Using Brackish Water to Meet the - Mary · PDF fileUsing Brackish Water to Meet the ... •Amend Water Well Driller’s Act (TDLR ... Drilling, Well Control, and Completion Requirements

Using Brackish Water to Meet the State’s Growing Water Demands:

Will There be an Impact on the Oil & Gas Industry?

Background of Desalination: Focus on Brackish Groundwater

• Desal used worldwide

• To date Texas desal capacity modest

• Current Drought brought greater attention to increase water supply


TEXAS WELL-SUITED

– 300 MILES COASTLINE

– 30 AQUIFERS, ALL INCLUDE BRACKISH

– LBG-GUYTON 2003 REPORTS 2.7 BILLION ACRE-FEET

CURRENT SOURCES

– BRACKISH GROUNDWATER

– BRACKISH SURFACE WATER

– BRACKISH GROUNDWATER

– SEAWATER


• TWDB says

– Salinity of brackish groundwater or surface water ranges between 1,000 and 10,000 mg/L TDS

– Salinity of ocean water ranges between 30,000 and 35,000 mg/L TDS

Texas and Desalination

Guidance Manual for Brackish Desalination, Joseph W. (Bill) Norris, Texas Desal

September 2013

Groundwater Quality

(mg/L TDS)

> 10,000

3,000 to 10,000

1,000 to 3,000

< 1,000

http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/innovativewater/desal/doc/maps/bracwells_gw_db_all.jpg

Texas Water Development Board Wells in the Groundwater Database


• Safe Drinking Water Act regulates quality of drinking water in public water systems

• Public water systems include more than your local water utility

• EPA suggests TDS be limited to no more than 500 mg/L

• Texas rules set a limit of 1,000 mg/L

• These parameters for TDS address cosmetic or aesthetic effects, not adverse health effects


• Desal in Texas

– Is using “mildly brackish” water - between 1,000 and 3,000 mg/L TDS

– About ½ is surface water and ½ is groundwater

– Studies underway for desal of ocean water

– This presentation focuses on groundwater desal


State Water Plan: Use Of Brackish Groundwater Through Desalination


• 307,082 acre-feet of new water supplies from desalination were recommended for development by 2060:

– 181,568 acre-feet of brackish groundwater desalination and

– 125,514 acre-feet of seawater desalination supplies.


• Concerns:

– Cross-contamination of fresh water by brackish water extraction wells

– Lack of data about brackish portions of aquifers

– Presence of substances such as arsenic in source water

Oil & Gas Production Issues: Protection Of Groundwater Quality

• FRACKING

• EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION OF OIL & GAS BY TRADITIONAL VERTICAL WELLS

• OIL AND GAS DISPOSAL WELLS

• SURFACE DISPOSAL

• GROUNDWATER QUALITY WORTHY OF PROTECTION

• ABANDONED WELLS

Oil & Gas Production Issues: Use Of High Quantities Of Groundwater During Fracking

• Single use and then disposal

• Recycle on-site

• Use brackish and leave fresh for public water supply

Barnett Area Municipal Use = 1 million acre-ft = 326 billion gallons of water.

326 billion gal = 1.2x1012 L

University of Texas, Fracturing and Sand Control JIP, 2010 Annual Meeting.

Water Needs in Shale Gas Well Fracturing

2,700,000 gal = 1.0x107 L

31

The Latest in Membrane Research for Water Purification, Benny Freeman, Texas Desal September 2013

Oil & Gas Production Issues: Role Of Groundwater Conservation Districts

• Standing to challenge disposal well permits?

• Limit fresh water production?

• Limit brackish water production?

Oil & Gas Production Issues: Regulation Of Brackish Groundwater

• 83rd Legislature – bills on brackish water

• RRC well completion rules changes

• RRC injection well rule changes

• RRC oil and gas waste disposal – recycling rule changes

State Regulation: 83rd Session Brackish Water Bills

• SB 1284/HB 2752

• Sen. Schwertner, Rep. Larson, Rep. Callegari

• Public private partnership to partner desalination facility and power generation facility

• Amend TWC Chapter 36 so GCDs have no authority over brackish water (1,000 -10,000 TDS)


• HB 3718

• Rep. Martinez Fischer

• Uniform regulation of brackish aquifers

• Highest and best use = desalination and use produced water for hydraulic fracturing

• Promote recycling of produced water

State Regulatory Issues: Brackish Water Failed Legislation

• HB 2334

• Reps. Callegari, Lucio III, and Larson

• Regulation, development, and treatment of brackish and marine water

• As introduced: – No TCEQ water rights permit to appropriate brackish

surface water or marine water

– No GCD jurisdiction over brackish groundwater

– Brackish = > 1,000 TDS mg/L

– Marine = > 10,000 TDS and from Gulf


• HB 2334 – Committee Substitute • Modified TCEQ permit required to divert brackish

surface water • No TCEQ permit required to use seawater • Study needed on various aspects of the use of saline

water of all types • TCEQ to approve plans and specs of desal facilities that

produce drinking water • Establish Texas Center for Innovative Desalination

Technology (University of Houston, UT Brownsville, and UTEP)

State Regulatory Issues: 83rd Session Brackish Water Bills

• HB 2578

• Larson, Callegari, Anderson, & Villalba

• Many of same features of HB 2334 Committee Substitute

• Compromise to bring groundwater regulation into the mix

• Designation of brackish groundwater production zones

State Regulatory Issues: 83rd Session Brackish Water Bills

• HB 3317/SB 1749

• Rep. Keffer & Ken King/Sen. Uresti

• Would exempt water wells supplying drilling, exploration, and completion O & G activities

• Could be construed as exempting hydraulic fracturing water supply wells from GCD jurisdiction


• SB 873

• Hegar

• Deletes “oil & gas exemption” of TWC 36.117

• Amends to put water wells supplying water for drilling, exploration, or production on equal footing with other permitted wells, but requires expedited consideration


• HB 2624 • Rep. Ashby • Amend Water Well Driller’s Act (TDLR –

Occupations Code) • Brackish defined as between 1,000 and 35,000

TDS • Wells drilled to produce such water within TDLR

jurisdiction • TDLR groundwater protection rules must be

consistent with those of the RRC


• SB 1249

• Carona

• Amend Occupations Code – Water Well Driller and Pump Installer Acts

• Clarifies responsibility as between service company and well owner – notice of injurious water and abandoned wells

– plugging and completion

• Shortens deadline for plugging such wells

State Regulation: RRC Rule Changes

• RRC revamped its recycling permit rules

• Amended Rule 8 (16 TAC 3.8 Water Protection) and Commercial Recycle Rules

• Adds semi-mobile commercial recycling facility permit category

• No permit for certain non-commercial recycling facilities


• Rule 13 (Casing, Cementing, Drilling, Well Control, and Completion Requirements

• Related changes to Rule 99 (Cathodic Protection Wells)

• Related changes to Rule 100 (Seismic Holes and Cores Holes)

• Adopted in June – effective Jan. 1, 2014


• Injection wells regulated by the RRC

• Disposal wells (Rule 9); wells and operations in hydrogen sulfide areas (Rule 36); and fluid injection into productive reservoirs (Rule 46)

• Adequate protection of freshwater formations and protection of “usable-quality water”

• New rulemaking underway

Groundwater Quality Worthy of Protection

• The City of Odessa desalination project

• Considered CRMWD groundwater

• 6,000 to 12,000 TDS

• 3,500 to 5,000 feet deep

• Fort Stockton option

• Untapped aquifer 3,500 feet down

• Possibly 1,200 to 1,300 TDS

• Trinity Edwards freshwater above at 700 feet

Guidance Manual for Brackish

Desalination

Joseph W. (Bill) Norris, P.E.

Texas and Desalination

'Brackish' Groundwater

Guidance Manual for Brackish Desalination, Joseph W. (Bill) Norris, Texas Desal September 2013

Use limitations for saline water.

Salt

Concentration Use

(mg/L TDS)

< 1,000 Considered fresh and usable for drinking.

< 1,500 Usable for irrigation, depending on the

crop type and level of specific salts.

< 3,000 Usable for some livestock.

> 3,000 Considered unusable without treatment.

35,000 Seawater Concentration

• End Products

–Guidance Manual

–Interactive Website

• Available from TWDB

Guidance Manual

Availability

Guidance Manual for Brackish Desalination, Joseph W. (Bill) Norris, Texas Desal

September 2013

http://www.twdb.texas.gov/publications/reports/contracted_reports/doc/0604830581_BrackishDesal.pdf

Recycle Produced Water

• Shale formation HF uses millions of gallons of chemical-laced water

• 20% re-emerges as produced water

• Water Rescue Services runs recycling service for Fasken Oil and Ranch

• Goal – not use freshwater for fracking

• RRC revamped recycling permit rules in March

Challenges in Produced Water

Treatment and Measurement

Emerging Trends

Texas Desal

David B. Burnett

Department of Petroleum Engineering GPRI

Texas A&M University

September 2013

GPRI EFD

Challenges Facing Produced Water Management

Varying Water Compositions

Lack of Infrastructure

Public/policy Demands (environmental &

perception Issues)

Water Transport/storage

Variation in Use of Product Water

Disposal

Challenges in Produced Water Treatment and Measurement David B. Burnett, Texas

Desal September 2013

Key Aspects of Treatment:

Offending Materials Produced water: Water

C hemicals(and heavy metals)

Low-solids percentage and distribution

hydrocarbons

Varies by location

Some sort of separation from oil is usually

done

Drilling Wastes Water

H I g h solids (~ 5-8% by volume)

C hemicals (mud additives)

Lower Hydrocarbons concentration

Miscellaneous

Challenges in Produced Water Treatment and Measurement, David B. Burnett, Texas


The Environmentally Friendly Drilling Systems

Program



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EFD Field Trials



A&M Lab in the Eagle Ford



Mobile Frackwater Purification Unit

40

The Latest in Membrane Research for Water Purification, Benny Freeman,

Texas Desal September 2013

Mary K. Sahs (512) 326-2556 [email protected]

Documents

Using Brackish Water to Meet the - Mary · PDF fileUsing Brackish Water to Meet the ... •Amend Water Well Driller’s Act (TDLR ... Drilling, Well Control, and Completion Requirements