Getting Started in Purifying Produced Saltwater, the Overlooked Resource in Resource Plays

A solution to drought and water scarcity is sitting before our eyes in much of the U.S., but most people have no idea that it exists. Those who do have no idea that the puzzle pieces necessary to make it happen are right here, right now. They just have not been put together yet.  But, they can be, and the benefits to people, the environment, the economy, and sustainable life in general could be staggering.

The answer is produced saltwater which is coproduced with oil and gas, as well as in mining operations.

Many people outside the oil and gas industry are unaware that great volumes of salty, briny, mineral-rich (although some are undesirable minerals) water are coproduced with gas and oil. In fact, in many old fields, the percentage of water vs. oil and gas is very high, and can be as high as 1000 barrels (40 gallons) of produced water for every 100 mcf (thousand cubic feet) of natural gas and 10 barrels of oil.  The water is sometimes reinjected into the formation to provide pressure to enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons, but most often, the oil and gas are separated, and then the saltwater is trucked or transported via pipeline to injection wells that are licensed as Class II disposal wells. These wells may take as much as 20,000 bbls per day. Not only are they expensive to use and to operate (lots of chemicals are needed and equipment to deal with all the corrosion, scale, and other issues), they have also been blamed for generating earthquakes. Needless to say, safety and public health are the first concerns, so any solution will require a great deal of testing and quality assurance. 

Large sources of coproduced water include traditional mature fields such as the Permian Basin and in the Sooner Trend (Mississippian lime), but also in the new unconventional plays, such as in the Mississippian Lime (and chat) in Kansas and Oklahoma and in the shale plays throughout the world, with extreme development now taking place in the U.S.  For a compilation of articles on the plays, please visit: (http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/2013/70135nash/ndx_nash.pdf).

Disposing of produced saltwater is expensive and an ongoing cost to producers. There is no escaping it. For that reason, the small extra steps required to purify rather than dispose of the water represent an incremental cost, which could be more than offset by the revenues generated by water sales. There are other benefits, but educating the public will be necessary. For that reason, companies and communities along with entrepreneurs who are a part of the team, should start as quickly as possible to develop MOOCs (massive open online courses) and mini-MOOCs to help people learn about the concept, the elements, the skills needed, and the opportunities.

Further, the need by some communities for water, and the market for water could make producing and purifying co-produced saltwater viable on its own.

Desalination of seawater and brines has long been a necessity in arid parts of the world, where drinking water is scarce or unavailable. It is generally viewed as uneconomic or too capital-intensive for many communities in the U.S.

Purification of produced coproduced water is not completely the same as desalinization of sea water because there are additional minerals in the produced water (the reservoir fluids each reservoir have unique compositions), and it is not cheap. However, companies that are now paying to transport, chemically treat, and inject produced brines would not pay much more to take the extra step and purify to graywater or potable levels. 

With drought, coupled with the depletion of aquifers in the Plains and western U.S., new approaches to water must be sought. The plan to purify produced saltwater to the point of graywater or agricultural use or all the way to potable is economically viable for some communities right now if the pieces are put into place.

Here are the puzzle pieces:

Large-scale produced water purification systems:

Effective and efficient purification process.

Options include

Reverse osmosis / membrane ultrafiltration (primarily with dry gas production)

Distillation (will require using produced gas, solar, and possible geothermal to minimize energy costs -- Fountain Quail has a freshwater system called NOMAD which is currently in the Barnett (in Texas) and also is setting up in West Texas, in the Permian Wolfcamp play.  Their mobile ROVER system creates clean saltwater.)

 Combination process (primarily with reservoirs that produce oil as well as gas - Hydrozonix is currently using its multi-stage process to treat and remove contaminants in order to recycle and reuse the water in drilling, stimulation, or enhanced oil recovery).

Water gathering system (similar to that of gas gathering systems) to cost-effectively bring the produced water from several wells or units to a single, high-volume treatment facility, with capacity of around 100,000 bbls per day. Companies such as Anterra Energy and Apache / Encana (Debolt water treatment plant) are running water treatment operations that are allowing companies to use the water for recycling and for hydraulic fracturing and injection wells in EOR operations. There are initiatives to support this, which include the Texas Water Recycling Association (TWRA).  One of the positive developments is that the TWRA members will be able to share recycling facilities. 

For recharge of the riparian system where the water will go to reservoirs and other holding water impoundments for agricultural purposes, it will be necessary to construct series of viaducts into the stream system so that the produced water will flow to existing reservoirs. Discharge could average 100,00 bbls per day. The viaducts could incorporate small, efficient hydroelectric generators so that power could be generated as the water flows downstream. 

Contracts and agreements with the communities to purchase the water and to also commit to financing the infrastructure (they may wish to finance it via municipal bonds).

Amended and modified oil and gas leases would be developed to pay the mineral owner a royalty on sales of coproduced connate water. Because the costs of purification and transportation are high, and the royalty would of necessity be something in the 2 – 3 percent range.

A plan for disposing of the super-concentrated brines that are left after the process must be in place.

On-site continuous water quality testing, with remote data acquisition and monitoring, with cloud-based data acquisition, archiving, processing, retrieval.

Initial data sources for identifying, leasing, purchasing existing production and adapting into the new produced water / water purification systems.

Byproducts could sold as industrial minerals or created into new products.

 Examples:

Halite building bricks: coat the salt residual with impermeable coating, and create salt bricks for building purposes (could be used to create soundproofing, etc.)

--Industrial minerals: halite, ferric chloride, magnesium oxide, calcium chloride

--Data management system for maintaining production records, along with water quality

--MOOCs (massive open online courses) and mini-MOOCs to help people learn about the concept, the elements, the skills needed, and the opportunities

--Data management system for leases, contracts, permits, filings, reports; much should be automated with calendar events to flag and alert due dates for key filings and permits

--Cloud-based computing for logistics, data management, tracking, quality assurance, supply chain management

For small-scale systems for single wells, that produce less than 1,000 bbls of water per day:

--Mobile purification units, ideally distillation

 

--Permits and permissions for drinking water production and bottling facility

--Licensed and approved continuous testing of water

--On-site or near-site bottling of water

--3D printers for customized bottles / shapes for value-add uses

--Advertising / marketing of new ultra-pure water from distillation

--Contracts for distribution

--MOOCs (massive open online courses) and mini-MOOCs to help people learn about the concept, the elements, the skills needed, and the opportunities

--Cloud-based computing for logistics, data management, tracking, quality assurance, supply chain management

Conclusion and Future Steps

The main impediments to purifying and re-using connate water coproduced with oil and gas involve cost, environmental and drinking water regulations, and public perception.

These can be overcome with education coupled with extreme need due to drought. The benefits are tremendous, and include revitalized communities with sufficient water for sustainable human and animal life, along with the resurgence of industries requiring large volumes of water, which include agriculture, power generation, and manufacturing.

The key now is to start to put the puzzle pieces together and to start to create viable projects and plans.

We need to conduct clear-eyed, open, and honest gap analyses to see just how close we really are, and where and when we can most feasibly close the gaps.

The efforts can start on a well-by-well micro scale, thanks to 3D printing, cloud-based computing (for logistics, data management, supply chain, project management, etc.), so is ideal for entrepreneurs. 

For more information and initial plans, please contact Susan Nash as susan@beyondutopia.com 

-- Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

Norman, Oklahoma

susan@beyondutopia.com 

@beyondutopia

skype: beyondutopia 

The Career Crystal Ball: Which Careers Will Win After the Election?

If you have been following the Presidential candidates' campaigns, you're probably familiar with their goals to bolster the economic recovery and to bolster programs, both public and private, to help create jobs and develop a robust position in the world.

But, how do their views translate to careers?  Which sectors of the economy will benefit once their policies are implemented?

It's a tough question because we know that Presidents are not all-powerful, and they have to work with the legislative and judicial branch of the government as well. 

But, let's imagine for a moment that it's each candidate's perfect world. Which careers will thrive?  Let's take a look:

President Obama

The big winners here will most likely be the following:

Health care:  Obama's health reforms are restructuring the medical world, with expanded opportunities for nurses, physicians assistants, and health care administrators.

Education:  Continued expansion of grants for tuition, coupled with more controls on loans and education providers (in order to shut down diploma mills), could mean growth in higher education, especially at the community college level, where tuition is low.

Environmental protection / Green energy: Despite the setbacks in some alternative energy programs, there will still continue to be incentives for processes that monitor and protect the environment. Count on more vigilant monitoring of "fracking" and disposal wells that may cause induced seismicity.

Auto Industry:  Obama's support of the auto industry is likely to continue, resulting in high-tech jobs and also financial sectors.

Natural Resources Management and Technology: In this case, water is perhaps the biggest target, not only of conservation but also of management. Water trading during droughts and times of very thirsty cities has opened a new desire for new water purification, devices that conserve water, and those that protect the aquifer.

Governor Romney

Military: The military may reverse the current reduction in forces and start to ramp back up. Weapons purchases will expand as well. Careers in the military, as well as in military support industries will expand.

Investment Banking: Banking will most likely recover, with new investment funds, and potential sources of capital for small business, housing, and resource ventures. Companies specializing in M&A (mergers and acquisitions) will do well, along with those that "right size" and broker divestitures. Overseas investment in U.S. assets is likely to continue to occur, so a knowledge of international relations is critical. MBAs and international business majors may find themselves to be in particular demand. Learn Mandarin and Portuguese.

OIl and Gas Industry:  The shale boom will likely slow down if the price of natural gas stays low, and consolidations of companies accelerate. However, the expanded supply of natural gas must go somewhere, and we don't have the pipelines to transport it. The same applies to oil from North Dakota / Montana's Bakken, and Texas's Eagle Ford. Jobs for engineers, geoscientists, support techs, geographical information specialists, and pipeline construction will continue to grow. Demand for truckers, welders, and IT technicians (who deal with automated operations) will expand.

Attorneys and Paralegals: Corporate and administrative law could be the big winners, with a focus on bankrupcy, mergers, acquisitions, and patent law.

Possible Future Career Winners, Either Way:

Real Estate:  Recovery will continue to take place, regardless of the winner. Individuals in all phases of real estate could prosper.

Communications / Communications Networks:  Technology will continue to drive growth in smartphones, tablets, computer networks (cloud), as well as in solutions for standards-driven websites.

Genetics Specialists:  People who understand genes and can design medications and new varieties of plants will be in demand, both in the medical and agricultural fields. Bioengineering pets is also continuing to grow.

Event Planning:  As the economy recovers, so do events. Social media is making the "spectacle event" more popular than ever. Planners who can pull it off will be in demand.

Organic / Whole Foods:  Careers for those who produce, process, market, and distribute organic and whole foods will continue to thrive as the population continues to wrestle with staggering levels of obesity, often blamed on hormone-laced foods and hyper-processed foods.

Hospitality industry:  Tied to the overall health of the economy, the hospitality industry will thrive as the economy recovers.  Careers include culinary skills, restaurant management, hotel management, social media marketing for all travel / entertainment.

Robotics and Remote Operations:  Engineers, technicians, and computer specialists who can develop the platforms and equipment to expand the use of robotic and remote operations will thrive. Individuals who can work with the computer interfaces to analyze the information that comes from the remote information will also do quite well.

Developing a Professional Digital Competency Portfolio: Market Yourself, Your Skills & Vision

A portfolio can be one of the most useful tools you can use to showcase your abilities for potential employers, or simply to keep up to date with useful web applications. You can use the "digital competency portfolio" for course projects and capstones. The personal portfolio is a great way to show your creativity as well as your skill, and to guide people to an understanding of who you are. As you build your portfolio, you can use open source portfolio software such as Mahara (http://www.mahara.org). If you want your e-portfolio to have maximum exposure, you can use social networking solutions. Facebook is perhaps the most ubiquitous, but you can also use Ning, Orkut, Bebo, and others.

Checklist of items to include:

**Website with personal mission statement, your vision, work experience, insights, important links.
There are a number of places that offer easy-to-use free webhosting, with templates. Many colleges and universities provide you with free webspace. Others may require you to develop a website as a part of a master’s or Ph.D. program. If you use your university’s free student web space, be sure to create a mirror site and upload to server space / web hosting that will not go away when you graduate.

Once you have webhosting server space on something like siteground (http://www.siteground.com), you will need a web editing program. One of the most convenient ones around is the Sea Monkey Project (originally Netscape Composer). Then, you'll need an ftp program, such as FileZilla.

**Audio mp3 (optimized) using Garageband, Audacity, etc.
Creating audio content is not as nerve-wracking as you might suppose. It’s mainly a matter of deciding what your content will be, and then making an audio recording. You can use open source programs such as Audacity (be sure to download the lame.dll driver to help you convert to mp3 files). Then, simply upload to webspace that you may have, thanks to hosting packages with yahoo, siteground, lycos, or others. Alternatively, you may wish to use a podcasting service that has a built-in recorder and a built-in flash audio player. In any case, to impress, be sure to do the following

--make sure your recording is clear
--if you read your script, make sure to let it flow
--don’t be afraid to interject personal asides and to make your script engaging and conversational
--provide links to affiliated text(s) or websites that complement the content

**Video (Youtube / ustream)
Being able to demonstrate your ability to capture spontaneous, field-based experiences and then to share them with others is critical in our knowledge economy. Whether you capture video using your smartphone or handheld device, or if you invest in a video camera, the point is the same. Your original videos can be designed for archived viewing (Youtube.com), or to be “live” as a synchronous feed, which you later archive (http://www.ustream.com)

Make sure your content is

--engaging and interesting to your audience
--relevant to your overall message or goals
--thought-provoking
--humanizing – gives your audience a sense of the people and the community behind the names and the links

**Images (professional focus) -- Flickr, Photobucket (http://photobucket.com/)
It’s fun to share family vacations, graduations, and goofy pet antics on video and still photos. These are great to have. It is also good to have images and videos that resonate with your professional interests. These images are a wonderful element within your e-portfolio and can make a compelling case that you are pro-active about what you care about. Taking photos and posting them helps get the message across that you are active. Your images and videos show that you’re willing to put out the effort to create a reality around your interests and goals. Here are images to include:

--conferences / professional development events
--imaginative images that illustrate your dreams
--projects you may have created (robots, buildings, scale models, drawings)
--images that convey your core mission and vision

**LinkedIn
There are pro’s and con’s with any professional networking site, and LinkedIn is no exception. It’s not easy to show who you are in their rather rigid templates. But, thankfully, that’s not all LinkedIn is about. It provides a way for people to find and contact you, and you can give and receive recommendations. Beware, though. Like all social networking sites, LinkedIn can become an obsession. Remember the goal is to achieve your career objectives. It’s not about how many people you can “friend.”

**Archive of white papers (link pdfs)
One of the most impressive things you can do if you’re building a personal e-portfolio is to create a digital repository of some of your research, which could include web searches, annotated bibliographies, research papers, and white papers. Don’t forget to include metatags, and to put key words after your title and author block. They will help you get picked up by search engines. Also, be sure to be consistent with the appropriate style - probably MLA or APA. Also, be sure to put your name prominently on the website, and the date written. You may be surprised how many places will start linking to your white papers. You may even find yourself picked up by Google Scholar!

**PowerPoint (as pdf)
It is a good idea to include presentations in your e-portfolio that showcases your digital competencies. If you want to collaborate, you may wish to take advantage of open source presentation software, such as Zoho Show. Here are a few things to remember:

--convert your presentation to pdf (to make it more difficult for people to use your work without attribution)
--use a pdf converter program such as Adobe Professional, or a free pdf-maker such as Primo
--include metatags as you create a description
--don’t forget your name and date created
--write a synopsis
--include notes for each of the slides

You may be surprised how quickly your presentations will be picked up, especially in image searches.

**Twitter
Granted, Twitter is evolving, and we don’t know where it will take us, or if tweeting is a digital competency, per se. Nevertheless, it’s not a bad idea to include your twitter account, and to make sure to describe your interests so that they align with your professional interests

**Widgets, Scripts, Apps, Mashups
If you like to create applications, or to create widgets, scripts, or other integrated applications and mashups, the e-portfolio is a great place to let people know. If you're using Bebo as your social networking platform, keep in mind that Bebo has a good library of integrated apps / mashups. They also make it easy to create your own.

Putting It All Together
As you start to bring everything together, you may wonder if Facebook is really the right place to showcase your skills. The answer is a bit ambiguous. If you have a personal Facebook account for friends, family, and communication in general, you will definitely need to keep that one intact. Keep your wall open, and let people post.

However, for your professional e-portfolio that demonstrates digital competencies, use Facebook in a very constrained manner. Don’t allow people to post on your wall. Keep the content totally professional. Incorporate the items listed above, and embed html when possible. You may need to prominently display your website, and mirror all your links there, just in case people get a bit lost in your Facebook e-portfolio.

As a final note, be sure to share the digital competencies e-portfolio idea with your friends, and to exchange design, content, application, and “cool stuff” findings. Make it easy to get in touch with you – and clearly post what you’d like to get involved in, and the kinds of jobs, internships, volunteer activities, etc. that motivate you.

The e-portfolio is powerful, and your ability to demonstrate your digital competencies will give you a boost in the knowledge economy.