Unconventional tight oil plays mostly generate more produced water than shale gas plays. The primary approaches to managing produced water include subsurface disposal in shale oil and gas plays and mostly discharge to ponds and rivers in CBM plays. Reusing PW for hydraulic fracturing of subsequent wells in shale plays shows the greatest promise in most plays. The quality of produced water is highly variable, ranging from fresh in some CBM plays to extremely saline in some shale plays (e.g. Total Dissolved Solids \textgreater350,000 mg/L in the Bakken). Advances in hydraulic fracturing fluid chemistry results in the ability to use "clean brines" with minimal treatment for hydraulic fracturing. Alternative management strategies will be required in plays where produced water volumes exceed hydraulic fracturing water demands, such as the Delaware Basin within the Permian Basin. Knowledge gaps related to quantifying the chemical constituents in produced water and related treatment issues provide significant challenges to reuse of produced water in sectors outside of oil and gas.     «

There is increasing pressure to reuse/recycle produced water related to oil and gas production because of potential induced seismicity from subsurface disposal and to mitigate water depletion to support hydraulic fracturing. In this study we evaluated the potential to reuse/recycle produced water (PW) by comparing the quantity and quality of produced water relative to water demands for different sectors using data from major U.S. shale and coal bed methane (CBM) plays. Results show that the volu...     »