Oil and Gas Produced Water, High‐Salinity Brines, and Associated Cost Modeling

Abstract

Produced water (PW) is a large‐volume waste product from the oil and gas industry. Converting this waste into a resource requires system models to optimize treatment designs, transportation, and storage costs. Five models are presented and evaluated for their capabilities. All the models fall within the AACEI Level 5 standard for preliminary evaluation uses, with cost accuracies of ±30%. Three databases that contain useful geospatial data that could improve model results are presented and described. The USGS PW database is the most comprehensive of the group. Most PW data, for both volume and chemistry, has problems with incompleteness, inaccuracies, and lack of correlation from state to state. Model improvements that are needed include the following: Application of correct desalination processes to varying ranges of salt content and different PW types. Use of appropriate organic removal technologies. Inclusion of up‐to‐date cost indices. Clear graphical results and flow diagrams; energy usage at each step, pumping parameters, energy recovery opportunities, and water and waste stream flows. Costs output for each step and for the whole system with improved accuracy. Indications of the output water quality. Ability to evaluate toxicity of trace constituents. Linkages with real data sets and GIS. Ongoing support/funding for maintenance and upgrades. Feedback loops to validate results with proven field data. Common computing platforms for model development and evolution.