Abstract
This paper is a Colombian case study that calculates the total water footprint (blue, green, and grey) for heavy crude production (11.5 average API gravity) occurring in three fields, located in the Magdalena watershed. In this case study, the highest direct blue footprint registers 0.19 m3/barrel and is heavily influenced by cyclic steam stimulation practices. This value could be reduced if the water coming out of the production well was to be cleaned with highly advanced wastewater treatment technologies. The highest grey water footprint, at 0.06 m3/barrel, is minimal and could be reduced with conventional wastewater treatment technologies and rigorous maintenance procedures. The green water footprint is negligible and cannot be reduced for legal reasons. The indirect blue water footprint is also considerable at 0.19–0.22 m3/barrel and could be reduced if electricity was produced onsite instead of purchased. In addition, the paper identifies methodological flaws in the Colombian National Water Study (2014), which wrongly calculated the direct blue water footprint, leading to a 5 to 32-fold sub-estimation. It also ignored the grey, with important implications for water resource policy and management. To rectify the situation, future National Surveys should follow the procedure published here.
Highlights
The interdependence between water and energy is growing as demand for both these resources increases
We discuss the implication of our results relative to the wider issues of measuring water use and scarcity
The total direct water footprint for the different crude barrels produced by the company corresponds to 0.23 m3 /barrel for cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) 1 field, 0.22 m3 /barrel for CSS 2 and 0.19 m3 /barrel for the field with secondary recovery
Summary
The interdependence between water and energy is growing as demand for both these resources increases. It is possible to implement tools which enable a company to develop opportunities for environmental impact reduction, via benchmarking, in line with sectorial standards. It may lead to the introduction of environmental policies at the corporate level, as quantitative measurements allow for a better understanding of industrial activities and the influence such activities have on the local environment and surrounding community. Big users of water such as the agriculture sector are known publically to contribute to acute local water shortages [1], but demands derived from hydrocarbon extraction remain largely invisible to the public eye [2], except when it comes to shale oil and gas extraction [3].
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