Railroad Commission of Texas said last week it has created the framework for a pilot program designed to enhance environmental protection in Texas by recycling produced water safely and economically. It will provide a regulatory program for operators to assess the effectiveness and suitability of applying treated produced water for beneficial purposes. Operators will apply for authorization to conduct pilot studies, and the commission will issue permits or letters of authorization. RRC said Jan. 10, “Ultimately the potential exists to reduce the amount of produced water that gets injected back into the ground, which can help reduce incidents of seismicity as well as develop a potential water source for above-ground use.”
The commission said it will focus on the effectiveness of treatment technologies and examine proper methods for gathering, storing, treating, testing and documenting how treated water quality evolves and is controlled in each pilot facility.