Reuse of Produced Water from the Petroleum Industry: Case Studies from the Intermountain-West Region, USA

Abstract

The produced water (PW) volume in the Intermountain-West (I-WEST) region is about 600 million m3 in 2021. More than one-third of the PW is injected for disposal, which can be a waste of water, considering the water scarcity in the I-WEST region. In this work, we analyzed the potential for the reuse of PW in the I-WEST region. The PW composition and volume in different basins in the I-WEST region were analyzed. The regulations for drinking water, domestic use, irrigation, livestock watering, aquatic, surface water discharge, groundwater discharge, hydraulic fracture, and hydrogen (H2) production were summarized. We identified the appropriate treatments depending on the PW composition and water standards. We also analyzed each PW treatment’s water recovery, energy demand, and cost. We selected the samples of PW from the Raton Basin, San Juan Basin, and Permian Basin to assess the potential reuse of PW in the I-WEST region. The comparison between PW composition and water standards shows that the regulations are not designed for the reuse of PW because the constituents in water regulations do not match the constituents in PW. The low-salinity PW can be treated for agricultural use with relatively low cost and high water recovery, while the high-salinity PW is more suitable for hydraulic fracturing. The treatment cost (including operation, maintenance, energy, labor, and disposal cost) ranges from $0.11/bbl to $1.01/bbl, depending on the PW composition and targeted water standards. The reuse of PW for H2 production is a promising usage purpose. Due to the high demand for fresh water in H2 production, the reuse of PW can alleviate the stress of water scarcity in the I-WEST region. This work provides guidance for the reuse of PW in the I-WEST region.