Gary Sykes is the president of ConocoPhillips Qatar. The views expressed are his own.
By Gary Sykes
ConocoPhillips operates oil and natural gas fields in many of the world’s key producing regions. During production, water that is typically entrained with the oil and natural gas is known as produced water. Disposing of this water in a safe and environmentally sound manner is so integral a part of the production process that a successful producer must also be at its core a great water-management company.
On average worldwide, about four barrels of water are produced along with every barrel of crude oil. Further, as oil fields age, the water yield increases to as much as 90% of a well’s total liquid volume, presenting substantial disposal challenges. But this water can also serve as a valuable resource if we can adequately purify it for potential reuse. Such recycling presents an opportunity to reduce consumption of water that must otherwise be acquired from outside sources to support drilling and production operations. In some cases, produced water may also be suitable for use in municipal applications, reducing demand for other freshwater sources. This is particularly promising in the Gulf region, where much of the freshwater supply must be generated by energy intensive and costly desalination of ocean water.
How can the industry safely and cost effectively recycle and reuse produced water? Ultimately, it comes down to identifying an optimal water treatment technology. Treatment costs relate directly to the water’s physical and chemical characteristics — such as levels of salinity or contamination. These can vary significantly among reservoirs, so technological solutions must consider both the water properties and intended end uses. Given the complexities of produced water, we must work on a “fit-for-purpose” basis, utilising technology that enables the final water qualities to fit a designated purpose.
While every installation is unique, the industry has access to a wider range of water treatment technologies than ever before. Our toolbox includes everything from conventional technologies for deoiling and degassing, to advanced technologies for solids separation, desalination and crystallisation. And there are some encouraging trends.
Over the last decade, we have witnessed a surge in development of unconventional reservoirs, notably in North America, facilitated by recent technological innovation. Unconventional operations require water management strategies quite different from those used in conventional extraction. Currently the water management focus in unconventional operations is two-fold: i) reduce the amount of water consumed in drilling and completion of wells, and ii) instead of using fresh water, utilise high-salinity groundwater or produced water that is unsuitable for most other applications. Central to our forward planning is continued technological development that would allow us to achieve these goals.
These are challenging times for the industry. The recent drop in commodity prices has forced reductions in capital investment, with many future development projects delayed or cancelled. There is tremendous focus on reducing costs and optimising efficiency. Fortunately, technologies that would improve our handling and reuse of produced water offer multiple benefits. Among them would be cost savings and improved efficiency, as well as such environmentally related benefits as improved water quality and the release of fresh water supplies for other needs.
Thus, our industry should begin viewing produced water as a potential asset. It is up to every producer to find the most efficient uses of produced water in any given situation.
This does not require reinventing the wheel. Many great minds are already focused on the challenges associated with water desalination and produced water reuse. There is also a great deal of commercial technology already available. But even while the industry utilises existing technology, we should recognise the opportunities associated with achieving sustainability in utilisation of produced water – and commit to driving further technological development.
For all these reasons, the industry must enhance our understanding of water chemistry and treatment methods. We must continue investing in research and development to create cutting-edge technologies that optimise the treatment of all produced water profiles. In addition, we must continue fostering collaboration between governments, universities and industry. An excellent example of leadership was demonstrated by Qatar in its establishment of the Qatar Science and Technology Park. The Park demonstrates Qatar’s commitment to technology development and a knowledge-based economy, essential to continued success and in direct alignment with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 Programme.