Permian Basin Reports Third-Party Companies Expanding Water Treatment, Reuse And Disposal Capabilities By Danny Boyd Crude oil and natural gas production have rocketed to all-time highs in the Permian Basin, but so has the volume of water coproduced with all those hydrocarbons. Long-lateral horizontal wells in the Permian's multiple stacked tight oil plays are among the most productive ever completed in any onshore U.S. basin, but the reality is the typical well will produce a lot more formation water than oil over its lifetime. That makes effective water management a top priority for any operating strategy. It also explains why third-party produced water management continues to grow across the Permian. In addition to developing pipelines, saltwater disposal wells and recycling facilities, water management companies are using new technologies to set service standards and convert a waste product into a major regional asset. Numerous operators still manage their own water handling systems, but independent water midstream providers are rapidly increasing their share of total water management activity. These providers are building water infrastructure and sometimes buying systems from operators and adjoining midstream companies to gain economies of scale that will allow them to meet the growing need for recycled produced water in frac jobs. The segment also is anticipating beneficial reuse applications outside the oil and gas industry. OCTOBER PBIOS 2023 113