Oil Gas Produced Water Management

Produced water contributes to the largest volume waste stream associated with oil and gas (O&G) exploration and production (E&P) operations. It is usually a complex mixture of inorganics and organics that is formed underground and brought to the surface during O&G production. Traditionally, produced water has been considered as a waste to the O&G industry. The conventional management strategies include disposal (typically by injection into depleted wells or permitted disposal wells), recycle (direct reuse within the E&P operation), and reuse (treatment and reuse offsite for food crop irrigation, livestock watering or industrial use). The O&G industry is going through a paradigm shift, where scarcity of water, economics of water management, declining oil costs, and increasing focus on environmental and ecological stewardship are shifting the focus toward integrated water management in E&P operations. Water is no longer a problem to be delegated to a third-party disposal or treatment vendor, but is becoming a cornerstone of O&G production. In this review, we summarize produced water characteristics, regulations and management options, produced water treatment fundamentals, and a detailed discussion of process equipment and advantages/disadvantages of currently available treatment processes. These results in peer-reviewed publications could provide a guide for the selection of appropriate technologies based on the desired application. Major research efforts in the future could focus on the optimization of current technologies and use of combined treatment processes of produced water in order to comply with reuse and discharge limits, under more stringent environmental regulations.

Produced Water Treatment Field Manual presents different methods used in produced water treatment systems in the oil and gas industry. Produced water is salty water that is produced as a byproduct along with oil or gas during the treatment. Water is brought along with the oil and gas when these are lifted from the surface. The water is then treated before the discharge or re-injection process. In the introduction, the book discusses the basic terms and concepts that describe produced water treatment. It also presents the different methods involved in the treatment. It further discusses the design, operation, maintenance, and sizing of the produced water treatment systems. In the latter part of the book, the ways to remove impurities in water are discussed, including choosing the proper filter, filtering equipment, filtering methods, and filtering types. The main objective of this book is to provide information about proper water management. Readers who are involved in this field will find this book relevant. Present a description of the various water treating equipment that are currently in use Provide performance data for each unit Develop a "feel" for the parameters needed for design and their relative importance Develop and understanding of the uncertainties and assumptions inherent in the design of the various items of equipment Outline sizing procedures and equipment selection

Produced water contributes to the largest volume waste stream associated with oil and gas (O&G) exploration and production (E&P) operations. It is usually a complex mixture of inorganics and organics that is formed underground and brought to the surface during O&G production. Traditionally, produced water has been considered as a waste to the O&G industry. The conventional management strategies include disposal (typically by injection into depleted wells or permitted disposal wells), recycle (direct reuse within the E&P operation), and reuse (treatment and reuse offsite for food crop irrigation, livestock watering or industrial use). The O&G industry is going through a paradigm shift, where scarcity of water, economics of water management, declining oil costs, and increasing focus on environmental and ecological stewardship are shifting the focus toward integrated water management in E&P operations. Water is no longer a problem to be delegated to a third-party disposal or treatment vendor, but is becoming a cornerstone of O&G production. In this review, we summarize produced water characteristics, regulations and management options, produced water treatment fundamentals, and a detailed discussion of process equipment and advantages/disadvantages of currently available treatment processes. These results in peer-reviewed publications could provide a guide for the selection of appropriate technologies based on the desired application. Major research efforts in the future could focus on the optimization of current technologies and use of combined treatment processes of produced water in order to comply with reuse and discharge limits, under more stringent environmental regulations.

A state-of-the-art review of scientific knowledge on the environmental risk of ocean discharge of produced water and advances in mitigation technologies. In offshore oil and gas operations, produced water (the water produced with oil or gas from a well) accounts for the largest waste stream (in terms of volume discharged). Its discharge is continuous during oil and gas production and typically increases in volume over the lifetime of an offshore production platform. Produced water discharge as waste into the ocean has become an environmental concern because of its potential contaminant content. Environmental risk assessments of ocean discharge of produced water have yielded different results. For example, several laboratory and field studies have shown that significant acute toxic effects cannot be detected beyond the "point of discharge" due to rapid dilution in the receiving waters. However, there is some preliminary evidence of chronic sub-lethal impacts in biota associated with the discharge of produced water from oil and gas fields within the North Sea. As the composition and concentration of potential produced water contaminants may vary from one geologic formation to another, this conference also highlights the results of recent studies in Atlantic Canada.

This book outlines the technologies and techniques used in the oil & gas industry’s shift from treating produced water as a “waste stream” to an integrated water management approach. Produced water is formed underground and brought to the surface during oil & gas (O&G) production and exploration and production (E&P) operations. It is usually a complex mixture of inorganics and organics and contributes to the largest volume waste stream of O&G and E&P operations. Traditionally, produced water has been considered a waste and conventional management strategies include disposal (typically by injection into depleted wells or permitted disposal wells), recycling (direct reuse within the E&P operation) and reuse (treatment and reuse offsite for food crop irrigation, livestock watering or industrial use). The O&G industry is going through a paradigm shift where scarcity of water, economics of water management, declining oil costs, and increasing focus on environmental and ecological stewardship are shifting the focus toward integrated water management in E&P operations. Water is no longer a problem to be delegated to a third-party disposal or treatment vendor, but is becoming a cornerstone of O&G production. This is a summary of produced water characteristics, regulations and management options, produced water treatment fundamentals, and a detailed discussion of process equipment and advantages/disadvantages of currently available treatment processes. It provides a guide for selecting appropriate technologies for the desired application and points toward the optimization of current technologies and the use of combined treatment processes to meet reuse and discharge limits and critically, more stringent environmental regulations.

This book represents the proceedings of the first major international meeting dedi cated to discuss environmental aspects of produced water. The 1992 International Pro duced Water Symposium was held at the Catamaran Hotel, San Diego, California, USA, on February 4-7, 1992. The objectives of the conference were to provide a forum where scientists, regulators, industry, academia, and the enviromental community could gather to hear and discuss the latest information related to the environmental considerations of produced water discharges. It was also an objective to provide a forum for the peer review and international publication of the symposium papers so that they would have wide availability to all parties interested in produced water environmental issues. Produced water is the largest volume waste stream from oil and gas production activities. Onshore, well over 90% is reinjected to subsurface formations. Offshore, and in the coastal zone, most produced water is discharged to the ocean. Over the past several years there has been increasing concern from regulators and the environmental commu nity. There has been a quest for more information on the composition, treatment systems and chemicals, discharge characteristics, disposal options, and fate and effects of the produced water. As so often happens, much of this information exists in the forms of reports and internal research papers. This symposium and publication was intended to make this information available, both for open discussion at the conference, and for peer review before publication.

A groundbreaking book on the application of the economic and environmentally effective treatment of industrial wastewater Constructed Wetlands for Industrial Wastewater Treatment contains a review of the state-of-the-art applications of constructed wetland technology for industrial wastewater treatment. This green technology offers many economic, environmental, and societal advantages. The text examines the many unique uses and the effectiveness of constructed wetlands for the treatment of complex and heavily polluted wastewater from various industrial sources. The editor — a noted expert in the field — and the international author team (93 authors from 22 countries) present vivid examples of the current state of constructed wetlands in the industrial sector. The text is filled with international case studies and research outcomes and covers a wide range of applications of these sustainable systems including facilities such as the oil and gas industry, agro-industries, paper mills, pharmaceutical industry, textile industry, winery, brewery, sludge treatment and much more. The book reviews the many system setups, examines the different removal and/or transformational processes of the various pollutants and explores the overall effectiveness of this burgeoning technology. This important resource: Offers the first, groundbreaking text on constructed wetlands use for industrial wastewater treatment Provides a single reference with summarized information and the state-of-the-art knowledge of the use of Constructed Wetlands in the industrial sector through case studies, research outcomes and review chapters Covers a range of industrial applications such as hydrocarbons/oil and gas industry, food and beverage, wood and leather processing, agro-industries, pharmaceuticals and many others Includes best practices drawn by a collection of international case studies Presents the latest technological developments in the industry Written for civil and environmental engineers, sustainable wastewater/water managers in industry and government, Constructed Wetlands for Industrial Wastewater Treatment is the first book to offer a comprehensive review of the set-up and effectiveness of constructed wetlands for a wide range of industrial applications to highlight the diverse economic and environmental benefits this technology brings to the industry.

This report discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with the freshwater needs in oil and gas operations and the beneficial use of produced water. Practical solutions are offered to support evidence-based policy making for an integrated and sustainable approach to water management.