Mapping the Energy and Footprint of Produced Water Management in New Mexico

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1 Mapping the Energy and Footprint of Produced Water Management in New Mexico Katie Zemlick PhD Candidate Department of Civil Engineering University of New Mexico American Water Resources Association 2016 Annual Water Resources Conference November 13-17, 2016 Orlando, FL

2 Co-Authors: Dr. Elmira Kalhor, University of New Mexico Dr. Bruce M. Thomson, University of New Mexico Dr. Janie Chermak, University of New Mexico Dr. Vincent C. Tidwell, Sandia National Laboratory Dr. Enid J. Sullivan Graham, Los Alamos National Laboratories Special thanks to: Secretary Martin (ret.), Energy Mining and Natural Resources Division Oil Conservation Division Staff Funding for this research was provided by: New Mexico s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), NSF Award #IIA The UNM Center for Water and the Environment, an NSF funded Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST), NSF Award # AWRA, November 17,

3 Introduction Presentation Structure Introduction New Mexico s energy resources Produced water and produced water management Regulatory environment Additional economic considerations Research Objectives Methods and Model Framework Results Policy Discussion Conclusion AWRA, November 17,

arid and often water stressed Permian basin is almost entirely groundwater dependent.

4 Introduction New Mexico has vast and diverse energy reserves including Uranium Coal, oil, natural gas (fossil fuels) Traditionally important to regional and state economies The state is arid and often water stressed Permian basin is almost entirely groundwater dependent. Image credits: NM Bureau of Geology, 2002 (top); (bottom) AWRA, November 17,

$Introduction Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has increased estimates of economically recoverable reserves of O & G Low-porosity shales However, water is required for production and large volumes may$

5 Introduction Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has increased estimates of economically recoverable reserves of O & G Low-porosity shales However, water is required for production and large volumes may be produced What is produced water? Flowback from injection + formation water Higly saline (TDS) Oil and grease Dissolved organics and inorganics Metals Additives from HFFs Radioactive compounds EIA, 2015 AWRA, November 17,

$Introduction Water for hydraulic fracturing 3-5 million gallons per well (Gallegos et al., 2015) 1.$

6 Introduction Water for hydraulic fracturing 3-5 million gallons per well (Gallegos et al., 2015) Mgal in NM ( ) Predominantly fresh water Largest volume waste stream in the industry > 800 M bbls (34 Bgal) of generated in NM in % was disposed of via deep well injection or temporarily applied in enhanced oil recovery Interest in reuse within and outside of the industry Image source: Frackwire.com AWRA, November 17,

7 Introduction Increasing interest in managing produced water as a resource rather than waste will reduce: Stress on limited freshwater resources Disposal cost Injection-induced seismic events Prevention of overpressure in receiving formations Environmental risk and remediation Costs of managing produced water can be difficult to quantify and vary regionally Water quantity and quality Fresh water availability Access to injection wells AWRA, November 17,

8 Objective Quantify the spatial variation in energy demands (kwh/bbl) and marginal costs of produced water management in oil and gas producing basins based for three scenarios and four energy metrics: 1) freshwater pumping 2) transportation 3) produced water treatment 4) disposal AWRA, November 17,

$Methods Management Scenarios 1) Acquisition of freshwater for fracking and conventional deep-well disposal or temporary reuse for EOR of produced water 2) Treatment of a portion of PW that satisfies$

9 Methods Management Scenarios 1) Acquisition of freshwater for fracking and conventional deep-well disposal or temporary reuse for EOR of produced water 2) Treatment of a portion of PW that satisfies existing regional demand including the associated disposal of concentrate and excess water, and 3) Treatment of all produced and disposal of concentrate Fresh groundwater extraction Transportation Production (fracking or EOR) Disposal Transportation Transportation Treatment AWRA, November 17,

10 Methods DATA SOURCES NM Oil Conservation Division 36 mi 2 Township-Range boundaries Production volumes by well and location (1970s-present) Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid (HFFD) volumes (2012-present) Class II disposal wells (<1000) and EOR wells (~3200) NM Office of the State Engineer Groundwater well location and characteristics (~30,000) US Department of Transportation Trucking fuel efficiency Literature: treatment and pumping energy requirements, unloading time, injection energy (Digital H2O, 2015) AWRA, November 17,

sources (Clockwise from top): www.circleofblue.

11 Methods GIS Model using Near Tool Distance (ft.) Groundwater Well Class II Disposal Well Image sources (Clockwise from top): AWRA, November 17,

$Methods Idling Energy Significant source of fuel consumption in trucking 1MGal frack ~ 300 fresh trucks Fill and empty$ = average reported pressure maximum permitted pressure t = 0.

= average reported pressure maximum permitted pressure t = 0.

12 Methods Idling Energy Significant source of fuel consumption in trucking 1MGal frack ~ 300 fresh trucks Fill and empty freshwater trucks to tank battery Truck wait time based on fleet size Injection time (t) as a function of pressure (U) U = average reported pressure maximum permitted pressure t = 0.01 U2 60 minutes (Digital H20, 2015) USAEE, October 24-26, 2016 Image sources (Clockwise from top): holding tanks, K. 12 Zemlick 2016, Disposal well, Zemlick 2016

13 Methods Treatment: most field methods are chemically driven but used EC measurements to estimate treatment energy.(xu et al. 2016) Oil water separator and holding tanks Softener (left) and Clarifier (right) EPRC 6, September 8-9,

14 Methods Transportation energy for 80 bbl truck at full capacity 5.8 mpg full, 7.3 mpg empty 25 mph unpaved roads, 60 mph paved Treatment Assumed trucking distance for reuse: 8.5 miles (maximum distance within TR) 2 miles (median distance to freshwater well) Energy calculated for each well Median energy requirements calculated for TR unit AWRA, November 17,

66 Bravo Dome 3.64 3.30 3.30 Raton 9.29 8.60 8.

15 Results Basin Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Permian San Juan Bravo Dome Raton Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 AWRA, November 17,

16 Results Fresh Water Volumes Groundwater Storage Image Credit: AWRA, November 17,

17 Conclusion Transportation is in the majority of cases, the largest contributor to the energy footprint of produced water Improvements in treatment technologies Adjustments for low quality water Energy requirements for fresh water will continue to increase due to declining heads and competition within the industry Increasing water requirements for longer laterals Limitations: Produced water quality and treatment energy Disposal well capacity Fresh water availability constraints EPRC 6, September 8-9,

Treated Produced Water Storage Pond, Permian Basin Discussion Regulatory environment NMAC 19.15.

infrastructure Calibrated transportation distance Use outside of the industry Additional treatment

18 Treated Produced Water Storage Pond, Permian Basin Discussion Regulatory environment NMAC Part 34 Storage, treatment, and reuse Oilfield waste Proposed treatment and transportation infrastructure Calibrated transportation distance Use outside of the industry Additional treatment (desalination) Environmental monitoring Roadside Polypipe and Lay-flat Hose EPRC 6, September 8-9,

19 Thank You 20

Data Management and New Mexico s Energy-Water Nexus

Data Management and New Mexico s Energy-Water Nexus Elmira Kalhor a Katie Zemlick b Janie Chermak a Karl Benedict c a. Department of Economic, University of New Mexico b. Department of Civil Engineering,